The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-02
THE HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS.
Satisfactory Progress Being Made at
ALI Points Along the River.

In reply to a question by a representa-
tive of the MORNING News, Capt. o. NJ
Carter, the engineer in charge, said last
night that the work on the harbor is
progressing very satisfactorily. AS soon
as the contracts were entered into in Oc-
tober of last year, said Capt Carter, OPP
eratiOns were begun and have been car
ried forward with continually increasing
energy.
The great improvement which has taken
place in the upper reaches of the
harbOr within the last year or
two has rendered Tybee knoll
one Of the most troublesome places be-
tween the city wharves and the sea. This
knoll is just landward of the point where
the rim is emerged into the deep water
anchorage known as Tybee roads.
The heavy northeast gales which pre-
vail at that locality during the winter
season formerly brought large volumes of
sand into the channel which the river
current could not remove. To stop this
inflow of sand, and 10 contract the out
flow training wall about two miles long
was built from the oyster beds across this
knoll on the north side of the channel
This partially completed wall has stopped
the influx of sand, but the natural scour
thus far developed has not been sufficient
to deepen the deep channel as much as is
desired. This is to be done by dredging,
but the exposure is so great that dredges
can only work there during still weather,
or in the sumner months. 1t is for this
reason that prior to the month of April
operations have been restricted to the
upper part of the harbor. Since April two
dredges have been working on
the knoll, and one more will
shortly be placed there. Another is
NyO1lripCr in front Of he ~
The river even with the work at the
knoll unfinished, is now in better general
condition, Capt. Carter says, than it has
ever before been, and as soon as the
dredged cuts at that point are completed
vessels drawing from one to two feet
more water than at present win be able
to came to the city wharves on q single
tide.
There is a small shOal Just above the
Upper Flats and two small shoals near the
lower end of Fig Island which, while not
obstructing the channel, need removal
This will probably be accomplished dur
ing the present month. The ietty work
is progressing very rapidly also, A large
force is employed and the great training
walls at the Upper and Lower Flats
covering a length of river channel of about
three miles-have been practically COM
pleted
me WORK Is Delng puSned rapidly sea-
ward and the anticipations of deeper
water following the construction of the
contracting work are being realized,
and much money which would have been
expended in dredging will be
saved, owing to the removal of material
by natural scour developed blythe train
ing walls.
During this month the large training
wall extending seward from Venus Point
will be begun.
Capt Carter was asked whether the
eight-hour law is made part of tho con-
tracts now being entered into by the engi-
neer department, and ne stated that it is
not. In response to further questions, he
stated that that law does not apply to
floating plant or work connected there
with, where conditions are peculiar and
where emergencies involving peril to life
and property always exist.
Capt Carter stated that all work is be-
ing pushed rapidly forward and that the
provisions of the contracts are being com
piled with in every respect. There is no
reason to doubt that the plans of the engi-
neer will fail to give at an early date the
depth of water aimed at in the present
project.