Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-01

THE CONTRACTORS PREPARI:5 FOR A VIGOROUS
ATTACK on THE FLATs-APPARATUs ARRIVING
GIANT PLE-DRIvERsA AND MONSTER AuD-DREDGKRs--
THE LOCOMOTIVE AND TEMPORARY RAILROAD, &C.
Mes'rs. Sanford Ross contractors for dredging
the river flats and improving the washington
channel Tor navigation, now busily engaged In
experimenting the transportation Of their ma.
chinery, toGic, materials, ETC., to this city. A
temporary siding and railroad track Is being con-
structed from Maryland avenue down 13H street
to the wharf at the foot OF that street. for the pur-
pose OF transferring their heavy works to the
scows. ready at the wharf to receive and take
them to the place Of desiination-the outlet of the
street sewer into the Georgetown channel This
track Is about complete, and already Messrs
Jones and Thomas, foremen, with a
g,ng OF laborers are engaged In removing
,he , NEW t locomotive ,U Weighing - tons
shipped Oh board the large scow and sent around
10 the georgetown channel for service on the
built by II. X. Porter q Co. Pittsbury. Pa, and is
well adapted TO the work for which IL is intended.
Ihere have also arrived twenty cars, to be used
TOT receiving Tie mud from the dredges. They
new, Oh SOLID white oak timber, heavily troned,
and built by MessrS Bi,lmeyer Small York, Pa.
THE DUMPS.
These cars have Pitch CENTER AMI each side is
hung OF stout iron HINGES. When the loaded car
arrives at its destination the brakesman dumps
the load out by means OF unloosing a ratchet
which holds the sides closed. and then the pres
sure OF the mud opens the two sides OF the car Mt
the bottom and the mud shoots out each side, the
load being emptied almost Instantly Another
turn at the ratchet by the brakesrlan secures the
SIDES again. and the car is dispatched for another
lOld AT the l31G street wharf is also ready for
shipping gondOla car, which Is to contain sta
tioDary engine for hoisting the heavy hammers
tain two sets OF planes, which will also be station
airy at one OF the cars and made to receive the
groove In each side Of the hammer.
THE PILEDRIvERs.
fo,,
the end OF the wharf, made by W.
Ballman, Baltimore. Maryland. They are
an ready to be shipped around to the
pounds each, and when at work their capacity is
10 DlOwS per minute or about SO piles each per
day. The whole OF this machinery is to be
mounted on the gondOla cars, and will drive the
piles and lay The tracks as 1t moves forward.
There is also at the wharf $50 steel rails to be
USED IN the construction of the tramway; these
are each 30 feet long and weigh separately 400
POUNDS. Last Monday, when the work OF unload
ing these rails from the Pennsylvania railroad
cars on Maryland avenue commenced, the first
permitted, by some mistake a the brakesman, to
run down this temporary track to the end of the
wharf and plunge into the channel. The Car has
peeh raiseu Dut none OF the rails as yet.
SETTING THE PILES.
Thus far there have been driven 70 piles on the
WORKS. These are driven in the old manner, none
OF the new machines having yet been put In place.
These piles are being utilized in the construction
vi tne IralnWay from The line OF the Georgetown
channel towards the Washington shore, nearly on
parallel line with the present outlet ditch for the
sewer, and south of 1t. They too short for use
IN FORMING the outward wall next to the channel.
Here the piles must not be less than 20 feet in
length nor less than IA inches In diameter at the
quit and inches at the point Messrs. Sanford
q Ross have been quite disappointed in
consequence OF the extreme depth, they hav-
Ing calculated on not much above so feet
at the most They have, however, been fortu-
nate enough to secure what is wanted from Viz
ginia and 500 or 600 long piles expected to ar
rive To-day from OccOQuan by tug boat and by
Friday or Monday next they expect to have their
new pile drivers at work. Mess Rs. Jones and
Ihomas stated In reply to a question from STAR
reporter that the splicing OF piles was impracti-
cable In the first place, it would cost too much
10 make joint OF bolts and hoops of "copper" and,
aIIef all, no assurance OF security would be given.
MONSTER MUD DREDGERS.
There are three or four mud-dredgers expecte
In few days, and they will be on the spot by the
time the tramway is completed. These machines
are OF immense capacity. The one called "Uncle
joe mas capacity OF dredging 5000 cubic yards
per day, with a five yard bucket. The machinery
ana newly improved appliances for working them
secures very rapid movements and great results
MessTS. Sanford and Ross have leased the old
Riggs property, formerly used by Messrs Harvey,
clark and Given as coal depot, where they will
make their headquarters for delivery OF macht-
merry and material The old storehouse will be
made use OF for storing tools and machine AVA
winch Will be constantly changed to suit circum-
Stances during the progress OF the work. Mr.
SANFORD, who has been in Jersey City for some
New