The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-23
THOUSANDS OF YARDS DAILY.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF HUTCH
INSON ISLAND.

unds of Cubic Yards of Earth.
Many Acres Already Filled INA
Big Dyke Five Miles Long Around
the Island Now Three-FOurths
COmpIeted-WilI Guarantee the
From Storms, Floods and Freshets
Four Big Slips with 1000 Feet OF
Wharfage Now Being Created-The
Bridge Under Way.
Not one person in ten In Savannah or
one in hundred has any idea of the i'm
mensity Of the work that is being done
across the river by The Georgia and Ala
bama people, nor of the immense amount
Of work that has already been done. Some
idea was given in a recent article In the
Morning News of the number of men en-
ployed on this work. There are now over
200 men employed on the island and near
ly 600 more on the construction work be-
tween Savannah and Meldrim and with
the beginning Of the work of grading the
line on the island, which will commence
this week. the number of men employed
there Will be increased to 1000
This work has been going on all sum-
mer and a great deal has been accomplish
ed. About the time the Savannah rice
planters began talking about building a
huge rice dam on the Carolina side to
protect their plantations from freshets
the construction company began construc-
ting a dam OF similar character on Hut
Crimson Island just opposite the line Of
the proposed rice dam. The latter is still
in the air, as 1t were, but nearly four
miles of splendid dykes have been con-
structed on Hutchinsons Island, which
would be of immense value to planters
If situated on the other side of the river.
If the company were permitted to plant
its lands on Hutchinson's Island in rice
the dam might prove a profitable invest
menJ for that purpose alone.
The Georgia and Alabama Terminal
Company owns 200 acres of land on
Hutchinson Island, or about two square
miles, ana nearly all Of The water front. OF
this water front about $500 feet, on an
east and west, is now being improved. In
Guiding the four big slips upon which
work is now n progress the company viii
have wharf frontage of coo feet with
pl nty Of unimproved frontage TO fan back
upon whenever It's business may demand
It. About 100 acres in proximity to the slips
Is being hlied in for railway and shipping
yards
In company with Mr. w. w. MackaTl,
president of The GeoI gia Construction Com
pany, a Morning News reporter made a
tour of the work yesterday, The other
members OF the party were Mai. A. II.
johnson, chief engineer Maj. r. A. Bland
ford. engineer Ia charge and Mr.. c. ID.
Baldwin. With the aid of a speedy little
naptha launch the tour was made N just
three hours and then only brief stops were
n q o. he IF oh inta To-
time been taken TO traverse the switch
yard and the dyke another three hours
would have been required.
The first point visited was slip No. /,
where The big dredse. No. l, of the Allan
tc, Pacific and Cuff Company is al work.
This sip has already teen dredged out for
is fun length Of 400 feet 10 a waler depth
Of feet at low tide and the dredge has
increased this depth 10 20 feet at mean low
water for about half the area of the slip.
TIE dredGe is very large one and of the
most modern type. 1t works continuously
night and day, having shifts Of men ana
accompdShes an immense amount of work
in twtnty-fOur hours. Capt Feds who is
in charge OF the dredge, informed the
party that 5000 cubic yards of earth had
been taken out in the last twenty-four
hours. The Gredge is completely equipped,
having everything on board needed for
the prosecution of its work. including its
own workshop and a condensing apparatus
for condensine water when ar sen II has
powerful engines and hoilars and In every
wav IS e1uinnad win Inc most modern
aDnaratus for distI,rhing motbar aarth
and renewing her reroains 10 ,lietap, CI,er-
ters An immense munger tears mn Tho
earth beneath The surface Of The water
Wilde. a bjg suction nine twenty inches IN
diameter takes nm the loosened soil ana
with the Aid of an immense force nnnon
carries II ia anv distance rao,irad rrba
Iono line of iron nine extsrds oI,t over ~,
island like huge hon constrictor nv
some antediluvian sen sernont taxing
nan In the sunshine The rnd talyen fro,,o
M brttor, az the IN Is er,nIiad At n ,,oInt
zol fest away ~ is now hoipo~ ga 80
IN in Inc switch tracks and nv means ~
a,1,icaya,s HE soft nnd Is nd - o.
many hundred feet further after leaving
ne ,ine. some tbirtv-nina ar eo,.t,, $50
N no vi,initv ~ mo eTr ba,,a oIra,5,I
bean raised tbree or four faot Nil, 49,,
mud taken from The slim. The antira orno
nccnnif1 h,. the sw;tcbvard win 10 ana
IN ~ ! biebt ~ ni,., foot 49,. 49, -