Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-15
DEEPENING THE MOUTH OF THE
MUGETSEIPPF KEEER

AASHANNAEEA
We took a very deliberate look tn,
other day at the boat, machinery and
apparatus, in cOuTse Of preparation a
the Armstrong foundry, and intended fol
I deepening tse water on the bar at lhl
mouth of this river. The United State,
| congress having appropriated the meagrS
sum Of SO 600 for this purpose, q com
pany, composed Of our well known fellow.
citizens, VIM. Creevy, John Armstrong,
/ Capt. Edwin /. Brady and Horace Ty-
] Ter, took the contract for $4,000, the
residue-S5OO0-being retained TO pay the
expenses Of a United States military in
speetiOn Of its efficiency.
These gentlemen concluded that the
only plan Of operations, which had in
the past proved at all effective, was that
of narrowing or dragging the surface of
the bar, thus putting the stiff mari,
which is formed at the bar by the meet
ing Of fresh and salt waters, into solu-
ton, and thus enabling the current to
carry it OFT
Yet the tabor Of doing this by direct
narrowing or dragging was excessive, the
progress slow and The effectiveness small.
They found that Bishops cones, armed
with screws, cutting something like
augurs, would best effect their purpose,
and they therefore made an arrangement
with him for the use of them. These
cones are made Of thick boiler iron, some
four or five feet across at the larger end,
and about six inches al the smaller, and
are two in number. The twOsmaller ends
TevOlve in sockets near each other. The
larger ends are spread out when at work,
forming an acute angle something more
than fOrty-fve degrees, and are armed
wrfNh tho EnrnurE TnaHa .nN gfRNf1aw mat
rial, running spirally along these one
These r~evOlve, and the knife-li6e threads
Of the screws, If We may call them such,
when they are fifteen or twenty
inches in depth, cut the sand or clay
upon which they rest and plough
il continually up, until it mingles with
the water above it, and is thus sub
jected 70 the action OF the current.
Here a new difficulty occurred. There
was no efficient continuance vet pro-
duced by which this means of scarify-
ing the surface Of the bar and plough
ing 10 up, could be put 10 work, to
either safely aud properly let II down
into the river, OF work it while at the
bottom. For that which has been now
hearly completed they are indebted
chiefly 10 the well known inventive pc
niGs and mechanical skill Of Capt. John
Roy, who had the aid Of Mr.. John
Blackadder, an accomplished machinist,
working for him and his partner, Mr..
John Armstrong, Il Of the contractors.
We will not attempt to describe the in
g]enious and powerful machinery and
cOntrivances which these gentlemen
have devised and nearly perfected for
this purpose, because, were We felicitous
ia expression, 10 would need personal in
-.r-Hsmu. T~ n..rma.mnHF-- I
make il clear 70 the reader. Bat We
may say that u consists of a strong and
well knit frame work, which reposss
upon the bow Of an exceedingly stauncb
and broad boat, which one might think
expressly cOntrived for the purpose
which is let down into the water armed
the screws, and that these are worked
then by two separate engines, placed on
the bow OF the boat by means of chain
cables passing over wheels fastened ON
the larger end Of each cone or screw
As we said before, the work OF prena-
ration is nearly completed, and the piau
proposed, which seems feasible. is the
only which experience has Suggested
as likely TO prove effective. In \ vvaek
or two the trial will be made and We
trust il viii be a successful one The
sum appropriated by congress will barely
suffice 70 make the trial and prove the
efficiency Of the means employed
but II, as We feel confident, this shall
prove to be the true plan Of keep
ing the bar Of the Mississippi
far enough under the surface Of the water
TO constantly admit vessels OF eighteen
feet draft, congress will doubtless sde-
quateiy reward them for their outlay snd
enterprise, by ample annual rewards for
the use OF their patents, ~ well ss give
due reeompense TO the engineering skill
Of Capt. Brady and the inventive genius
of Capt. Roy.
II affords US peculiar satisfaction to no.
tee that the prOprietOrs OF this enterprise
are cid citizens Of our city and region, so
that the fruits Of success will remain
among us, and that the Others mentioned
are identified with our history and pro-
gress. New Orleans should be proud Of
its mechanies.-A o. Paper.