The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-19
THE RIVER SHOALING UP
NAVIGATION THREATENED BY |
NEW DANGERS.

AWO-AS1SuL. NaTbSr Explains UnS COfi-
dition OF the Channel and the Ne
cessity for a Continuance of Work
The Ocean Steamship Company VIII
Dredge Out the Garden Bank Shoal
if It Is Paid for 1.-THE Quarantine
Matter.
The fact that vessels are continually 60
ing aground on Garden Bank calls atten-
ton to the continual shoaling of the chan
mel at that point, which has become
serious matter. Twice last Sunday the
| Nacoochee went aground there, drawing a
few inches over Is feet. The following day
the Norwegian bark Hama stuck there,
drawing II feet inches, and yesterday the
Swedish bark Rosa, drawing only II feet
inches, went aground. All of the vessels
were going down on full tide.
sHoALING RAPIDLY
1t is claimed by some that the shoaling
has been very rapid the past ten days,
owing to the freshets in the Savannah
| river above. The channel needs dredging
badly, and there is no money appropriated
| for the work
! In an Interview yesterday with Lieut.
| Carter, in charge of the United States
Engineers office in this city, he said he
| thought that they would have some money
| before long, and if the river and harbor
bill should fail there was probability that
| there would be an appropriation made for
| the harbor Improvement. The nature of
| the river was such that more or less dredg-
| ing would be necessary from time to time
| even after the jetties were completed. He
SAID there has been no dredging done since
May 28 last.
FAIR TO GOOD
He was asked: care the shoals increasing
at the foot of West Broad street and at
East Broad street at what is known as the
| Garden Bank shoalP
| Some shoaling has occurred" he re-
| piled, near the foot of West Broad street
but the channel there is in fairly good con-
dition.n
1T has been reported that you are au-
| thorlty for the statement that these shoals
| are caused by the washing from the streets,
| and that the Garden Bank shoals, in addi-
ton to the sand-washing, are increased by
| the Goa tar drlpplngs from the gas house
| which flow into the river at that point. Is
| this trues And do the sand, drift and coal
tar make hard bottom that tends to shoal
| the waterP
| WHAT CAUSES SHOALING.
"On the Garden Bank great shoaling has
| taken place. This is due to various causes.
| At every ain-storm large volumes of sand
into the channel At Screven's Ferry slip
large discharge pipe from the gas works
| enters the river bringing down tar and COW
| erlng the river bottom from so to 100 feet
out with from to Is inches cf tar, which
is mixed with straw, rice chaff, bits of
| wood, etc. Quantities of oyster shells are
thrown into the river there The steamers
lying at the wharves, by turning over their
propeIlers, dig out deep holes where they
lie and throw some sand into the channel
vessels are at times moved about the har-
Dor and needlessly grounded, thus checking
the velocity of the river current and throw
ing down sand which was held in suspen-
sion. A lump once formed increases
rapidly. The shoaling is ais partly due to
the shape of the bulkheads in that locality
and to the fact that tho works for the i'm
provement of the shoal have not yet been
completed
sit Is also of current rumor that you are
authority for the statement that if the city
| should locate quarantine station on Long
Island that 1t would obstruCt the channel
made by the government, and that you
would advise it to discontinue all work on
the river in that event. Is this true in
whole or in part, and il true. what are the
influences which would tend to obstruct the
navigation or lead up TO an abandonment
of the work, and have you notified the city
authorities to that effectf'
QUARANTINE AT LONG ISLAND.
1.-THE location of quarantine station on
Long Island need not necessarily cause
shoaling OF the river channel in that vicin-
| ity, although the chances are that it will do
| so.
II have, of course never stated that |
would recommend a suspension of the
| works OF river improvement il such a sta
ton should be established there. In river
such as the Savannah the deposition of bal
last in the concave banks of a navigable
channel will crush in the banks or force
out the soft mud underneath into the chan
mel, causing deterioration of the navi-
gable channel. 1t is possible to take ballast
far enough back from the river to avoid
any such trouble, and this l presume will
BIO done il ballast is deposited at Long
Island. Should it not be done, and should
shoaling occur, the ballast station must be
moved. The city authorities have been in
formed by me where a suitable place for
a ballast station exists, and that Long Island
is not the most suitable one, and if a station
is to be establi ned there it is
to be supposed that every precaution win
be taken to prevent in jury to the navigable
channel. This can, and of course will be
done, for city so dependent upon Ter har-
Dor rs Savannah would hardly pursue a
course tuet would lead to an abandonment
of her ! arbor improvements
| The deep water channel at Long Island
is not wide enough to be encroached upon,
| and If vessels lie out of it III depoSiting bal
last, dredging will be needed to preserve
"A suitable depth of water for Them If thew
lie in the channel they obstruct nav;ga ion
Ballast is liable TO be carelessly thrown
overheard into the channel, and the vessels
themselves will be liable to injury from
| passing steamers.
"fhc buikheads along the city points need
re-estahlishing. Some project too far out
into the stream and some not far enough
II would greatly benefit the channel if
suitable bulkhead line were established and
all wharves brought to that line At pres
! ent wharf owners seem TO build their
wharves almost where they please without
much reference to the effect such structures
may have upon the harbor"
WILL DREDGE If PAID FOR 1T.
a rumor was current that the Ocean
! STEAMSHIP Company proposed to have the
Garden Bank shoals dredged out at its own
expense as Engineer Carter had said there
was no money appropriated by the govern
meit TO DO tho work
A MORNING NEWS reporter inter lowed
Gen. G.. Moxley Sorrel, General Manager of
the conn any, last night, ard that gentle
man said be was not prepared TO make any
such statement. The government ought
! not TO expect corporations or individuals t.