Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-27
DANGERS TO

The River Shoaling and the hanne
Filling Up Along the River Front
Causes Of the Shoals and the COnse-
quences to Follow.
The recent shoaling Of the river along
the city front has been so great al to de-
mand serious attention from parties in
terested in shipping and from the munich
pal authorities. An examination of the
river at certain points shows that a num-
Der Of shoals and bars have formed, which
threaten to impede navigation if hetrouble
is not stopped. The NacoOchee on Mon
day went aground twice in the river, once
just as she was leaving her wharf. The
City Of Macon also ran aground. On
that day the tide was very low, but
il is not IN unusual thing for
steamers to get aground even with the
greatest care. The shoals in front Of the
city are caused by refuse matter being
dumped into the river and by discharge
pipes beng allowed to run substances into
the stream. which collect in the bottom
and a rapid accumula-
ton Of sand and other matter.
The sewer are also much TO blame. The
West Broad street eve brings down
large quantities Of a with every heavy
rain. There is a large catch basin near
the mouth of the sewer. forty feet square.
which was put there for the purDOse of
i~ntercepting the sand and dirt. While it
serves its purpose well, still much goes
through and lodges in the bottom
Of the river, causing a grad
shOal has considerably filled up. There
has also been a considerable shOaling of
the Upper Rice Mill, and of the gas
house, where an 1S-inch pipe empties coal
tar into the river. A bar has formed
there abOut1L feet in depth. This reaches
to the channel and then stops, but there
is a continuation Of 1t on the other side OF
| the channel. Vessels in the harbOr fire.
quently dump ashes, ETC., overheard, and
the rice mills.
The city ordinance to protect the harbOr
from being DISTRACTED by refuse matter,
/ etc, being dumped in is very plain and
strict. 1t is as follows:
Il shall not be lawful for any person "a
throw, cast or deposit, or cause 10 be thrown
| cast or deposited in Savannah river. or on il;
banks below high water mark within the
extended JurisdictiOnal limits OF the city Ol
| Savannah. from any steamer or sailing vessel
or from the shore, any ashes, ballast rice
chat. refuse matter or any substance 81
whatsoever nature or kind which may in any
degree lessen the depth Of water in said river
or any part thereof within the limits afOre-
/ N1NA AuH LgAM aAAAA ~ E1A1NA 80 NAA
shall. for each and every O~ffense. be
fined in a sum not exceeding 500 on con
victiOn before the Police Court, One-hal1
Of the fine to be paid to the infOrmer anC
the other half into the City Treasury; ana in
/ case such Ohense be committed from or on
board Of any vessel. then the owner q
owners. Captains and cOnsignee or c%OnsigEee;
OF such vessel shall be liacle for the payment
Of such fine.
There is plenty of water in the river
on a coed tide, but serious consequences
are likely to follow a failure to strictly
enforce the ordinance designed to protect
the channel from the very thing which
now bids fair TO impede navigation. Prob
ably the most serious would be a refusal
of the government to continue the work
Of maintaining a good channel and the
abandoning Of the work altogether. This
mas been done at some other places where
an examination shows that the local
authorities were negligent about prevent
Ing the forming of Instructions similar &c
those forming IL the Savannah river of
the city front.