CHAPTER VIII 



DREDGING CREWS, THEIR QUARTERS, AND TENDERS FOR 



DREDGES 



THE size of a crew needed to operate a dredge varies exceedingly, 

 according to the type and size of the dredge. The wages of men 

 likewise vary in different sections of the world. Generally speaking 

 most dredgemen, especially when they live on board the boat, are 

 paid monthly salaries. However, some are paid wages by the day. 

 As dredges are used to a great extent on government work, the 

 working hours of a shift, especially in America are, as a rule, 8 hours. 

 Thus to work continuously night and day, three crews are needed. 



In the United States the Federal Courts have decided that 

 dredgemen are seamen, so that laws affecting seamen apply to 

 dredgemen. 



When dredges are worked in fleets or more than one is engaged 

 on a single improvement a superintendent or general manager is in 

 charge of all the machines. Under him is a captain for each dredge, 

 under whom on large machines are several officers as assistants, 

 who are in charge of the different shifts. Then there are employed 

 engineers and assistant engineers, and a chief fireman and assistants. 

 In some sections operators known as levermen are employed, and 

 on large dredges there are always several oilers or greasers; other- 

 wise the machinery is not kept well lubricated. 



There are also employed laborers, known as deckhands, linesmen 

 or sailors. These men do the general work and attend to the lines, 

 anchors, spuds, pipe lines and other details. Scow men am also 

 employed, being used either on the anchor scows when used or on 

 the scows that carry away the dredged material. 



On the largest dredges and those of the sea-going typ<\ <-.-u pcnters, 

 machinists and blacksmiths are frequently employed. Then- an- 

 also watchmen and cooks employed. In addition to all of these 

 the tugboats have their necessary crews. 



Some small hydraulic dredges used for loading scows with sand 



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