Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-07-07
PETITION ISSUED
FOR OVERRULINC
FORMER REPORT
Board Of Engineers Of The War
Department Asked To Re-
consider Ruling
EFFORTS BEING MADE
TO DREDGE CHANNEL

The Board OF Engineers 1Or RIVERS
and Harbors, of the War Department,
has been requested to overrule unfa-
vorable recommendations of the army
district engineer at Baltimore, and or
der a favorable report on the appl-
cations of business interests at Snow
Hill, Worcester county, providing for
dredging a channel through sand
bar at the highway bridge at that
place.
Senator Radcliffe and Representa-
tive Ward headed delegation from
Snow Hill, which cited the benefit of
:. such channel to business interests in
that section. It would directly affect
g. large number of farmers in provid-
ing low transportation rates on ferti-
lizer, petroleum products and lumber,
the board was informed.
Senator Radcliffe cited personal
knowledge of the need for the pro-
posed channel and of the considerable
number of citizens who would benefit
by the proposed Improvement. Rep
resentative Ward spoke likewise.
Ben T. Truitt, representing business
interests at Snow Hill, pointed out
that the dredging of the channel thru
the bar just above the bridge would
not only mean the location of addi-
tional business concerns, but would
serve as a safeguard to the highway
bridge across the Pocomoke river at
that point.
He explained that draw was pro-
vided in the bridge when it was con-
structed some years ago, but that the
channel was not in line with the draw,
which constitutes hazard for tankers
and other freight vessels destined for
industrial plants above the bridge.
He expressed the fear that some Of
the vessels might damage the draw
span and put the bridge out of COM
mission.
John o. Byrd, Mayor of Snow Hill,
also testified to the need for dredging
at this point, and before concluding
his statement said local interests
would be willing to share part of
the cost, which he said is estimated
at approximately $500.
William o. Shockley, also of Snow
Hill, gave the board his personal OBJ
servations on the difficulty of freight
vessels in navigating the channel at
this point.
The Federal Government has ex-
pended more than $273,O00 in dredg-
ing channel through "the Pocomoke
Muds" so as to provide an adequate
channel for the movement of seafood
and other commodities to Snow Hill,
but the improvements were not carried
above the present highway bridge
which local interests contend serves
as a bottleneck for navigation above
that point. They explained that there
is a sufficient depth above the bridge
except for the jutting bar at the bridge
site.
Representative Ward announced he
will request the House Rivers and Har-
bors Committee to adopt a resolution
authorizing a review of the channel
from Ocean City to Chincoteague Bay,
to provide for depth of six feet and
width of sixty feet, from the six
foot contour at Ocean City to that
depth in Chincoteague Bay.
Consideration of the dredging of a
channel at Public Landing and at Tay-
lor's Landing would be coupled with
the review. This improvement is
strongly urged by the Board of Coun-
ty Commissioners of Worcester