The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-11-21
WENT DOWN
IN THE SWELL
Drsdser at Pearl
HarbOr Finds
Bottom.

After battling for a heavy five day.
against the gales and the tremendous
surf that was sweeping over the Pearl
Harbor bar the big suction dredge
owned by Cotton Brothers, dragged
her anchors shortly after midnight in
Tuesday mornings gale. and then, fill
ing rapidly with water, the $4,000
dredge sank in about seventeen feet.
Five men who were on the dredge had
a hard nights work in trying to save
her, but finally had to abandon the
effort.
On last Tuesday the weather became
so bad and the swells sweeping over
the bar SO heavy that the big dredge
had TO abandon the work until the
weather should moderate. The scows
that had been in use were towed into
Pearl Harbor. On Saturday and Sun
day the dredge had fierce tussle with
the elements. Yachtsmen who passed
near her said that the water was lift
ing up the heavy dredge and pushing
it around in several ways. On Mon
day matters looked better, but the
storm that came on Monday night
caused the waves to rise so high that
they swept over the dredge. Shortly
after midnight James b. AgassiZ, of the
firm of Cotton Bros, left the dredge,
thinking that it would weather the
storm. At that time there was no
water in her, but short time after
wards waves swept over the dredge,
breaking in doors leading to its in
terror The five men remaining on
her started the steam pumps and work
ed hard TO keep down the flood. Final
ly four feet of water was standing in
the engine-room, and with the fires out
the men had no further way of coping
with the water. They realized that the
craft must sink, and, after big effort,
the tug Kaena, which was lying short
distance off, came to their assistance
and took them safely on board. After
the men left the dredge the entire
deckhouse was smashed up and wash
ed into the sea. and at o'clock the
big dredge settled down into the water
at n point where the charts indicate
that there are seventeen feet of water.
The tug Kaena then came to Homo
lulu with news of the disaster. and
later put back to the scene with mem
bers of the contracting firm and in
surance men on board. 1t is impossi-
bic at present to say what the loss
will be to the contractors. The $4,000
dredge is insured for almost $4,000
but in addition to this there will be
the loss of time involved in the wreck
ing of the dredger. A survey will be
made OF the dredge, and there is =
possibility that ii can be raised easily
during fair weather.
The contractors state that the small
suction dredge that has been anchored
in Pearl Harbor for some time will
now be put on the work, and that the
pipe line which has been anchored in
side the harbor will also be placed in
position to work with the small dredge
Scows for carrying away the dredg-
ed material have not proven a success
During the heavy swells it is almost
impossible to keep scow alongside
the dredge. and 1t is said that so far
less than fifteen scow loads of sand
have been dredged from the channel
and taken out to sea. The contractors
secured nine months extension OF
the old Clark & Henry contract, and
two months of this time have already
elapsed. The channel that has to be
dredged is about three quarters Of a
mile in length, but the contractors
feel that they have ample time remain
ing now in which to complete the job