The record-union., 1897-10-29
REPORT ON DREDGERS.
WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY THE
GOVERNMENT MACHINES.
Success of the Tests Made by the
u. S. Engineers of the
Alpha and Beta.

Your Committee on DredgeTs appoint
ed at the time Of the last meeting Of
your Executive Committee has not had
time to make such an exhaustive exam
lnation into the subject of river dredg-
ing and into its cognate subject of riv-
er jetties, as it viii be necessary TO
make before the miners of California
can derive practical benefit from the
operation Of a combined system of jet
ties and dredging in the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Rivers.
In the opinion Of your committee,
while it is desirable to construct a sys-
TEN of restraining dams to hold back
the debris already accumulated from
forming hydraulic mining, pending the
investigation of the subjects of jetties
and dredgers, yet such restraining dams
will not avail to any large extent in
bringing about the results this assocf-
alton was primarily organized to pro-
mote, namely, the restoration to the
hydraulic miner Of his right to use and
enjoy his own property TO the full ex-
tent of its value-a privilege not denied
TO the owner of any other class Of prop
erty.
Notwithstanding the short time in
which your committee have been able
TO work, still your committee have col
iected large amount of valuable data
regarding the subjects intrusted to
their care. which, with other material
yet to be collected will be systemati-
cally treated in future reports Of your
committee; and your committee are
ready TO assure the miners of Califor-
ma that 1t is quite among the probabil-
ltles Of the near future, not only that
The owners of a few small hydraulic
mines may mine here and there in Sc
Guided gulches Of the Sierras under the
fostering care of the California Debris
Commission, but that by the establish
ment of a proper system of jetties in
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rfv-
ers supplemented by the use Of powerful
dredging machines such as have been
recently constructed at Government ex-
pense, hydraulic miners everywhere
may mine without fear of the baton of
the Marshal and without objection from
their friends and neighbors, the farm
ers.
1t is true that large amounts Of mon
ey must be appropriated and employed
but such amounts are infnitesimal
when compared with the vast benefits
TO result, and, considering the now uni
versal interest in the subject of mining
and the generous aid already extend
ed by both the State and National Gov
ernments in the way of mere expert
ments, it can scarcely be doubted that
at no distant day the authorities of the
National Government will provide lib
orally for the Improvements indicated.
To illustrate the efficiency of the
dredgers recently constructed for the
Government, your committee refers to
Appendix WV of the Annual Report
for 1886 Of the United States Chief of
Engineers, from which report your COM
mlttee quote the following, showing the
performances of the dredge Alpha.
Early in September, owing to the
steady decline of the river, the services
of the Alpha We're needed at four IocaH-
ties between Cairo and Memphis, viz.
Cherokee Crossing, Sam Phillips Bar.
Point Pleasant Bar and Medleys. She
was Immediately started from Mem
phls, and reached Cherokee Crossing.
the first obstruction to navigation above
Memphis, on the morning Of September
18th, and worked there sixteen DAYS.
During this time she made six cuts. ag-
gfegating 200 feet in length, and in
creaslng the navigabIe depth 1862 feet.
Not less than six feet was found in the
channel during the rest of the season.
Notwithstanding a fall of ,. 10 feet in the
river subsequent to the dredging. The
material encountered at Cherokee was
usually coarse and hard to move.
From there the dredger was towed
TO Sam Phillips Bar. where work was
0V9aFreH
days four cuts aggregating 3.S45 feet
long, had been made, and the naviga Bile
depth increased 1.6S feet. Not less than
81. feet was found in the channel dur
ing the rest of the low water season. al
though the river fell 20T feet subse-
quent to the dredging.
AT Point Pleasant Bar work was
commenced on October 9th and contin-
ued fourteen days, during which time
eight cuts, with an aggregate length of
. 520 feet, We're made, and the navigab bic
depth increased $50 feet. Not less than
8 feet was found in the channel during
the rest of the season. Notwithstanding
q fall in the river of l. 80 feet subsequent
to dredging.
AT Medleys work was commenced on
October 25th and continued twenty
three days The material here was also
very difficult to handle, from its ex-
treme fneness rather than its coarse
ness, as was the case at Cherokee. Here
it fed in toward the dredge from long
distances ahead and on both sides. as
suming an extremely fiat slope Three
cuts were made, with an aggregate
length of 1920 feet by which the navi-
gable depth was increased ,. 13 feet. Not
less than 1866 feet was found in the
channel during the rest of the low-water
season
Your committee also quote from the
same report part of the history of the
buildings and of the performances of
the dredge Beta as follows:
But while the practicahility of i'm
proving the low-water navigation of the
Mississippi River by dredging may be
considered as established. there is much
Yet to be learned concerning the best
arrangement of parts and details IN a
dredge for this purpose. as well as the
system of operating it, including the
motive power, the method Of attack on
the bar the relative dimensions of the
cut and the disposal of the excayated
material. These questions can only be
settled by experience acquired with the
use of specially designed and strongly
constructed dredges of great capacity
These considerations had weight
with the commission in specifying the
requirements for the dredga Beta. A
capacity of 900 cubic yards of sand per
hour delivered ]. 200 feet from the point
of excavation was demanded. This was
far beyond the performance Of any
dredge ever built A bonus proportion
ed TO the incraasa Of na1t1,,1t lna,-o,,d the