Evening journal., 1913-03-08

DREDCE NOW
IS PROBABLE
Dredging Companies Unable to
Keep Cost Of Creek Work
Within Limits
GOVERNMENT MAY
DO THE DREDGING

fair way to get a permanent dredging
plant is now apparent. Bids were re-
Gently asked for dredging the Chris
tiana river to maintain the 2i-foot
channel. the contract for which is now
about finished. and today they were
opened. There were three companies
who were willing to .do the work rea-
sonably but they could not meet the
specifications required by the special
board Of engineers that went over the
ground here some months ago, ana
recommended TO the War Department
that a permanent dredging plant be
stationed In the local harbOr to main
tain the channel
The bidding companies were only
willing TO do the work under the old
specification and Il now looks as
though the bids viii be rejected and
Major Il. r. Raymond, United States
engineer. authorized to receive bids
for the construction Of drcdge TO be
stationed here permanently. This
point however, must be decided by
SecrC ~,y OF War Garrison. to whom
iit 'hiili HnliHi Will NOW bt ItIilIfU
by the chief Of the United States en-
gineers as soon as he receives the
bids. which will be dispatched to him
from the local Office, probably on
Monday.
The companies that submitted bids
were: Maryland Dredging Company,
Baltimore, 9.2 cents cubic yard; At
lantic Gulf and Pacific Company. New
York, cents. and the American
Dredging Company, Philadelphia, S.3
cents
The new specification. which the
bidders stated they could not bid un-
der, require the work to be done in
accordance with the report of the
special board OF engineers so AS to
obtain greater efficiency ia the matter
OF depth obtained and the reduction
Of interference to navigation due TO
obstructlng the channel by means of a
stationary suction dredge and pipe
line to the shore. The channel in the
river is but 200 feet wide and such
drodges have seriously interferod with
navigation. When dredging on the
near side half the channel is available
for the use Of boats. but when
dredging on the far side the entire
channel Is blocked. ,p
Accordne 10 the United States Off
cials here, It is to the interest OF both
the Government and Wilmington TO
take as little mud as possible from the
bed of the river. What is wanted.
they say, Is a nayigatahle depth While
the contractor Is interested only in
the taking out of mud, being paid
for the amount he takes out
A dredee such as was recommended
for this harbor, by the special board
of engineers. a machine of German
type. moves along and scoops up the
mud, az no time interfering with nayi-
CATION This vessel will suck the
mud into its own hold and pump Il out
through pipe on shore TO the land
II is desired to MI in. These places
for depOsiting the mud will be con
structed along the BANKS of the
stream and the vessel will tie up TO
them.
Despite the Recommendation OF the
board of special engineers that per-
manent dredge be stationed here,
Former Secretary OF. War Stimson de-
cided that bids should be asked for
the work TO see whether any dredging
companies could do the work under
the new specifications The new Sec
retary of War will now have to de-
eide whether Wilmington is to have
permanent dredging plant or al
low the dredging to be done under
the old specifications.
There Is available for harbOr inn
provements now. about 100000 and
provision is made for an additional
100000 In the latest river and harbor
bill. The proposed permanent dredge
including the entire plant, will cost
about S25O,OOO, and IL will take about
$50 600 year to operate It.
The government has been expendins
on. Wilmington. harbor, on an average
Of $4,000 a year. The original plans
called Tor the removal of thousands of
cubic yards OF mud and millions have
since been taken out OF the stream.