Evening journal., 1923-02-15
DEEPER CANAL
TO Come LATER

CONTINUED From First Psge)
speakers we're: James p. shehan
-vice-presldent and general counse
OF the Chicago and Northwestern
Railway; Speaker Samuel y. Culver
Lieutenant Governor J. Dantorti
Bush. Senator W. A. simonton, Sena
tor Hardesty: William 3. Foster anc
Donald r. Morton. OF the duPon'
Company; W. G. Tatnsll and Johr
p. Hyatt, OF. mo State Archives
Connnf-si Captain Phillip Key
bold OF wilmington, and Morgan 4
Gum OF Frankford. Following the
addresses the visitors were taken
10 the rooms OF the State Arehivis'
and shown some OF the old State
records and papers.
siot Deep Canal Mt First
President pro TEN Murphy pre-
sided at the Joint session and the
FIRST speaker vas Colonel Brown
one point was brought out by
Colonel Brown that did not seem
to be generally known. THIS was the
fact that while the Government is
now working on plans TO materially
enlarge the canal and make II sea-
level waterway Il will not at first
he a deep ship canal although that
will probably be done at some future
time. The work OF enlsrging the
canal will be carried out to the ex-
tent. however, that when the time
comes for making Il a deep ship
email all that viii be needed will be
10 deepen Il more. The plans for
che bridges and other details are
ouch that no other changes will have
TO be made when eventually Il is
made deep ship canal.
Colonel Brown gave a short his
tory Of the Chesapeake and Della
ware canal from the time OF Its
construction 1924 20 1879 up 70 the
present time which proved unusually
Interesting. He explained that the
early settlers tried TO hnd some
means OF getting from the Della
ware 70 the Chesapeake without
using the dangerous outside route.
FOR a time freight was transferred
overland between the two bodies OF
water but as the commerce IN
-ressed It became desirable TO pro-
vide a way 10 move this freight
without breaking the bulk which
had proved expensive.
The first step towards a canal was
taken in 1893. Colonel Brown stated
when company was organized 10
Build a canal Surveys were made
and the present route decided on.
The States OF Maryland, Delaware
and Pennsylvania passed legislation
20 help the project. Il was 1924
however. before the work was act
Tally started and IL was completed
in 1929. The building OF such a
canal NJ that time was a work OF
great magnitude and many difficult
ties were encountered.
Colonel Brown said as early as
1870. there was talk OF a deep ship
canal and although various reports
and surveys were made Congress
did not adopt the project at that
Time. 10 remained in allegiance I'M
iii the organizing OF the Deeper Ship
Canal Association and other organ
cations that backed the project.
The present canal Colonel Brown
"a d has three levels. At Delaware
City the locks raise the water clio
feet above sea level and the st.
Georges locks raises Il 10 feet more.
At Chesapeake city the locks drop
the water IS feet. In constructing
he enlarged canal he said the locks !
viii be done away with altogether /
and 70 will be made a sea level canal I
from end TO end. The present /
bridges will be replaced by modern |
steel structures.
To BE Twelve Feet Deep
The bottom width OF the enlarged |
canal viii be 90 feet and the depth .
- feet at low water. In commercial F.
he said the canal occu-
p.cs high place. The tonnage the /
past year was more than double 1
what It was when tho Government |
took &C. over a few years ago. In
July Of last year 100000 tons OF
freight valued At 5000. 1000 passed
through the canal and IN January
OF this year which IS the lightest
month OF the year as 20 freight
g. 600 tons OF freight valued at So
100000 passed through.
This said Colonel Brown will give
. N l1Pa or the immense tonnage
That can be expected when the pres
ent work is completed. It will no
doubt he said, be increased by at
feast so per cent. Larger and
better boats Will be able to operate
through The canal and when the day
For the deep ship canal comes the
tonnage will no doubt, he predicted
grow to "A figure that would be in
conceivable today.
Colonel Brown explained some OF
he work that is now going on and
said It is largely a dredging Job.
lie told OF the large dredges that
are at work. Bids Will be adver-
tised for soon. he stated for the
'emovai Of about 10000 cubic yards
N dirt at the deep cut. As to what
effect the charging OF the canal will
have on Delaware Colonel Brown
said he was hardly competent to dis
'uss. He thought however, that the
larbor and hsrbor terminal project
IN Wilmington and the canal pro-