Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-10


future for the commercial ipterests OF
Wilmington, The centre of the work is
at the junction OF the Christiana and
Brandywine. where the Delaware Con-
atruction Co. ia recaiming I3 acre
tract of marsh land, the original bottom
Of which ia four feet below high water
mark. The company is dredging in
front Of the p, W. & d. Railroad 90. q
wharves, ON tho opposite side Of the
Christiana, and the Atlas Dredging Co.
is dredging at tho wharyes of the Pusey
& Jones Co.. and tho material taken
from the bottom of the river at both
points 10 taken in scows TO the Della
ware Construction Co. q property. where
it is thrown over the enibankment by a
powerful suction pump.
Tho huge machiDs is decided curl.
osity around Wilmington. and it's move
inents are decidedly interesting. II is
the property OF the Bowers Hydraulic
Dredging Go. of Camden, N. j., and
cost the owners sl00, 900. Itdiffers Yery
materially from the ordinary dredging
machines. At the rear OF the boat is a
large two-foot iron pipe, which extends
deep into the water, tho depth being
regulated by n telescope arrangement.
Attached to the pipe is funnel, which
is at it's mouth about eight feet in
diameter. Below the funnel is net OF
huge knives, which are kept revolving
in the mud, the power being furnished
by engines aboard the drellge. The
knives stir up the mud. and the suction
pipe draws II up into fan-like cham
Der aboard the boat, from which ii 10
carried to the hank and thrown ashore
by means of two.foot iron pipes, which
are In convenient lengths and fiouted ON
boats aud are coupled together by
meana of stout rubber joints. This ar
yangement permits the dredge to work
almost any distance FROM the shore and
deposit the material in the same
manner as though it were always touch
ing the hank. There are three power
fuI engines aboard the dredge and IL
men are required to look after all the
machinery. Superintendent Bogia OF
Camden has charge of the work.
The dredging apparatus on the stern
OF the boat, which la semi circular,
swings about, aud 50.foot cut can be
made without moving the bont. Since
the arrival of the dredge 1t has been in
service 12 hours each day, and NO time
in lost, The first work done at its
present location was the dredging OF
deep hole, into which the material new
bping dredged in other places ia de-
p0sitod, and the pump forces it out on
the hank at the rate OF from 30 to 90
cubic Yards per minute. The machinery
is SO powerful that small wood and like
material are pumped out with the mud.
Since the dredge has been here it has
been an object of interest and has been
visited by many people. Just how long
IL will remain is not known, az 1T can
not bs estimated how long the work at
private wharves will continue.
The Delaware CONSTRUCTION Co. is
going to considerable expense to have
it's property reclaimed, and as soon
as the filling-in process is completed,
Morrison's point, as the tract at the
junction OF the Christiana and Brandy.
wine is known, will he much more valu.
able - the company than at present.
Before the work commenced the COM
pany huilt four-foot banks on the sides
of the property which were not pro.
tected. and sluices were constructed to
carry off ths water which is thrown
ashore with the mud. About year
ago the company filled in small por-
tion Of the lowland, and II now appears
to be absolutely firm, and buildings
have been erected upon it. The COM
papy has its pile drivers and other
machinery quartered along the banks,
ana one Of the new buildings is being
temporarily used as store house for
machinery. The main building is to be
used for manufacturing purposes
In addition TO the mud which is
lieing removed from in front OF the
wLarves, the city has appropriated 81,
600 to have sewage removed from the
Chiistiana, and the material taken out
under that appropriation will also prob
ably be thrown over the bank, as may
also the material dredged out under the
government contract. AS stated above,
the natural bottom Of the l3 acre tract
is about four feet below high water
mark. and the company proposes to
raise it eight feet and mako it four feet
above nigh water mark, which will re-
quire an Immense amount of work and
material There is a bar at the mouth
OF the Braudywine, which has been u
hindrance to people using the latter
stream for commercial purposes for
years, and IN all probability this bar
may be removed during the summer.
The water. front property recently &C.
auired by the r., w. 81 II. Railroad
Co. on the south side of the Christiana,
about a mile from its mouth, ia also
being considerably improved. The Della
ware Construction Co. is dredging in
front of the wharves. and the latter are
also being rebuilt by the Construction
Co. This is an admirable location for
loading and unloading large boats, and
ii is believed that 1t will not be very
long before ocean going steamers will
load aud unload at that punt. AT high
water a boat drawing % feet can reach
that point, and should the government
give the Christina the cleaning out it
should have boats of much greater
draught would be able to get in and
out OF the stream. There are already
good wharf facilities there, and but
little expense would be necessary to
make it an admirable freight.handling
point.
At the mouth OF the Christiana the
government buildings have been set up
on piling five feet. and whom the govern
ment dredging in the stream COM
mences. it is understood. the dredgea
material will be thrown over tho hank
there and the space under the buildings
filled In.
The work In progress in the Chris.
tiana has brought into service several
new tugs in this vicinity, which con-
tribute materially to the life OF the
scene.
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Settled tor SIS.
MIS-, William SnarIta nf No Gl5