Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-21
GREAT WORK IN PROGRESS.
Making Of the New West Neebish
Channel. .

Sdult DIE marie, MlCIl., July IV.-TTt-
liminary work on one of the most i'm
portant projects ever undertaken by
the Government in its scheme Of i'm
proving navigation on the Great Lakes
that of making new channel for
ships at the West Neebish, some six
teen miles below the 500, is well under
way. The work has been divided into
three sections: First, that to be done
by the dredges from the point of
divergence Of the new channel from
the old to the beginning Of the rock
cut at the West Neebish; second, the
rock cut proper, and, third, dredging
the channel from the lower end of the
rock cut through Mud Lake to the
point of conveyance with the old cham
mel. The preparatory work is now SO
far advanced that by the middle of
August the operations in the first
section of the rock cut will be in the
dry and the channellers and drillers
will then begin the actual excavation
for the new waterway which is to
make more easy and more safe the
passage of the big freighters at one OF
the most difficult points on the Great
Lakes. Before work was started on
the west side of Neebish Island the
water in places scarcely covered the
solid rocks formation, while in other
places it dropped off into the pools
from which fishermen have for years
taken out fine strings of bass. perch
and pike. Now there stretches from
the mainland to the island a temporary
dam which will soon entirely cut Off
the flow of water from above. one
thousand feet below the first tempo
rary dam another is being built, the
two dams forming the first section OF
the work at that point. From four to
six weeks will then be occupied IN
pumping the water from the area en-
closed, after which the blasting and
eXcavating will be begun.
In this first section of 1000 feet, there
are to be taken out 100000 cubic yards
of rock, which work, it is estimated.
will require six or eight months time.
The rock will be removed from the
scene of operations by means of an
aerial able line. the towers of which,
each 1913 feet in height with spans, two
of 500 feet and two of HOO feet, are now
being completed. The travelling cables
these towers will support will have
capacity of twelve tons to the load and
will be the longest, in proportion to the
the load they are expected to carry. IN
the world. The machinery to be used
will be operated by compressed air, and
a total of 1850 horsepower will be
furnished by the two compressors to be
installed. The foundations for the ma
chinery have been completed, the
galloway engines are en- route from
New York and everything is expected
to be in readiness for the drillers by
the time the first section has been
pumped dry, between Aug. and Is.
In the first division of the entire PROJECT.
in which might be included the work go
ing on in the cut at the head of Sugar
Island. although this is not strictly part
of the West Neebish contract. there are
all taking out the stiff clay which, when
once excavated. will not necessitate an
other stroke of work at this point 1or
dredges is the big Pan-American, the
largest on the lakes. the dipper OF when
has a level capacity of eight YARDS OF the
but which. because of the tenacious char
acter of the clay, usually brings up ten
yards or even more. AS the company
gets seventeen cents per yard for us
w N,
a revenue of $1.7O although. of course. the
expense of operation is heavy and delays
are costly Four of the ten dredges are
engaged in the work of widening the
channel between Sugar Island and
the mainland, and with their work fin
ished a passageway 600 feet wide. and in
some places even more, will be provided.
The ether six dredges are at work from
the point where the new channel DIVORCES
from the old to the point where the ram
is to be built at the head of the rock cut.
In the eight miles of this section of the
West Necbish contract six million yards
of material are to be taken out. Two
dredges are at work on the Mud Lake. CT
third section of the contract. but more
are on the way. and Mud Lake will soon
be scene of busy operations, rlvalng
that now witnessed in Hay Lake. In this
portion of the improvement 4,00.0OO cubic
yards of material are to be removed. The
material here is much the same as that
in Hay Lake. except that at the two ends
of Mud Lake the bottom is exceedingly
soft, and because of this hard to handle.
All told, about 12.00OOO0 cubic yards of
material are to be removed from the neI'
ship chaEnel. Aside from the force On
the dredgeS. which are operated by differ
ent concerns. some 200 men are now en-
ployed at the rock cut. This number will
he increased to 700, working in two shifts
in the summer as soon as the drilling and
blasting can be started, and in the winter
one shift will be retained, reducing the
MI Inv ha1