Evening journal., 1923-01-13
FAVOR S730,OOO
FOR CITY HARBOR

|
appropriation bill Is passed and
signed by the President Work will
be rushed in order that the new
Marine Terminal may become fully
operative as soon as possible
Meanwhile the L. s. $ Dredge
Minquas is az work night and day.
maintaining The present channel In
the Christiana. This work is being
paid for with funds from the ap-
preparation by the last Army bill.
The item of Slo0.o 600 i'm the new bill
is 10 continue It curing the coming
fiscal year.
During hearings on the bill held
by tho House committee on appro-
priatlons. Brigadicr General Harry
Taylor. assistant chief OF engineers.
testified that big steamships literal
ly run along the soft. muddy bot
tom OF the Delaware river In GER
tain places.
4 lump appropriation OF $4,000
900 for rivers and harbors work
throughout the country was recon-
mended by the committee. The sum
was an increase OF nearly 10000
600 over budget estimates, although
the War Department engineers ori-
ginally requested S43.OO0.0O0 from
the Budget Bureau as the minimum
necessary to carry out authorized
projects.
or the $4,000 estimate. the
army engineers asked S2.O75.OOO for
maintenance OF the thirty-hve-foo
Delaware river channel below Phil /
adelph.a. S925 600 for its improve I
ment and S25,cO0 FOR maintenance f.
OF the channel between Philadelphia .
and Trenton.
The lump appropriation OF S37.- /
100000 recommended would author
ize expenditures In such manner
as the engineers believed most proh-
table General Taylor's statements
before the committee were regarded
as a clear indication that the Della
ware river would have adequate care
from the engineers who will allot
the funds
lie said the Delaware channel was
one or the departments greatest
problems adding that the slope was
hattenins out in the nfiy-two OF
the siXty-three miles below Phila-
delphia In which the thirty-fve-foot
channel had been dug. When the
soft silt Of the bottom finally
reaches stable condition. ne testified,
costs would be less.
but he doubted they ever would run
below S1.O0O.oOO yearly
Questioned by Rcprese
stafford. Wisconsin. member OF
'ommittee. whether ne had received
Of vessels grounding IN
he Delaware. General Taylor said.
The modern frciFhter draws very
lose 10 or little more than thirty
'eet: tho modern oil tanker draws
hirty-one feet. The tide IN the
Delaware river ranges between 4.3
feet AZ Lewes. 80 feet AZ a point
part the way up and 90 feet al
Were 10 not for the fact that the
bottom Of the Delaware ls very soft
mud. / think we should have had
many complaints about the condition
Il the channel"
Colonel Earl 7. Brown. 4. $. engi-
leer for the Wilmington and Phlla-
Ielphia districts and in charge OF
he Improvements OF the thirty-foot
hannel in Delaware river from
10 Delaware bay. re-
orts that the latest examinations
how a depth or thirty feet or more
n the center line throughout the
ntire length OF the channel.
There is a small rock area on the In
'esterly side OF Tinicum range on
land. The least depth over the %,
,ck within the channel limits is n,
lirty-two feet AT mean low water.
here are also shoal areas, COM 20
Dsed partly OF ledge rock. IN the co
estern half Of the channel at the IN
wer end OF Chester range and at vf
.c upper end Of Marcus Hook HI
nge.
While there Is no ledge rock IN
Thin the channel limits ON either re
arcus Hook or Chester ranges IN
ojecting above thirty feet \; mean
w water. vessels dDiwlng more on
an twenty-six feet should navi- da
te the eastern half OF the chan bo
l Whlch Is clear or all obstruc- he
IN 10 a depth OF thirty feet or mn,
ore at mean low water. There is ito
dangerous rock area lying to the hv
.stward OF the intersection Of Mar tiv
s Hook and Chester ranges. and in
tween these ranges and the Old lar
hooncr Ledge range opposite thc'tcr
&c Stag pile Of the Delaware steel
orks 90 Chester. Tn. lower Linz Co
Of the rock area is marked by no,
lorizonta. striped buoy. and deep hs.
aft vessels should keep TO the nat
itward at this point wo