42d congkess, ) HOUSE OF EE PRESENT ATIYES. í Ex. Doc. 3d /Session. ( \ BROADKILN RIVER, DELAWARE. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, •1 r.AXSMITTIXG A report of an examination of the Broaäkiln River, Delaware. jAxr \l!A" 7, 1S73.—Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. War Department, Washington, December 21, 1872. Tlip Secretary of War lia.s the honor to transmit to the ITonse of Rep¬ resentatives, in eoinplianoe with a resolution of the llth of Ylarch last, a reiiort from Lieurenant-Colonel J. D. Knrtz, of an examination of the Broadkiln River, Delaware, tindertaken with a view of ascertaining the practicivbility of dredging and imitroving the same in the interests of commerce, and also it letter from the Chief of Engineers, transmitting the same, WM. W. BELKNAP, Secretary of War. Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. G., December 19, 1872. Sir : In compliance with the following resolution of the House of Ec))resentativcs of March 11, 1872, viz ; That ttie Secretary of War lie recpiested to omise to be made an examination and sur¬ vey of Broadkiln River, in the State of Delaware, with a view to a.seertaiu the practi¬ cability of drcd^inji and im)iroving tlie same, so as to afford greater protection and facilities to commerce, and that he report upon the feasibility of making such improve¬ ment, and the probable cost thereof to the Homse of Representatives. I bog leave to transmit herewith the aeeoinpanying copy of a report on the subject from Lieuteiiant-Colouel J. D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers, to whom the examinatioii of the Broadkiln River was iutrnsted. A'ery respectfully, your obedient servant, A. A. IIUAIPIIREYS, Brigadier- General and Chief of Enqineers. Hon. ^Y. W. Belknap, Secretary of TF«r. I ( , I eCiú J y I ,j T MAR 6 1911 •31^ AY o beoadkilx river, delaware. U^aïed States Eacdneer Ofitoe, FhiJadelphia, Fa., Fcptemher 11, 1871'. Gea'ekal : I liave the honor to transmit herewitli a survey of the Broadkiin Itiver, Delaware, made in conformity with your insfrnctions of March 20, 1872. The survey was executed by (iaiitain AI. K. Brown, Cori>8 of En^n'ineers, and by Mr. James A. tJiase, assistant engineer, un¬ der his immediate direction. The ])apers consist of a report, including an estimate of the cost of the improvements desired, and tive maps marked sheets A, B, C, D, and E. Sheet A is reconnaissance of Broadkiin Kiver. Sheet B is Broadkiin Kiver. Sheet 0 is Broadkiin Kiver. Sheet D is Broadkiin Kiver. Sheet E is Broadkiin Kiver. The papers show that the present entrance into the Broadkiin from Delawart! Bay affords very little water at low tide, and that it is con¬ stantly disturbed by shifting sand, while the entrance itself is advanc¬ ing ra])idly up the beach under the transporting action of the tides. Eifty years ago there was an entrance to Lewes Creek at a point called "Old Inlet," six or seven thousand feet above its present junction with the Broadkiin. The land between Lewes Creek and the bay is very nar¬ row at this ])oint, and the bay shore is free from drifting sand. This inlet was opened by a storm twenty-live years ago, and was in use un¬ til it was closed by ai tiiicial causes. Captain Brown recommends that this inlet be re-oi)ened by a cut across the beach, and the waters of the Broadkiin and Lewes Creek be discharged through it into the bay. Tiie c.ost of making this opening is estimated by him at -SU,790. It is also ¡iroposed to rlredge and clear the course of the Broadkiin, so as to aifoi d a nuilorm dejitli of six feet at low water. Th(> ccvst of this and of a dam to turn the waters from Lewes Sound toward the new inlet is estimated at 800,007, making the total cost of desired improvement $80,117. Statement of funds, AllotiiKMit from amuopriiition for examinations ami surveys on north and north¬ west hikes and rivers, Ac. iStiOO Expended to.Inne 30, 000 Kespectfnllv submitted. J. D. KÜKTZ. , Lleiitenant-Colonel of Engineers. Brig,-Gen. A, A. iiuimriirey.s, CItief of Engineers United iStaies Army., ^Y(tsttingfon, D. C. On the Kith of ALirch, 1872, a communication, of which the following is a copy, was received by me at the engineer office in Lewes, Delaware: Office of tiíf Chief of Exgineeies, Ifatíhiní/ton, 1). C., March 14, 1872. Colonel: Tlie inclosed cojiy of a resolution of tlic House of Hepreseutatives of the lltli instant, reiiuestiug an exaininatiou and survey of the Jlroadkilii Kiver, Delaware, iVc., is transmitted to you for report. BROADKir.N RIVER, DELAWARE. Pleaseascertnin tlic probable extent of the required survey, and an estimate of the cost of making it. By coiMiii.uid of Brisadler-Goiieriil Humphreys. Very respectfully, your obele extent ami cost of the required sui vev. J. I). KIBiTZ, Lieutenant-Colonel of Piujineers. The reply to these instnictions was as follows: Lewes, Dklawaue, Mardi 20, LS72. Sin : Your insj nictions of the IGtli instant, calling npon mrovemeuts are desired. For this [mrpose it is heiievci! cilDI) will he ample. I am, very res[iectfully, your obedient servant, M. TÎ. BROWN, Fiist Llentcnant, Cori)!^ of Pufjincers. Lientenaiit-Colonel J. U. Kunrz, Corpa of Pnyincera, IJ. S. J., rhiladelplúa. 4 BROAIJKILN RIVEE, DELAWARE. March 29 tlic following reached ine : Officic of 'jhe Chief of E.n-(;ixef,k.s, U'ashiniiloii, D. C., March 25, 1872. Coi.ON'Fi, : Your lettei' of the 21st instant is x'eceived. Yon xvill canse a survey to lie inaile of the the liroailkilu River, Delaware, as eonteiniilated liy the re,solntion of the House of Representatives of tlie 11th March, a copy of which was ,sent yon Marcit 14, The expenses of tlie snrvey will he jiaiil ftom tint appropriation for " Examinations and surveys on the northern and northwestern lakes and rivers and tint Atlantic and Pacitic Coasts," Ac, And the amonnt of your estimate, $600, will be set aside for the imrpose, Yerv respeetfullv, yotir obedient .servant, JXO, 0, r.IEKE, Major of Enyinceris. By command of Brigadier-General Ilninphrey.s, Lientenant-Colonel J, D, Kfttrz, Corpa of Eny 'uiecrs, I'hilaih lphia. [Fliest imlorsenieiit,] 1'NITKI) ST.VTKS Engtnkeií Ofihce, riiilarit'lpliia, March 28, 1872, Respectfully transmitted to First Lieutenant M, R, Brown, Coi'iis of Engineers, who Avill make the snrvey as directed, anil send it with report to this oliiee as soon as com¬ pleted. The report should state the ship-hnilding, mannfactnres, commerce, and navigation of the river ; what benetits are, expected from the improvement ; what is the nearest port of entry ; the amonnt of revenue collected there the last year, &c, .7, D, KFRTZ, Lietiloiaiil-Coloiid of Engiiicera. To hidicate. the ste[)s ttikeu to eaiTy out these instructions, the follow¬ ing e.Ytraet front iny monthly report for Aitrii, 1t of April. On tlic *2il I proceeilcd to Phihulelphia in pursuance of your orders. On the 4lh of Aindl the men engaged on the work refused to continue on it in coiise([nence of the high charge for board made by the farmers liv¬ ing on the baidvs of the river. They rel'nsed to receive tiie men for less than $1 per day each, some asking as higii as S'i per day. As was the amount earned per man the ])arty felt iinable to atbud tive-eighths of this for board, and in my absence Mr. Chase did not think himself authorized to pay the men more. The 4th, otli, and Oth of Aindl, tine working days, were thus lost. I returned to Lewes on the evening of Saturday 6th, and at once arranged the trouble satisfactorily to the men. On the •27th of A]tril most of the field-work, embracing iniieh shore-line not strictly on the Lroadkiln ilself, was completed. Over a })art of the surveyed tract it is impos¬ sible to run transit-lines from the softness of the ground ; thendbre- two miles of the river were surveyed by compass, and by line and reel measurements made from boat to boat. Eleven miles of transit-lines were run along the reaches of the Ib'oadkiln itself, and sixteen miles of transit-lines auxiliary to those tirst désignât«».1. Ahont thirty-five miles of lines of soundings were estahlished, and 10.0^1 soundings wm-e made on these lines, besides many in Delaware Bay in the «aiurs«) of the survey of the liarbor, for a board of engineer ofticers. About oOO measurements were taken to ascei tain the width of the river, A:e. Diii'ing tlie inunth of jMa.y the liehl-woi'k coiishsted in the staldng out ami leveling of .snuh lines for canals as have been suggested by those citizens win) are interested in tiie iin])ro\'einent of tiie navigation of tiie river, also in tiie '■rnnning" of ('(n'tain transit-lines for use in checking work previously performed. In tiie aggregate tiiese lines amonnt to about twenty-tiiree miles. Tiie tortuous nature of tlie stream, and tiie many points wiiicli pre¬ sent formidai)ie ditlicidties to navigation, caused tiie snrvey to present a very detailed ciuiracter, and uecessariiy made tiie oliice-work extend BROADKILN RIVER, DELAWARE. 5 over a considerable period. It was found impracticable to finish the maps and charts in season to allow of their presentation to Congress previous to its adjournment, then impending, and in order to economize the cost of the survey, work was prosecuted, after the adjournment of Congress, at such times as not to interfere with other matters to which the attention of assistants was principally directed. Drawings exhibiting the information obtained in survey, and esti¬ mates of cost of all improvements desired by those interested in the com¬ merce of Eroadkiln Kiver, were completed on the 17th of July, 1872. They are forwarded with this report. Tlie drawings are contained in four sheets, and include on sheet B a chart of the Eroadkiln Elver, from the dam at Milton to its mouth, in¬ cluding the sound into which it empties, a portion of Lewes Cape, &c. Sheet C is a continuation of sheet E to the eastward. Sheet D is a de¬ tailed chart showing portions of the Eroadkiln Eiver at Milton and Carey's Landing, exhibiting princiimlly in a minute manner the depth of water at points where improvements are suggested. Sheet E refers to Hevelloe's Landing, Cedar Landing, and Green Island, canal, Hudson's Landing, draw-bridge, Wiltbank's Lauding, and the drawings are of the same character as those on sheet D. A table containing estimates of the cost of the various improvements is here inserted : Total cost. ililton ' Kattlesiia"ke Hill.. Rattlesnake Hill.. Carey's LiiEtling.. Hevelloe's Laud- iiig. Cedar Laiidiiifif... Canal j Hudson's Landing'; Di aw-bridge .. .. j Draw-bridge ! Wilt bank Landing! Wilt brink Lan ding; No-Han's Ford ... ! Cxroeu Island .. | Old Lewes Creek C Inlot. ¿ Below nioutb Brttadkiln. Below mouth Broadkiln. Below mouth Broadkiln. At month Broad kiln. Square yards. Feet, board-measure. The estimate for a cut at Wiltbank's Landing was made in order to ascertain the relative cost of each of two methods of improvement j dredging is recommended on account of its economy. The idea most ])opular with the residents on the banks of the Broadkiln, with reference to securing a more direct outlet from the river to the bay, is to cut across Lewes Cape in a prolongation of the lowest reach of the river. The 6 BROADKILX RIVER, DELAWARE. method sngsested here is to obstruct the old cliniinel just below the mouth of the llroudkiln by driving i)iles about 10 feet ai)art in two rows, themselves 10 feet ai)art, and to drive sheet-piling against wall pieces secured to these jiiles, filling in between these wooden walls with earth, thus making a dam. In actual construction, driving the sheet-])il- ing should be iirosecnted from each bank outward .simultaneously. Pre¬ vious to this work, however, a channel should be cut across the iieninsula that separates Lewes and Ilroadkiln Hivers from the Delaware Bay, and a very favorabh> locality for this cut, seemingly, is about 0,000 feet above the junction of the Broadkiln with the sound at a place, marked " Old Inlet ' on the map, inilicated by the ctoseaipproacli of the inner waters with the Delaware Bay, thus connecting, artificially, Lewes Creek and Delaware Bay. In case this cut is made, it will be necessary to lead the water of Lewes Greek to the bay by a cut ahmg a. line wliicli correspond.s to a channel forine.rly constituting.the outlet of Lewes Greek, but which dis.ippeared after the digging of the canal indi(;ated on the ehart. Most of the ground which would have to be removed to make these two cats is oidinaiy meadow material, and the ai)parent tendency of tiie waters to make channels for themselves here indicates the probable per¬ manency of cuts artificially made. This locality seems to be exception¬ ally free from the (h'[)osits made by the fiood tides at most other points along the coast in the vicinity. Immediately 0])i)0.site the mouth of the Broadkiln the cut wonld be through sand. U'cre the cut across the peninsula made at any one of sex eral otiier localities, the expense wonld be about the same. Tiio. dam across the channel below the nicath of the Broadkiln a]>])cars indispensable, regardless of the lines chosen for the cuts. The cats designated as fix e and six, ca