The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-11
HOW SAND DOES FLY.
Ground Rapidly Growing From
the Big Dredger.
ALREADY a FILL OF 20. 900 FEET.
4 Distributors and How n - Used
Steel Pipe FOR the Python to BE
Made In Seattle.

Filling IN the tide rafs seems 20 Re
easy enough. after one has seen the
ground grow right out Of the mouth OF
that discharge pipe Just see what has
been done here in only three days" The
above remark was made yesterday after
noon by ex-Gov. Eugene Semple. presi-
dent OF the Seattle & Lake Washington
Waterway Company. and as Re spoke ne
looked acnirtngiy on the tract Of made"
ground that Ia. risen out OF water near
the Variety Iron Works in the past few
DAYS.
The observer. locking I'm the direction in-
dicated BY Mr.. Semple. could Sc a long
ridge OF hiackish-gray sand marking the
place where the big pipe had discharged
the material torn up from the bottom 20
the east waterway ~ the iron teeth OF the
Anaconda The filed portion extended
from quite q distance 20 the south cf
Charles street 20 Just beyond the north
edge Of the plank roadway where the
black mouth Of the Pipe was pouring forth
the sand and water from the dredger.
Here and there along the hll were 20 Be
noticed little depre<sions. indicating the
points az which the end Of the pipe had
been before the extensions were mate
successfully. and the entire portion fell
away gradually on the sides 20 the wa
ter. In places the nh is already as much
as eight feet. and at one point near Tire
edge OF the roadway lacks only four feet
OF being az the required height OF two
feet above the level OF high tide. Under
meath the iron works. and swallowing Up
the piles In a mass OF compact sand. the
new ground stretches away. and already
the foundrymen say thar their building.
which ordinarily will rock noticeably
when q heavy casting II moved about. has
begun 90 feel solid. The several tie-backs
have completely disappeared under the
soil
Manager Hcrner yesterday improvised a
distributing board. which scattered the
discharge in a broad circle about the end
of the pipe. In few days be Will put
into position the regular distributor. con-
sisting of broad platform laid horizon
tally at the mouth OF the pipe. and ar
ranged so that vertical board may be
placed at varying angles by means OF
stakes rising from below. In this way
the discharge may be detected to ono
side or the other, allowed to fiatten cut
or punched up right at the mouth of
the pipe. When the last method is used
the regulating board is placed sduarely in
front of the vent. and the sand and water
pouring forth in a rushing stream, is
thrown high into the air like a geyser.
and scatters In all directions.
The fill at 2:30 yesterday afternoon
amounted TO 10000 yards. and was being
steadily increased by a continuous dis
charge. The fluid poured forth from the
pipe is about Is per cent. sand. and as
one stands on the fats below and looks
up at the liquid mass he can see that
vast amount of material is coming
through. The great stream roars like Sno-
Qualmie, and down below rivulets of sand
and water move away where commingled.
they strike the fats. The biacker the
stream the more sluggish-looking are the
rivulets, and the heavier is the discharge
of sand. IL is no trouble at all to see the
soil literally rise out of the water. IL
comes up in a series of graceful curves.
and finally is washed smooth by the wa
ter. BY means of the distributor. spoken
of above. the fill can be regulated with
absolute nicely, and the surface smoothed
off until IL resembles the level beach of
the sea and all this without the aid of a
seraper or hardly more than the turning
OF a mans hand.
If there were pipe enough Manager Hor-
ner would lay another line for the Python
along the piles already driven, and then
the fill would be made moro than twice
as fast as at present. The dredging COM
pany is patiently waiting for pipe to come
from Portland, but yesterday in order to
hurry matters as much as possible. let
contract for 1900 feet of pipe TO Moran
Bros. The foundry is expected to turn
out about 1e0 feet day. In the mean
time, the Python may be attached TO the
Anaconda's line, and then the sand will
fly I'm an immense stream. In case that
step is taken. the dredgers will have to
be handled carefully In order to guard
against overlooking the pipe.
All through the day there were num-
bers OF people interested in the opera
ton of the dredger watching the work. a
few skeptics who yentured down on the
docks were quickly converted when they
saw what a simple matter IL was, after
all, TO reclaim the lands. At the present
rate the farm" as the I'll is Familiarity
called. will In time be as large as an old
time donation claim.