Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1906 — Big Dredge ln Better Soil. [ARTICLE]

Big Dredge ln Better Soil.

The Sternberg big dredge which began work several weeks ago at the PUliins bridge and fraß : ' had so much trouble from the -mock and from insufficient Water to float the dredge during the time it was making the new channel, recently Suspended* Operations again because of a bfdkdn cable. A new one hiving been received from the factory, however, operations were resumed Friday morning. ll ’ , The main channel is again being followed, thereby dispensing with the dam making. More solid earth is also being excavated, thereby obviating the effect of the mack being forced up from the bottom of the channel by the weight of. the dirt dumped on the bank. It is now stated that the most satisfactory progress is being made, add that, unless breax-downs occur, Grooms bridge will be reached within three weeks. The contractors are making no estimate of how far they wili' get this fall, but as the work is not suspended in the winter for afiything but the very coldest weather it is probable the rodk beds south of town will be reached s before spring. Contractor Moore of the rock drilling and blasting force has also been making good progress. The river has been quite free from water and the drilling has only been stopped a few times for that reason. Favorable conditions continning, the upper rock blasting may be completed in from three to five weeks and the down river blasting will probably not be started until spring. Mr. Moore’s contract does not conclude with the rock loosening through town, but includes one or two smaller rock beds further down stream.

The smaller dredge that recently completed the second section of the ditch was not shipped away but stored here, only the boat houses aud their furniture being sent to Council Bluffs, lowa, where C. H. Sternberg & Sons have a big contract. The dredge being used there is one they recently had on a job in Michigan.