The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-04
TO BID ON A BIG CONTRACT.
SAVANNAH CONTAGIOUS WANT TO
DIG IN PORT ROYAL SOUND.

Three of Them Left for Washington
Yesterday-About 100000 Cubic
Yards of Material to Be Dug out Of
That Part of the sound Leading
Up to the Port Royal Dry Dock.
The Work to Make the Dock
Available for Big VcsseIs-Bids 10
BE Opened Tomorrow.
Several Savannah contractors, or rather
contractors who have their present head
quarters in the city, left for Washington
at noon yesterday for the purpose OF en-
tering the competition for the dredging
work to be done in Port Royal sound
leading UP 20 the Port Royal dry dock.
The Savannah contractors who went on
to the national capital are NIessrs. c. c.
Ely. representing P. Sanford Ross; W. F..
NcCauley and Jacob Paulsen Of the Sa-
vannah Dredging Company, and Ritten-
house Moore, who is now doing the work
on the inside route between Savannah
and Beaufort. These, however, will not
be the only bidders as they expect to have
competition from at least three, and per-
haps four, other contractors from foreign
points.
These bids are called for by the navy
department and will be opened in Wash
ington tomorrow morning at noon. The
bidders mentioned will arrive in Washing
ton about o'clock this morning, and there
will no doubt be a good deal of figuring
and planning between now and the time
for the opening of the bids.
Very little has been said about this work
I'D to the present time, but It is now I'M
derstood that il will be undertaken and
pushed forward as rapidly as possible
The uselessness of the Port Royal dry
dock for large warships has practically
been demonstrated, and the fact that the
government has recently been put to the
necessity of sending one of the battleships
to a foreign dry dock at Halifax, has en-
Dhasized this situation much more strong
~.
The work to be done Is an immense one.
A basin of large extent, with depth OF
thirty feet at mean low water, VIII De aug,
leading right up to the opening of the
dock. The depth there now at mean low
water is twenty-five feet. 1t is estimated
that d, 900, 900 cubic yards of material VIII
have to be excavated In order to arrive at
the result desired.
There has already been appropriated
sl5OOOO for this work, but it is stated that
this sum will not be sufficient to complete
IT by a great deal. The reason for this is
that the material to be taken out is not all
soft mud and silt, but is filled with rocks
and the excavation will be much more
difficult than would otherwise be the case
Under the specifications it will be re-
uuired that the successful bidder shall be-
gin the work within thirty days after the
contract is awarded and he will be given
sixteen months in which to complete 1t.
1t is believed that this work will put the
Port Royal dry dock in position to ac-
commodate any vessel in the navy. II
adds another large expense, however, TO
that already INDUCED in when the dock
was constructed, but in it's present condi-
ton il cannot render the proper service.
The plan proposed appeared to be the
only remedy so thousands will have TO be
spent to make available work which cost
more than a million dollars.
The three Savannah contractors mem
toned have all had work on the harbor
here or on adjacent river channels at one
time or another, and they are well equip
ped for the service. p. Sanford Ross had
the contract for dredging the present Sa-
yRnnah river channel The Savannah
Dredging Company has done considerable
work in this section and Mr.. Moore, be-
sides the work on the new channel to
Beaufort, recently had in hand a large
contract for dredging along the Central
railroad wharves. The contest among the
bidders for the work now under considera-
ton will be watched with interest.