National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-21
IMPROVING THE FLATS.


New Process Probably TO be Adopted
Opening of the Bids-A Model of the Com.
plcted Work.
Col. Peter c. Hams, corps of engineers,
L. $. A.. yesterday opened the bids he had adj
vertiscd for dredging and rip-rap work on the
Potomac fats with the following result For
dredging the Washington channel-D. f. Gull
yer Il Co, New York, lS% cents per cubic
yard; Rittenhousc Moore, Mobile, 1871 cents
per yard; Benson u McNce, san Francisco,
1887 cents per yard; Morris Cummings COM
pany New York, - cents; Ross Il Snndtord,
Jersey City (tho present contrnctors), lg14, and
National Dredging company Wilmington, Del,
q cents.
For drpdgtng the trench and building the
cmBaniindnt in section ILL; Morris Cum
tnirgsCbuipany, of New York, 81 cents; At.
luntic Dredging company, Brooklyn, l3la
cents; Ross u Sanford Jersey City, Ii cents; ID.
Constantine, Baltimore, II $40 cents Thomas
T. Morgan. Washington, 10 40 cents, and II.
ClSOmcrs Philadelphia, 1895 cents per cubic
yard. For rip-rap work the bids were us fol-
lows S. Carmody New Geneva, Pa, S2.3D per
yard for the margin of the tidal reservoir, and
the same price for section III; g; Wander
ken, Georgetown, ID. G., " cents and Sl.li, re-
spcCtivcly; ]. A. Blundcr, Georgetown, d. c.,
sI05 and Sl.2j: W. II. Groat IL Co.. Washing.
| ton, % cents for each. Potomac Red sandstone
company Seneca, Washington 60 and "a
cents, and II. X. Gilbert Georgetown, ID. e.,
95 cents and 81 10; the prices being for cubic
yards of material, measured on the scows be.
fore placing imposition. The report of the bids,
with the recommendations of Col. Hams, viii
be sent to the chief of engineers to-day for his
approval and that of the secretary of war.
Other bids for other sections of the improve
mcnt will be called for soon.
The process which Messrs. Benson d MCNee
who are the lowest bidders for the dredging in
the Washington channel and who will UNI
dOubtcdly be given the contract, is n novel one
on this coast, and Is ut once interesting and
effective. This process Us II patent known as
the Won Schmidt pump dredgc, and requires
no scows, landing cars, whnrvcs, or barrows to
do the work of dispOsing OF the oNcavated ma
tcrial. An engine of very high power OH n
boat forces n Jet Of water against the bottom
TO be operated upon, louscning the earth, sand,
&c, and this material is caught up IN large
iron tubes and forced to such point ashore Us
may be desired. and there deposited. The pipe
used is twenty inches In diameter, and is car
ricd to the adjoining land on Cussons or pom
tons. In II large contract recently completed
| by this company in Oakland harbor, san Fran
cisco bay for the United States, 100000 cubic
! yards of blue clay and sand were removed and
| forced four thousand feet away to n point on
shore fourteen feet above the tide level. The
material weighed ito pounds per cubic foot
a relief model in wood of the flats as they
Will be when improved is being constructed
| by an artist in the basement of Col Hams s
| Office. II Is made to an exact scale with the
channels and shoals of the adjacent river, the
! piers and abutmcnts of the Long bridge, &c,
shown in detail. When completed and col
orcd to represent the various materials OF
and flats are formed, 1t will probably placed
! in the National museum, 1t Will give better
idea than any pictures, maps, or description
could of the future appearance of the Hats.