The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-13
SECURING OUT THE CHANNEL
The Suction Dredge Cedney Removing
About 5000 Cubic Yards Daily.

It is Engaged in Deepening and Widen
ing the New Channel on Tybee Knoll
A Brief History and Description Of the
Largest Dredge on the Coast and How
1t is Operated Chartered for Three
Months From the Government by the
P. Sanford Ross Dredging Company
Especially for the Work on the Knoll
The arrival OF the large suction dredge
"Gedney" and its work on the river
channel at Tybee Knoll. marks a new
period in the progress Of the harbor work
on the Savannah river.
The Geduey is practically large steam
vessel and dredge combined, sailing under
her own steam, and has been chartered
by the +. Sanford Ross Dredging Com
pany from the United States government
for a period OF three months. for use In
deepening the channel on Tybee Knoll.
She arrived at Tybee on New Years day.
having made the trip from New York city
in eighty-four hours, with head winds
almost all the way, and part Of the time
she was compelled to lay to on account
OF the severity of the gale.
Through the courtesy OF Capt. o. N.
Carter, a representative of the Morning
News went down the river and aboard
the Gedney yesterday. with a view of
getting description Of the dredge which
is perhaps the largest and most powerful
now in operation anywhere along the
coast. Some idea of its method OF working
will also be of interest.
This dredge which, with the exception
of its dredging apparatus, is not unlike
other seagoing steamers, was built at
Wilmington, Del, in 1887, and was ready
for work the following year The first
name given it was the Reliance" which
was afterward changed to "Gedney"
when It was purchased by the govern
ment in 1891. 1t was built for the Joseph
Edwards Dredging Company. which had
contract with the government for
dredging 10000 cubic yards of material
from the Cedney's channel division, in
New York harbor, and operations on this
contract began on April 1, 1890.
This company also contracted to re-
move $4,000 cubic yards from the main
ship channel which completed the work
on the New YORK harbor. This dredge,
however. was used mainly in the work
on Gedney's channel, which is at the
entrance to New York harbor, and is
used by all the large ocean liners. This
channel is loo feet in width, and has
a minimum low water depth OF 81 feet.
When the government purchased the
dredge the name was changed 20 Ged-
ney ia honor OF an old officer In the en-
cheering corps as she had been at work
on the channel which bore the same
name. Since the completion Of the New
York harbor work she has been used for
maintenance but is little needed, as the
harbor ractically scours itself out and
maintains its depth.
The Gedney has the appearance of
being an ordinary seagoing vessel and
would be generally mistaken for such
were it not for the fact that she carries
on each side a large suction pipe used
in the dredging work. Her length is l57
feet, her beam 81 feet. and the depth OF
her hold IS feet She has a carrying ca
pacity of $50 to 700 cubic yards OF mud
silt, or whatever substance is brought
up through the suction pipes, and her
tonnage is 75S gross and 45S net tons.
She has twin propellers with two COM
pound condensing engines. and two large