Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-22
kENNEsGc JErTIEs.
10 Expected to Do for the River
Shoals

The improvement of the channel in tn,
kenns bee river is = subject always interest
ing to Maine readers. As 10 well known
operations have been carried on below Rich
mond during the summer and are still beins
pushed, under the supervision of govern
ment engineers and in accordance with the
$4,000 appropriated by Congress. Repor,'
of the work from time to time have been
pu oished. The following from detailed
report by correspondent of the Lewiston
Journal will, however, be of interest, con.
tanning as it does summary of the work
done and plans being followed.
Last June. Bangs & Wheeler, the success
full contractors, began operations, pushing
them constantly up to this time. What is
known as the jetty system, made famous by
Capt. Fades at the mouth of the Mississippi
river, was adopted, and all the work has
been performed accordingly. The work at
Hatch's Shoals in the west channel, about a
mile below Richmond village, was completed
about month ago and the result is now
awaited. This is the bar where the steamers
of the Kennebec Steamboat Company have
grounded so frequently the past season, and
it came TO such pass as to be most serious
hindrance to navigation.
Jetties were accordingly constructed on
each side of the passage, being laid on the
flats next the shores, that adjoining the island
extends out into the river distance of 500
fest, the end swinging down stream. Then
just above is a short 200 feet jeity. extending
diagonally out from the island and downward,
so as to give the water coming down an i'm.
petus tow ards the centre of the stream. Op-
posite, connecting with the mainland shore,
is a companion jetty, so that between the
outer extremites of the two is left a passage
500 feet wide through which all the water
flows. By the increased current created, it
is expected that the channel will be secured
out and depth of over sixteen feet Of water
secured. Some of the leading shipmasters
on the river and others have been scouting
this, and had no faith in the system, believ-
ing that dredging would be more effective.
But already improvement has been noted
and the United States inspector who recently
visited the works, states that he found an
improvement Of six inches in depth. Mr..
Wheeler, one of the contractors, says that
experience has proved that the jetty system
was the most effective and while hole
dredged out would quickly fill up again. by
the method adopted the curren. would act as
constant dredger and keep the channel
seooped out. lie anticipates tba, after the
fall and spring freshets = most substantial
increase in depth will be found.
The contractors are now employed on the
east side Of Swan Island jettying Reef Rock
shoal. which is down towards the lower end
of the island. Here are two ra,her shoal
channels with middle ground between.
there being an extensive flat near the main
land. The theory is to turn the water which
in flowing spreads out over the fiat into the
channels, and to do this a jetty 80 fee,
long, with a trend outward from the shore
and downward, is constructed. Then on the
middle ground running down river from a
point Just below the shore break water comes
another jetty 100 feet in length This is
located between the two channels. of course
and it is now proposed to build a connecting
link bet seen the lower end of the shore jvtty
and the upper end of the other thus diverting
all the water into the channel next the island
making it deep, swift running stream. The
island channel is preferred to that ne Arrest
the main shore, from the fact that the latter
courses through the mud fat and is constant
ly changing and cutting in new directions.
The jetties are built so as to reach the sur
face at high water and their dimensions are
about in the following proportions. At q
depth Of / or IL feet the jetty would be
forty feet in breadth at the bottom, the sides
sioping towards the top, one foot for every
one foot rise, so that fiat surface would be
exposed l5 feet across. With lesser depths
the size would be reduced accordingly
The jetty is constructed as follows On the
bed OF the river is laid fsscines of brush
closely packed together, and upon these are
dumped irregular rocks ranging in size from
100 pounds up TO fifteen tons-a very simply
built yet substantial wall.