Smyrna times., 1933-06-07
.LEWES INNER
HARBOR PLAN
Citizens Urge Federal Fund
Be Expended on This
Project
GREAT BENEFIT TO AREA

The construction of 12-foot
channel by the government, from
the Delaware Bay to the Lewes
and Rehoboth Canal, to the anchor
age basin, or harbor of refuge, at
Lewes, was the subject of a public
meeting in Lewes Wednesday
night. The meeting was conducted
by Colonel Earl I. Brown, u. S.
Engineer, Philadelphia District, of
Philadelphia. Those in favor of the
project said the improvement
would mean more to the economic
welfare and the development of
southern Delaware than any other
expenditure of the Federal funds,
by reason of the fact that it would
insure a low freight rate on bulk
commodities which would reflect
greatly to the benefit of the cit
izens not only of Lewes, Rehoboth
and Milton, but of all the southern
part of the State. The hearing
was attended by about 100 resi-
dents Of Lewes, Rehoboth and Mil
ton and adjacent communities.
Captain Harry o. Tunis, assistant
u S. Engineer, assisted in con-
Quoting the meeting. Among those
who participated in the discussion
were Mayor u. w. Hooker, of Lew
es, and former Congressman Rob-
ert G. Houston. A new report will
be prepared and submitted to the
chief of Army engineers in Wash
ington, on the meeting and other
data for the project. The meeting
was held for the reconsideration of
a report on the improvement to
the Broadkill River and Lewes
harbor of refuge and Rehoboth
Canal Originally it was proposed
to construct the inlet to the canal,
and the project, providing for the
expenditure of S287, 900 by the Fed
eral government and $4,000 by
Lewes was approved. The original
proposal called for an 18-foot chan
mel in the inlet from river to canal
However, since no local assistance
was secured, it is now urged by the
residents that the inlet, or channel,
be made II feet deep and that it be
done entirely with Federal funds.
The project provides for 12-foot
deep inlet to the Lewes and Reho-
both Canal and an anchorage basin
or harbor of refuge with land lock-
ed protection of sufficient size to
care for the shipping that would
develop. At the meeting it was
stated that the conditions which
prevailed when provision was made
for and 18-foot channel up to the
Queen Anne pier no longer exist,
as the class of traffic that used the
roadstead at that time consisted
largely of sea-going barges and
deep draft tugs, sailing boats and
steamers, which used Lewes as a
port of call to receive orders. The
present 12-foot project was sub
JCCl VI a itpOil " 1OllS LSS5 sew
eral months ago, and the project
was disapproved by the chief of en-
gineersL Recently the committee
on Rivers and Harbors of the
House of Representatives or
dered review of the past report
be made and new report render
ed to Congress. The district en-
gineer is now preparing the new
report. Among others who spoke
at the meeting were d. w. Bur
bage, for Lewes; Captain ]. L.
Richardson, of Philadelphia and
Captain H B. Lyons, Jr., of Lew
es, members of the Pilots Associa-
tion; George p. Tunnel, of Lewes,
a shipping man; DR.. w. P. Orr, Jr..
of Lewes, who spoke of the value
of the project for landing sick or
injured seamen at Lewes; Clarence
Lamb and Mayor Smith, of Milton.