Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-23
SrltrusI xnA 0purisr.
Th1rsday, August 23, 1888.
The Dike Improvement of the
 Harb0r.

The Work Under Contract Completed
 Nearly Thrse-quArters of Mile in
 Length From Samds' Point to the
 Channel-An Important WOrk Many
 ThOusands of Tons of Stone and Rip
 Rap.
 Extending far out into New Haven harbor like an arm of the land from the west shore Is the new dike, which, it is believed, is to play an important part in making our har- bor more valuable and useful to commerce in general and to New Haven commercial in- terests in particular, which it is believed will be highly advantageous to both those important objects. It extends long dis tanee from the shore at Sandy Point to the channel where "the stately ships go by, !" and from distance looking like a long narrow black line on the water's surface. Many Of our citizens while driving to Savin Rock by the shore road have noticed with much in- terest this new and striking feature in the harbor and many have expressed wonder and curiosity, not knowing the object of the work. It is plainly in view when driving to ward the city from Savin Rock just after leav- ing Beach street, the main street on West Ha- ven shore It will be finished in few weeks The contractor for this work, A. M. Newton, Esq.,, resides at the Sea View House, West Haven, during his stay in New Haven and vicinity, and is 8 son of the General Newton whose fame is national in connection with the great improvement of Hell Gate made few years ago and other important engineering achievements.
 The dike starts from Sandy Point, point well denominated sandy, on the west shore of the harbor, almost directly across from the rocky bluff. near the Cove on the east shore. It extends from high water on Sandy Point first northeasterly, then southeasterly.
 The dike is in two sections. The first Sec ton, which extends from Sandy Point to the first angle specified, is built. of rip rap stone which is brought from Branford, Conn.,, and is two thousand three hundred feet long and three feet wide on top with sloping sides, the top on 8 level with mean high water. The amount of stone which is required in this work is between 5000 and 4, 900 tons. The greatest depth of water for this rip rap portion is seven feet, the average depth about four feet
 The second section-of pile and stone work-is built of pile and stone work com bined and is eleven hundred feet in length. of the piles used in the work are forty feet in length; the others vary be- tween twenty-five and forty feet. The cost of the work is $3O,O0 This when done completes the dike to the channel. By some future appropriation the dike will be con- tinued along the side of the channel about three quarters of mile, which will make the whole dike about mile and @ half long. The part to be made in the future will be at about right angles with the shore end at Sandy Point. It is expected that the dike will be the means of securing the channel much deeper and keeping 1t deep, as also the means Of keeping back the sand wash which comes from off West Haven coast in immense quan- titles with every heavy storm. Experienced engineers claim the work will be of immense practical benefit to New Haven harbor. The contractor, MT. Newton, is a young man of only. 26 but has had large contracts for her- bor improvements in Florida and Georgia and had charge of the important improvements made in recent years on the Rarita1 river.