The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-31
FOR DEEPER HARBOR
MOVEMENT INAUGURATED To Sc
CURE BIG GOVERNMENT DREDGE.
MAKE DEPTH OF BAR 80 FEET.
COL. QUINN SAYS 1T WILL MEAN
MUCH TO SAVANNAH.

The Dredge Is Capable of Doing
Eight Times as Much Work as the
One Now Being Used-Is One of the
Governments Largest Dredges.
viii BE Sent to Newport News in
Few Days for Repairs-EnOrt
viii Then BE Made TO Have the
Department Assign the Machine to
Savannah.
A movement looking to the securing
of a thirty-foot channel, at low water,
in the outer harbor of the Savannah
river has been inaugurated. This can
be done by securing the government
dredge boat, Cumberland, now lying at
the foot of Drayton street, in Savan-
nah, for service in the harbor here. If
it is possible to induce the War De-
partment to assign the big dredge to
this point the result will be thirty feet
on the outer bar at low tide may be
secured.
Col. James B. Quinn, the new engi-
neer- of the Savannah district, is in
favor of the move, and will, of course,
at the proper time, recommend it. This
in itself will have great weight, es-
pecially since Col Quinn is not only
| engineer in charge of the district, but
is also division engineer having gem
eral supervision of river and harbor
Improvement work in the southern
| division, of which the Savannah dls-
trict is but a part.
A Big Machine.
The Cumberland is one of the large
sea-going dredges of the government.
| She is over 300 feet in length, 40 feet
at her beam and draws II feet of wa
ter, without cargo. She could work
in the outer harbor in any kind of
weather, and has the additional ad-
vantage over the dredge now in use, of
being so equipped as to be able to ac-
complish about eight times as much
work in a given time. BY reason of
her additional facilities, and greater
size, a greater depth could be obtained
in dredging.
The Cumberland came here from
| Fernandina, and will remain here pend
ing arrangements for repairs. This
WOIh VII HOI DE uOIlG mere SlilCG IHGIe
is no dry dock in which to place the
dredge. It is probable that the work
will be done at Newport News, or at
some other port where a dry dock of
| sufficient proportions may be secured.
The dredge has been engaged at Fer
nandina for some time. and was
brought here from that port. The re-
pairs needed consist in particular of a
| copper covering for her hull, which has
| been attacked by the toredo.
Will Require Effort.
1T will take a determined effort,
! and some influence, to obtain the
dredge," said Col. Quinn. when asked
to Savannah. The dredge cannot be
secured without a struggle, as there
will undoubtedly be other places which
will want her. 1t will take a deter
mined effort, but it would be we'll to
try.
I'VE are going to have a large
dredge for this harbor some time" he
said when asked about the proposed
new vessel. 1.-The specifications have
not yet been issued. After that is
done bids will have to be advertised
and contracts awarded before the work
on the new craft may be undertaken.
If Savannah only had a dry dock, it
would be of vast advantage to her
| especially in this instance for if the
repairs were made here, it would re-
quire little more than a request to
have her remain here for a while to
complete the harbor improvements at
this point"
The matter will probably be brought
before the Chamber of Commerce at
it's next meeting. All are agreed that
every effort should be made to secure
the dredge. and it is probable that
the movement will take definite shape
in a short while.