Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-11-08

work OF Government .Dredge In
Deepening the Channel OF the Sc.
Johns River. ',-., -.-'' ~


:. (Florida Times Union and Citizen
- One OF the most powerful dredging
machines In this country is deepening
the channel OF the St. Johns river. and
at the rate II has been working for the
past ten days. II would not take long
TO have deep water from, this city 70 the
bar. The dredge is. the Government:
steam sand-sucker Cape Fear. COM
1nanded by Captain W. A. Crawford
and hailing from Southport, n. c The
amount OF work that is being done hy
this dredge is rem8rka bic and IL IS so
much more rapid and complete than the
work accomplished by the old time
steam shovel that a statement OF fig
ures would make a rerson not &C
quainted with WHAT does sCeptiCal, but
the figures show what is being done
and what can be done by this powerful
piece of machinery
~ For the past ten dayssthe dredse has
. been at work on the White Shell snoal
a stretch of shallow wafer covering an
Immense sand bar, nearly opposite ST
Johns Bluff. and near the Sisters Dur
Ing the time that work mas been going
on, stretch of sand gee feet in length.
100 feet wide and three feet deep has
'been removed, making in all 1920 cubic
feet of sand that has been sucked up
from the bottom of the river TO make
q channel.
In order to take up this quantity ef
sand, powerful engines have been en-
ployed continually during each day
The sand is sucked up By power gen
'erated by two compound engines Of 100
horse power each, coming through two
pipes. each ten inches in diameter.
tt "a 7. - I'm, n in, ba
forward part OF the cTcdge capable IF
holding $50 cubic yards, OK about 400
tons OF sand. This compartment Is di-
ways filled, either with water or sand
- As the sand Is thrown into IL, the water
rises and goes out through TWO overflow
pipes on either side of the vessel into
the river. When all the water is out
the bins are full Of sand. which are
then dumped. The dredge Is run to
shore, or where the dumping ground
may be. and the sand is allowed to go
through the bottom by means OF two
large gates that are opened by looss,.-
Ing four large screws, one man having
charge of each screw. When these
gates are opened the sand goes out Of
the bottom and the compartment Is i'm
mediateiy refilled with water. This
dumping process is repeated as often as
the compartments are filled with sand.
with either water or sand, in order TO
keep the stern from sinking. as all the
heavy machinery. is placed aft.
. The force with which the sand is
sucked up is terrific it gushes up con-
tinually. reminding one of an enormous
boiling spring, throwing out sand and
water. The machinery used in the
sucking process, as well as the engines
that drive the dredge, are very power
I'm hIlt
give all the room possible to the, plac-
ing of sand. The capacity for sucking
Is 5000 cubic yards day, and this can
be kept up day and might If necessary.
The tug engines are of $50 horse power
being Of the compound type. one located
forward and the other aft.
1t is interesting TO witness the work
or the dredge, to see the large boat
push forward, making her own channel,
fill up with sand, back out and go to
the dumping ground. On account Of
the deep draft of the boat, it is impos-
sible for 1t TO be pushed ahead over the
bar, on which work is being done but
backs out of the channel it has made
and then, after freeing itself Of the load
of sand, goes back in the same channel
and pushes It further. When the work
was first commenced on the White
She'll 'shoal, 1t was impossible to work
water, but the work that has been COM
pleted has been done in such a satisfac-
tory manner that a channel sufficient
to allow the working in low water has
been dredged, and there Is no delay ex-
perienced now. The work is being in
spected by Captain James V. Wilson.
who has charge Of the measurements,
and superintends the dumping
The Cape Fear was built in 1895 by
% aav
and was constructed for the express
purpose of deepening the Cape Fear
bar and the Care Fear river from
Southport to Wilmington. When this
work was completed several months
were spent deepening Cumberland
Sound bar and from there this power
tul machinery was sent 10 jacksonville
to deepen the st. Johns bar and river.
The dredge cost $4,000, and has paid
for herself several times
WHY HE WANTED THE QUARTER.
A tattered and torn, red-faced
stranger slouched Up to me on Front
street the other ev'ntng, says d writer
In the Worcester STy. Before he open
ed his mouth I know that ii was q
touch but / couldn't get away and
had to hear him out. .-- ~
Say. young felIor. If I was ter tell
yer that l wanted quarter ter get a
square meal you'd think l wanted the
money ter buy rum with. wouldn't yer?'
That's just what ! thought and l so
Informed him and started to pass on.
And if l was ter he frank and tell
yer that I wanted he quarter to buy
whiskey with yOu'C tell me that you
didn't care to eCrCurare the drink
ha bit I suppOse?'' hc DrJke in. I again
answered him in the affirmative and
started to move o..
And if told W. hail wanted that
quarter to buy fGCC -cT a starvin' wife
and twenty small children you'd put
me down as a liar, wouldn't yer?'
Again said yes, and again tried TO get
past him.
We'll, young f.Eer, want that quar-
ter ter nire a truck man to take my
mother-iu- Jaws trunk down to the de-
pot. Do l get it?', ~r ~, .,.. ~,
Il was phased for once. and before I
knew it had dug into my jeans and dts.
covered a lone nickel. I compromised
With him for that amount, and sent him
on his way rejoicing ... r,..
FINE MORTUARY OPPORTUNITY.
In advertising his business for sale,
An English undertaken says:
SANITARY Arrangements much neg
Ieetea; mortality FROM feyers excessive
~ high; total deatn-rate 10.7 higher
than any town EwIta;1 radius of fifty
miles, one trade con p1titCr (carpenter)
only Excellent cTtTirg' for energetic
man willing TO put h. neaFt into the
business" -
MR. CROKER VOTES. ..s.. -
New York. November 6.Richard
II IyA4A H.