The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-22

tween now and March 16. 1910, the
date the contract calls for the COM
pletion Of the job. SIX miles Of this
channel is through a pine forest,
where there is no water. Solid eX-
caVation must be made.
1t is hardly possible that the canal
can be in contract time. Although
they have been at work nine months,
one-half Of the contract time, the con-
tractors nave only completed two
miles Of the canal at the Adams creek
end and our miles at the North river
and Beaufort terminus. This leaves
nine miles to be dug, most of which
is solid earth.
The contractors undertook the work
for approximately 100000. They
figured that the excavation would be
through soft clay, and that they would
have little trouble in completing the
task in the t me specified by contract.
Herein they erred. At the Adams
creek end of the canal enormous cy-
prus stunps with roots that form an
/ almost impenertable mating have
been encountered some six or eight
feet below the surface Of the water
and earth. The powerful dredgeS
simply have to come to a StandStlll
when they approach one Of these
roots, and w to h present time they,
have been encountered every few feet.
COliu ICCh Wou@d NC HltlIH CdSlSi =
remove. strange as it may seem there
is not a cyprus tree to be found stand
ong anywhere along the route. 1t is
he theory Of those at work on the
Gredge that they have encountered
what was centuries agO erhap d
great cyprus forest. All along the
completed part Of the canal the banks
are lined with cyprus roots, which
have been removed from the channel.
The contractors will be liable to the
imposition Of q penalty Of $40 a day
for failure 10 construct the canal by
March Of next year. In view Of the
unforeseen obstacle encountered the
government will be asked to waive
the penalties. 1t would appear that
the contractors must lose money on
the lob.
VIII Develop a Great Section.
The dredge at the Beaufort end,
which is the larger Of the two, has not
met with so many difficulties. 1t has
cut a channel our miles in length,
starting from the draw of the rail
way ~trestle. Forty men, with night
and day shifts. are employed at this
end.
The channe is being dug in nearly
as straight a line as possible. 1t is
to be ninety feet in width at the bot
tom and $50 feet wide at the surface.
The right Of Way is 500 feet in width.
The average cost of the right Of way
s from $40 10 SIS per acre, and
ranges from s. to $35 per acre. The
total cost of the right Of way is ap-
proXimately - 900. The government
has the timber RIGHTS. which will be
sold. A steel highway bridge is being
constructed across the cana! at core
creek at a cost to the government OF
S23, 900. The surveys and the inspec-
t1nn Will foot nm a cost ~ XIh 600 So
there viii be a neat sum Tema ming
the appropriation Of S55O,00O.
which was made by Congress for the
of constructing the III
Capt Earl I. Brown, U. s. A., is the
engineer woo is supervising the work
c. Merritt is his assistant on the
Job, n j. d. Sphinx s the engineer
for the government.
Mr.. Thomas LYMAN Of New Bern
made the trip Of inspection with the
Congressman. He said the
people of al! that eastern section are
a big interest in the Construc-
on of the canal. which will give
them an outlet TO h ocean.
Years ago." said Mr.. Hyman, New
Germ had a trade with the West In
7ies. The nlling Of the Inlets put a
stop to this commerce. New Bern
low has an eleven foot channel. but
outlet TO the ocean is by the circuit
1us route of Norfolk. The construc-
of the canal through Adams creek
Will give US an outlet almost at onr
loor. We will no longer be locked in {
rom the outside. and it is only a j
Of time when this hannel will )
1e increased to a depth Of sixteen
'eet. Those unfamiliar with existing
conditions have no idea of the import '
lnce of this project to our people. I !
believe that the building of this wa i
erway will in a few years double our I
population. IT will afford an outside {
commerce that viii! be Of incalculable {