Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-27
FIVE BoArS 70 De LAUNCHED
WHEN STAGE OF RIVER
PERMlTs.
ALAG SHIP" LARGEST ON
IOWA INTERIOR WATERWAYS
Giant Dredging Boat 40 Feet Long,
Of Forty. Three Foot Beam and es'
timated Displacement Of Over 400
Tons-Fiset includes Two Bunk
Boats, Two Coal Barses and Tug.

400 to 500 tons displacement and hve
smaller craft, built on the banks or
the Iowa river Just over the Hardin
county line, stands ready to take the
ways as soon as the stage OF the
river has reached a point which will
make It possible for the flag ship
to keep afloat. Superintendent HUFF
man, in charge of the work for Pol
lard & Campbell, the Omaha con-
tractors who have the big drainage
project contract, and his crew OF as
sistants now are busy at assembling
engines, cranes. dredging machinery
and other equipment
Superintendent Huffman expected
to build the ways to slip the big
flag ship" into the water soon. but
his plans may be temporarily inter-
fered with because Of the snow. He
has been hoping for an early break
In the ice fields and expected to wait
two or three days after the ice goes
out so there may be no danger Of
the big vessel causing an ice jam
behind IL.
huffman's Imposing "Fleet."
Huffman's imposing fleet" which
Is to be used in the work of straight
ening and dredging the Iowa river
consists of the big dredse bark. one
OF the largest If not the most gigan-
tic vessel ever launched on an inland
waterway in Iowa: two bunk boats
two coal barges and tug. All are
in readiness for the launching.
The supercraft, which measures
10 feet in length. with forty-three
foot beam and depth of eight feet, Is
expected to displace 100000 pounds
or more. The estimated weight is
made from the shipping weights of
material used in her construction.
This immense craft, which is to
carry the dredging machinery and
other implements necessary in the
work, is to be launched broadside,
in the manner in which the new con-
crete ships are launched by the gov
eminent. The huge hull Of the ship Is
lacked up ready to hit the water and
II will be the work Of but q few days
to build the ways.
Auxiliary Boats For Service.
The auxiliary boats are much small
Ter vessels and have been built solely
for service. They are flat bottomed
boats, OF considerable beam, and cap
able Of carry great weight. Two Of
| these, the largest of the auxiliary
fleet. are snug boat houses, large
enough to quarter the entire fleets
| crew. The two boats now stand on
the rivers bank and are being used
as quarters for the worknen.
| Two more vessels of about like
| size are to be used for coaling the
fleet and the fifth of the auxiliary
boats, much smaller in size, is to be
used for transferring equipment,
4 carrying the crew from one scene OF
endeavor to another and. in general
to act as messenger boy" to the
fleet.
Busy Scene at "Ship Yards"
/ The ship yards" have presented
a busy scene past weeks during the
course Of construction Of the fleet
Now that the greater part Of the
task Is completed the crew Is not sc
busily engaged, but the members ar.
employed in putting on the finishins
touches and assembling the machin.
cry.
The yards blacksmith shop Is
busy place, two muscular smithie
being engaged In work on mechanical
!: parts. Without, others are employ
: their time in completing the monste
beams which are to form the gian
dredging crane. Over a smoking Ia
pot a younger laborer is preparing
the filler used to calk the ships bot
: toms. Under the holster flag ship
: others are busy with the calking.
Giant Dredging Equipment.
: Great wooden beams, reinforce
: with iron. eighty feet in length, ar
being made ready for the dredgin
: equipment. On the ground, ready 70
: use, are the ships anchors, mas
:: head and dredging bucket. The lat
. ter, which Is to remove the earth an
: sand from the river bottom and t
dig new channels for the stream,
.. OF two and half cubic yards capao
. ity, water measure.
. The dredging outfit and the fla
: ship are very similar to those EN-
: ployed IN like work along the Mssis
. sippi river.
3 Work Double Shift Grow.
!: The gigantic engineering job ur
: dertaken by the Omaha contractor
- Is expected to take about two yea
: to complete. No dredging project
z like size has ever been undertaken
. central Iowa. When in operation Il
: ships company will be composed
g about twelve men, working doub
= shift, day and night.
A double cylinder 10x12 engin
q which Is to be installed on the 'flt
Fl ship to furnish power for the gre
3 dredge, now Is being assembled.
The work has attracted much a
= tention and the launching and Il
progress Of the fleet down the low
Is expected to excite far greater NJ
tice from the public.
Why Fleet Was Assembled.
The fleet" was built by Polla
Ak Campbell to complete the big CO.
tract which is to straighten tho Ioy
river from the Hardin county line
3 the city limits. This gigantic wo,
2 which ia to do done at an estimat
q cost Of 100000. will result IN reel
nation of thousands of acres
low land and prevent overflowi
during spring freshsts, When accol
plished, this undertaking II expect
4 to save for property owners in q {,
= wet season many times the COST
the Improvement.
The project has attracted mu
q outside attention and 1t u possi1
= that the district may be extend
past the city to tho Tama cour
tine. TaYna county prooertv ovn,