The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-13
MAY Be ANOTHER DISPUTE.
4 Point That Nay Be Raised When
Mr.. BuTnett'S Report is Read.

One of the County Commissioners OBJ
jeots to the Nice Entertainments Made
on the Casey Canal-It May Be
Argued That These Entertainments
Would Cause the Canal Banks to
Sink as Well as the Loose Earth
Thrown Up BY the Dredge.
There is a splendid chance for another
dispute being raised among the county
commissioners when Mr.. r. 5. Burnett's
report is sent in upon the measurements
of the excavations made from the Casey
canal by the steam dredge.
1t will be remembered that some time
ago MIR. Burnett said he would compute
the amount of earth actually excavated
by the dredge and not the size of the ex-
cavation as it appears six months after
the work has been done. Among other
things, he stated that the weight of the
loose earth thrown upon the embankment
had caused the banks of the canal to sink
and the bottom of the excavation to rise
somewhat.
This it seems is usual with all such exca-
vatiOns in peaty and porous soil, such as
| is found in the swamp land through which
Jne Qfdln IS Delng mace.
ANOTHER OBJECTION COMING.
It is understood that Chairman Dale
objects as much as anything else to the
manner in which the banks of the new
canal are being finished, and the nicely of
the slope and completion which is being
| given them. He claims, it is said, that
| they are being built in too extravagant a
manner and at too great an outlay of
| county funds.
1t is understood that he will ask when
| MIR Burnett's report is submitted, why
! these entertainments will not also
cause a sinking of the banks of
| the canal and bullying up
ward of the bottom as is the case when
the material is dug out and thrown up
roughly by the dredge The embankment
! to be made along the canal is much
| heavier than the amount of dirt now be-
| ing thrown up and it would seem to any
| one but an engineer that it would cause
| even greater shrinkage and filling up
| of the canal than the smaller amount of
| material
| AS Mr.. Burnett's figures will show the
! approximate actual amount of the exca-
| vatiOns made by the dredge. IL is said that
| those of the commissioners who object to
! the figures and statements of the county
| engineer will raise this point which on its
| face seems plausible.
| WILL NOT HOLD.
| Civil engineers know, however, that
| this argument does not hold
1t is well known among all engineers and
| it is understood that Mr.. Burnett will re-
| fer to it in his report, that when an en-
! bankment is constructed at proper angle
according to the work upon which
| it is built, that it assumes a state
of rest and instead Of pressing down the
earth under it gradually shrinks itself.
! This results is further brought about by
the fact that there are side drains to the
canal, as well as under drains through
the embankment. The water being thus
carried off instead of sinking into the
earth prevents it from packing, and it
becomes what is known to engineers as
material at rest. A slight gradual shrink
age follows, but no sinking.
Mr.. Burnett is still busy working on
his report, the completion of which will
require several days work yet. Alto
gether it has constituted task of week
or ten days, and it seems unreasonable tC
suppose that any result as to the excava
tions could be reached after one after
moons work.
Mai. Blandford himself did not make
the measurements which he handed tC
the county commissioners, but they were
made by his assistants. No engineer ever
has time while occupied with other nu
merous duties to make such measure
ments, but they were checked off and Ger
titled to by him, and he is, of course, held
responsible for their correctness. II
would be very unreasona BILE to suppose
that he would retain in his employ meI
who made false or incorrect returns.