Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-07-26
LONG Time TO
DREDGE RIVER
New York has Project for
New Passage to Sea to
Take Is to 20
Years.
DANGEROUS TO LIFE
Will Spend $55,OOO,OOO to
$75,00O,000 on the
Work.
DANGEROUS TO LIFE
(By The Associated Press.)


New York, July 26.-Death by drown
ing or dynamite these are chief among
the dangers facing the men who are
dredging the East river to Long Island
sound that New York may have another
deep sea passage to the Atlantic.
How this undertaking, which will re-
quire u to 20 years and an expendi-
ture of $55,OOO.OOO to $75.OOO.OOO
lis being carried on was told here today
Iby officials of the dredging company,
which is doing the work.
"NIost of the work must be done dur
ing the slack water period at the
change of tides and, as there is general
ly from 500 to 1000 pounds of dyna-
mite aboard each drill boat the danger
of being rammed by passing craft and
sent to the bottom is complicated with
the possibility of being blown into the
air. one official said.
Level River Bottom.
In He'll Gate we are demolishins
Frying Pan reef which is $50 feet by
$50 feet. From eight to ten months
will be required to complete this task
\ drill boat is being warped across it
in parallel paths 50 feet apart, drilling
holes into which from 100 to $50
pounds of dynamite is packed and OK
ploded. A dipper dredge, following the
drill boat loads the blasted rock into
scows for dumping into holes Is feet
deep or more in the river. This level
ing of the river bottom removes the
source OF cddieS, smoothing the cur
rent.
POT Rock, another reef in He'll
Gate, will be destroyed next. Because
of treacherous currents for which it
is responsible, Pot Rock is known as
the wickedest spot in American waters.
Must Work Fast.
THE longest slack water period reg
istering in He'll Gate during the last
40 years was % minutes. 1t is with
in that slack period that drilling points
must he located, charges planted and
fired and the position of the plant
changed. Divers on this work are gen-
orally unable to spend more than Is
minutes under water mt time. so that
they work but half an hour in "a
hour day.
''As precaution against being ram
med by passing craft the navy depart
ment and custom house officials have
warned operators and owners of YES
sells to keep a safe distance from dredg-
ing plants. For Noncompliance with
this warning So captains were arraigned
recently within period of ten DAYS.
Many were suspended for from ten
days to six months.
When the collision signal is sound.
ed on one of the dredging vessels. each
of the dynamite crew, wearing life
belts. grabs box of the explosive and
stands by to jump overheard.
The project of dredging the East
river to the sound was first undertaken
10 years ago to provide New York har-
Dor with an entrance which would not
require continuous dredging Xix, Am
brose Channel, where five govern rent
dredges are constantly removing the in
iiltrating sands. Flood Rock. in Hell
Gate, was then removed and some l"Ss-
e. work accomplished before the ap-
preparation was exhausted"
When Flood Rock was h!ast"l a.
charge of 100000 pounds of dynamite
was fired. the official said Launches
on the river mile away were lifted
three feet out of the water. bu, no
damage resulted.