The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-04
BIG DREDGER HERE.
A Monster Tow Comes in to
Dig the South Canal.
TO BE REFiTTED FOR WORK.
Arrival of the Great Bowers Dredger-
How 1t Operates and What 1t Has
Done-Another TO Come.
TO BE REFlTTED FOR WORK.

Great crowds thronged the water front
during the noon hour yesterday. attract
ed by the sight of the great Bowers
dredger being towed into the harbor with
thirty-two scows stretching along behind
and forming a line almost quarter OF
mile in length. IL was towed to Moran's
ways for repairs. which Will cost about
$3.50. and viii occupy from month 10
six weeks.
The dredger, which is managed by A.
l.. Horner. of the Bowers Dredging Com
pany of Portland. carries with it a COM
plete outfit for working out channels and
is one of the big dredging machines OF
the coast. One OF the scows in the train
contains complete blacksmith shop, an
other the hosting apparatus used when
the great machine is AT work clearing out
or deepening a channel. other scows are
used 10 lay pipe TO carry off the earth
and water scooped UP in the process of
cutting out a channel
As the long line of queer looking craft
moved along up the harbor an immense
circle was made TO avoid the warship
Mohican, which was anchored in the
stream, and the action OF the tide. to-
gether with the circular motion of the
tug pulling the dredge brought the last
scow around almost in touch With Tie lit
tie tugboat, thus forming an almost COM
plete ring. The tug headed for Moran
a
few minutes the dTedger AMI attendant
scows were all tied up at the docks,
awaiting a complete overhauling before
commencing work on the Lake Washing
ton canal contract
The dredger is monster machine .35
feet long and 35 feet wide, and has teen
used on the Sound and tributary streams
Tor some time past. 1t has Just finished
clearing out the Swinomish slough along
La conner WI ieh
Instance for steamers from Sea- to
Belhngham bay by about fourteen milas
also giving an outside passage all the
way. The dredger was used for five
months deepening the harbor at Olympia
besides number of other points on the
SOUND where government contracts have
been let
As soon as the dredger is repaired and
put in shape for the present big contract.
dredging Will be commenced in the channel
from deep water to where the waterway
VIII commence to connect Lake Washing
ton with Puget sound. Moran Bros have
taken the contract for repairing the
dredger, which will have all it's machinery
In first class condition before commencing
on contract of the magnitude of the one
In which ii is about to engage. 1t is under
stood that in a short time another ma
chine will be contracted for 10 hurry the
excavation through the flats. so that the
actual work of cutting through the hill
may be expedited and thus a great force of
men will be given employment.
The work OF excavating with the dredger
is done by means of hydraulic suction.
the earth and water being scooped up and
carried away by means of pipes TO any
point which requires filling. The pipe lines
are laid in some instances across the scows
which are constructed for the purpose
and thus while the channel is being deep
ened the work of filling up the flats goes
on at the same time The centrifugal mo-
ton of the pumps which force up immense
bodies of earth and water from the bot
tom OF the channel and send 1t along the
pipe lines 10 the place of deposit. makes
an interesting sight to anyone unaccus-
toned to such work. Enormous amounts
of earth can be moved in a day by the
dredger if circumstances are such as to
allow ii full scope. y trained crew of men
is kept who know just how every piece of
machinery should act. and can tell at a
glance where some repairs are needed.
Manager Horner is himself perfectly ia
mliar with every detaail of the working
of the monster machine and expects TO
remain here and personally superintend
the work on the canal
The woEk of piledriving on the tide flats
will be pressed ahead with vigor as soon
as the new piles which are contracted for
arrive.
President Eugene Semple. of the water
way company yesterday received tele-
gram announcing the fact that Edgar
Ames and George Paschal. the st. Louis
managers Of the enterprise, would not ar
rive in the city until tomorrow afternoon.
as they have stopped off at Helena
Two emblems of good luck: the horse