The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1907-11-28

let the contract for digging the ditto
to Foohey & Sons Of Fort Wayne
Ind, who In turn employed A. '
Wills & Sons Of Pittsheld, H.; r. q
MeWillisms of NATION, Ill, an,
Small Bros. Of Iowa TO help on differ
ent sections. Foohey & Sons are do
ing the biggest portion Of the work
about nineteen miles. A. Y. wills 4
Sons are doing the deepest portion
at the southern end OF the ditch.
IMMENSE DREpGEBoAr.
The big dredge used by the lsttel
company is the attraction Of th.
ditch. Il Is the largest dredgebos'
used on any inland work, and va,
built especially for this Bates County
work. II lie In direct charge oil. D
Chamberlain OF Ottawa, Kss., whib
G, E. Myers Of Indiana and A. b.
Gallup Of Sharon, Ia, are the run
ners. Both have had large expert.
ence in dredging, especially In South
east Missouri, where more than one
swamp has become susceptible to
cultivation through their direction.
Hundreds come to see the big
dredgeboat, which Is located about
q half mile from Papinville. Some
have driven forty miles to see she
sight. And Is is q sight. Strangely
enough the company built the boat
on the prairie AS the ditch Is de-
signed simply to take care Of the
overflow srom the Maize des Cygnes,
the bottom Of the ditch is higher
than the river, In some places 15 ieet
above low water max. So shat In
floating the dredgeboat 1t was nee
essary to use teams and scoops In
order to make a small lake. A
pumping station was established on
the river, and even VOW, after the big
dredge has cut out about a hall mile
Of the ditch, water is pumped up
from the river.
Two crews OF five men each run the
dredge. 1t Is an immense fatboat,
l02 feet long and AZ feet wide. The
engine carries $50 horsepower, and
besides furnishing the power ioy the
S3 foot crane, runs dynamo that
at night gives electric light for opera
tions.
And the scoop at the end Of the
big crane! Down 1t goes into the
water and energies with powerful
swing, lifting three yards Of dirt
three ordinary wagon loads, weigh
Ing 1000 pounds-over to one side,
where leveeis built by the constant
unloading. Like giant monster,
the scoop rises from the water every
two minutes, dripping loose mud
and water, while the runner, master
OF his powerful craft, pilots the crew
that runs the engine. No wonder
the people come from miles around
to see this largest Of inland dredges.
DITCH TO DEEPEN ITSELF.
"While the depth and width and
length OF this ditch exceeded any
other on which we have worked"
said Mr.. Chamberlain, I'VE are not
insurmountsble difficulties
from the path We must take. In one
part Of the route we expect to take
out enough coal to feed our boilers.
For instance, here Is sample sound.
ing showing the character OF the
ground through which we must dig.
AT the deepest point the first IL feet
is soil and clay, the next 10 feet
consists OF sandy clay and gravel,
the next 3 feet OF sand rock, the next
foot Is solid coal, and the last 5 feet
2 inches is fire clay. Ashort distance
this side, where the cut is only 10
feet deep, We will cut through 4 feet
l inch Of coal.
"Some Of this may require blasting,
though we are hoping not. The
shovel on the dredgeboat is a power
full instrument and can almost force
Itself through any ordinary obstruc-
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