Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
DREDGING TEE RIVER
WORK OF DEEPENING CHANNELS
IN THIS VICINITY.
Total of 100000 Yards of Mud to Be
Taken Out by Con-
tract.

The large hydraulic dredge of the Allan
tic, Gulf and Pacific Dredging Company
has begun the work of deepening the chan
nels of the river in this vicinity, under
contract made last fall. The work was to
have started several weeks ago. but about
the time the machine arrived here the ice
became so heavy that it was impossible
for the dredge to start work and it lay idle
in the harbor throughout the winter.
The contract of the engineer office with
the dredging company calls for the eXca-
walton of $1,000 yards of material from
the main channel of the river near the
junction of the Washington channel with
that coming out of the eastern branch;
100000 yards from the channel TO George
town above the Long bridge, and 1OOOO
yards from bar which extends into the
river at the upper end of the Virginia
channel.
In all 10000 yards Of mud are to be
taken from the bottom Of the Potomac and
deposited upon the low lying portions of
the Potomac Park. The lredge has COM
menced operations at the entrance to the
harbor. where the channel will be made
twenty-four feet deep.
Shoal Water in Channels.
Within the past four or five years sue
cessive freshets have shoaled the channels
at this point greatly, and within the past
week vessels drawing five or six feet of
water have gone aground on the edge of
the channel where the harbor and Vir-
ginia channels meet. and where the charts
show twelve or more feet of water. The
portion of the Potomac Park east of the
Long bridge and of the Agricultural De-
partments experimental station has been
subdivided by earthen entertainments, with
four large ponds with inlets from one to
the other. The dTedge. by means of a
large cutter. armed with revolving knives,
cuts the mud loose from the river bottom,
the loosened material is then sucked up
through big pipes. mixed with water, and
Is forced into one of the ponds in the park
The water and mud then flows from one
pond to TIE other and finally comes
back into the river after traversing all the
Enclosures. AS 1t flows along the earth in
the water settles. and where 1t comes out
Of the pipes muddy stream, it returns to
the river at the outlet comparatively clear
water. AS the water flows the sediment
from 1t spreads out evenly over the ground,
so that when the filling in is completed
there remains but little grading to be done
Although the dredge had been pumping
steadily for over twenty-four hours yes
terday evening, and had thrown large
quantity of liquid mud upon the park, the
water was flowing in a very small stream
from the outlet, showing that the material
had opportunity to settle before it goes
back into the river
Stakes Used as Guides.
ne river cnannel Just below the lower
end of the Potomac Park is filed with
stakes guides for the dredge to work
by. The stakes are so close together that
it is difficult for passing vessels to avoid
them in the day time. and at night when
they cannot be seen, they are often knock
ed down and the engineers have to re-
place them in the morning.
The dredge is fitted with electric lights
and will be kept at work night and day
but it will require several months for her
to complete her contract.
The dredge Dewey, belonging to the San
ford Brooks Company of Baltimore which
was hauled out on the mar ne railway at
Alexandra for some repair work was
launched yesterday and was brought UP to
this city. The dredge has been idle since
last December, when the ice stopped her
work. She will resume the dredging of the
Eastern branch channel to the navy yard
This work will also be vigorously pushed
night and day, but there is yet work enough
in sight to keep the dredge employed for
several months The material excavated
from the Eastern branch channel is being
deposited upon the flats along the govern
ment asylum grounds and will reclaim a
large part of land for the use of the in
stitution.