The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-12-08
BIG DREDGER COLLAPSED
TWO MEN NARROWLY ESCAPED
BEING CRUSHED.
Iron Support Crystallized From Con-
tinual Jarring and Broke-Entire
Apparatus Went Crashing Into Sea.

without an instants warning the
supports on the big dredger parted |
this morning and the big machine was
precipitated into the water. Two men
had narrow escape from being crush
ed to death. AS the result of the acci-
dent the work of the government dredg-
ing will be delayed several weeks. No
body appears to be to blame for the
accident and the breaking of the sup
port was due to the natural crystaliza-
tion of the iron.
The dredger consists of the beam
which is placed on an iron turn-table.
This beam being supported by frame
of the heaviest tip7h~-- On the beam
is the dipper handle that is run down
into the water to gather the loose de-
bris in the heavy iron basket. The
entire weight of the machine is prob
ably so tons and when filled with de-
bris is we'll on to 100 tons. In order
to hold the dredging apparatus in place
there is a heavy two inch casting run
min from the base to the top of the
beam and secured there with what is
known as two inch ~" bolt For
further support twelve iron rods and
a heavy wire cable are run to the sides
and other end of the big barge on which
the dredging apparatus stands.
This morning M. j. Hanawalt was
standing directly behind the dredger,
operating the machine while Charles
Brown stood on a little platform by
the side of the beam, ready to pull the
rope which released the basket and de-
posted the dredging in the little cars
which We're waiting to haul it away.
Suddenly there was a crash and look
ing upward both men saw the huge
mass topping toward them. Both rea-
lized that neither could save the other
and each looked to his own safety
Hanawalt ran back into the en0'ne
house lust in time to escane being
he hNy of the beams
from the supporting frame which was
ierl<ed out of it's sockets when the
beam, dipper handle and heavily laden
ed basket started toward the water.
Brown was five feet above the water
and without a moments hesitation ne
dived but not soon enough to escape
the falling mass for one of the rods
struck him in the back. The struggling
man was nearly rendered helpless put
he swan with desperation away from
the place where he knew the dredger
must strike and succeeded in getting
away with onlv a slight bruising. He
was soon flshed out of the water.
When the machine struck the water
witnesses of the affair Thought that
half a ton of dynamite had been eN-
ploded under water. A huge mass o.
water shot inward and a big wave
was sent careering out into the harbor
TO rock boats and arouse the
curiosity of people along the water
front as to where the Kona was from
The falling apparatus carried along
with it the twelve iron stays. The
back stay rods which reached to the
makai end of the barge struck agalnsl
the top of the engine house and caused
the sleeping men to jump from thelr
beds. Every rod was bent and twisted
An examination of the dredger shows
that the accident was caused by the
"U" bolt and the rod connecting II
with the base breaking. These pieces OF
casting were two inches in diameter bul
the break was as clean almost as II
severed with a huge knife. No flaw
of consequence could be detected in the
iron. and it was stated by ]. c. Walker
the foreman that the break had beer
due to the iron crystallizing from the
continual jarring. This connection pore
the most of the strain he said anc
when it parted the entire outfit col.
lapsed. The dipper handle and baske
are now in thirty feet of water and 1
win be some time before the dredgel
can be repaired as the turn table anC
other parts were badly broken anC
bent.