Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-05
WHAT THE ENGINEER CORPS
OF THE u. S. ARMY IS DOING

Washington, D. C.. Aug. 5.-"Leav- ,
ing out the work going on to meet the |
demands OF the big harbors of the
country-on the Atlantic, on the Paci- |
fc and on the gulf coasts-the widen
ing and deepening of the channels to
these harbors-the engineer corps of
the army is up to its ears, during these
torrid August days, in an effort to
make the rivers and navigable streams
do their proper share in The upbuild-
ing of the country
With becoming modesty, member
of the engineer corps, charged with
much of the detail of river and harbor
improvement, thus outlined what is
going on throughout the nation in
bringing the rivers to the dooryards of
the people, and furnishing the out-of-
the-way places with increased means
of transportation for the output OF
farms, mines and factories.
And what is the engineer corps do
ing, besides completing the Panama
canal, in the way of river and harbor
work? 1t is completing the Ambrose
channel TO depth of 40 feet at mean
low water. and a width of 1000 feet
throughout its entire length. And -tLis
work is upwards of SO per cent finish
ed, so that when the next annual river
and harbor bill is passed, instead of
appropriating for further construc-
ton it will provide for the mainten-
ance of this magnificent entrance to
New York harbor, work which, In
many ways, is on par with the build
ing of the Isthmian canal, for 1t in
volved an estimated excavation of
about 42,500,O0O cubic yards of ma
terial for a length of seven miles OF
channel
But this is not all the engineer corps
| is doing in the way of deepening and
widening channels to our seapOrts. 1t
is working on a 35-foot channel into
/ Boston harbor; and one of the same
| depth from Delaware bay into the har-
! tor of Philadelphia, with a width OF
500 feet in the straight parts, 1000
feet wide at Bulkhead bar, and 1000
feet wide at the other bends of the
/
ment will cost s10,920,00 and there
will be an annual charge of 100000
for maintenance.
Baltimore is to have a channel of 81
feet at low mean water. and 500 feet
wide at bottom, with increased widths
at the entrances and the bends from
Fort McHenry to deep water in Chesa
peake bay. When this project is com
pleted-and reports in the engineers
Office in this city show that substan
tial results have already been achiev
ed-this busy. growing metropolis o
the south will have one of the grea
harbors OF the country.
What is true of Baltimore, Boston
New York and Philadelphia also il
true of Norfolk harbor, for here, too
the work of giving Norfolk a 35foo
channel with q width of 400 fee
from deep water in Hampton roads L
the navy yard al Portsmouth, Va,
, distance Of about II miles, is well ur
: der way, with hope of completion b
the close OF the next fiscal year.
= While the engineer corps IS e.
d tremely busy on the big harbors OF tn
Atlantic coast, the same holds true {
conditions on the Pacific si3c CT th
continent. for two jetties are bein
, constructed at the mouth of the Colun
bia, while big work is going on a. G
! Angeles On the gulf coast. a 35-foC
= channel into Galveston harbor and
/ 35-fcot "''9nnoI ~ Jayas City are b,
}, ing rapidly constructed
q Leaving out of consideration the mi
! lions that are being spent on the wi
d ening and deepening of the channel
into the big harbors of the nation, on