Evening journal., 1898-03-02
TO BUILD FOUR BARGES
They Will Be Used at the
Batteries at Fort Mott.
DREDGING MACHINE REPAIRS

TO FINISH THE FORT MOTT |
CONTRACT.
The extensive plant of the Delaware
CONSTRUCTION Company, situated at the
junction Of the Chrlstiana river and
Brandywine creek, at this time presents
am animated scene. The S75, 900 worth
OF dredging equipment is being put in
readiness for use during the approach
ing Open season, and steps are being
taken to augment it TO marked de-
gree.
The company has twenty-three acrcA
of land where the two streams join.
Two years ago this was low marsh, |
but now it is even with the banks, hav- |
ing been raised ten feet. This was |
done last Summer by means of a hy- |
draulic dredge which pumped the en- |
tire lowland full of mud in liquid form. |
Since then the water has run on and |
evapOrated until it is possible to walk |
any place on the property. In another |
year it will be even better. ami the
company will have one of the most val
liable properties on the Christiana.
Alvin r. Morrison, the president OF
the company, has 100 acres of marsh
situated farther towards the mouth cf
| the ChTestiana. 1t is near IJawton's
Point, and not far from Woods Hole,
as one Of the particularly low places
has been designated by tine Cherry
Island marsh people in honor of J. AL
bert Wood, secretary and treasurer of
the Delaware Construction Company.
This stretch of land has not yet been
filled in.
The construction company's plant
has just been connected by telephone
with the city. A substantial cable has
been laid across the Brandywine alt
the gallOws-frame bridge, on the lime
of Fourth street extended, for the ex-
press accommodation Of The company,
and the shops and the office in the
Equitable Building are now in close
communication.
, -Four new barges are to be built inn
; med.a1ely. Part of the lumber and iron
is now on The ground, and the other
will arrive as it is required. Each
| barge will have a capacity Of 400 tons,
and they will be used in The sand
dredging business.
Machine No. is being retmCdeled
and thoroughly overhauled, and when
the repairs are completed it viii be
one OF the most powerful dredges in
: the local harbcr The sides have been
: raised, a new boiler has been ordered,
and will be here on Tuesday; new parts
OF the machinery are already being adj
| iusted and two large water-tanks are
d being put in.
/ In the shops the spar-buoys ant
walking-spuds are being got in readl
h ness, and the blacksmiths are busill
= engaged on the iron work.
T It is the intention of The company TX
4 build a marine railway on the Christi
ana side Of the property, and to la.
n ways for building and launching yes
sells on the point at the intersection G.
the two streams. 1t is an ideal plac'
for a launch, as there is a clear SWEEP
Of channel from the point clear up T.
- the bend Of the river, short distanc'
= above the Moore shipyards.
One of the latest additions to th'
construction cOmpany's colony at Nor
rison's Point is a kennel of rabbi
n | hounds. Three Of them are importe'
and the others are of excellent stock
The kennel is an unpretentiOus, bu
substantial, structure, and attached b
it is a yard in which the hounds cal
exercise. There are eight or ten in tIh
n pack, and They are simply howllng 70
IN an opportunity to get on the trail OF
Cherry Island marsh cOttOn-tail. Vice
President Moylan brought them froG
New England and presented them t
- the company with his compliments.
is expected that one of the pack wi
On declare a dividend IN about thre
OF weeks.
" Mocrcd at the wharf in the Brar
k | dywine are several machines an
bargCs and a large house-boat, whic
- was designed and constructed especia
y ly for The accommodation and cOm1ol
AZ | of the men who were employed
10 building the low-water dyke at Listen
A Point It is a cOmmodious craft, ha'
~ ing sleeping accommodations for thiri
- or forty men; equipped with all II
household appointments and acceSs0
les, and containing a water-tank, cap.
rer bic of holding 1000 gallons Of waiter f
by drinking l3y2tOry and culinary pu
'e- poses. The government stopped u
work on that dyke project, and Il
ct house-boat is ait present deed stock {
the company's hands, although u
:: government will ultimately pay for @
Losses sustained by the company
: consequence Of the breaking Of contra
by reason of the agitation lnaugurat
by those whose interests the dyl
Threatened. and who went to Washin
ltu dlfu Mhu luC BlOJNlb rNbtshtOASN
AS soon as the machines and barg
at present in course Of repair and co
struction are ready for service tn
will be sent 30 Fort Mott, near Del
ware City, TO dredge and haul sand I
the Federal batteries in course Of &C
struction there. This contract is o
of the largest ever entered into by
local company. To Will require me
.: than a year to supply Uncle Sam wi
. all the grit he needs at that point
defence on The Delaware river. n
o,,., sand is dredged from the bar near
an aware City, and carried to shore
- means of scows and barges.
,y While visiting the construction co
liSss pany's works yesterday afternoon
~ IN Evening Journal reporter asked
III IL Morrison If he Thought the supply
sand on this bar inexhaustible. He
piled that ne feared net, although sol
held that Ii is.
One of the company's horses ran
and nail In its foot several days ago, q