METHODS AND COSTS OF RIVER DREDGING 211 



1 captain $100 per month 



1 engineer 105 



4 officers 50 to 75 



2 engineers 55 to 70 



2 scowmen and carpenters 50 



12 sailors 



6 firemen 32 



2 greasers 40 



1 watchman 28 



4 women cooks 12 to 18 



The men are not charged for their board, which would no doubt 

 mean an increase of about $12 per man per month. The crews 

 of the tugs are paid similar salaries. Large crews are necessary 

 to handle with safety the loaded scows. During the closed season, 

 for 4J months, only enough engineers and firemen are retained to 

 look after the vessels. In considering the cost of this work one 

 must keep in mind that the wages paid are small and the hours 

 worked long. If this same work was being done for the United 

 States Government either by contract or day labor three shifts 

 would have to be worked, adding from 10 to 15 men to the crews 

 and higher wages would have to be paid. The records, though, are 

 of value, as they extend over a long period of time, and costs are 

 given as to repairs and maintenance and other details that are 

 generally difficult to obtain. 



The method of operation is of interest. The river is divided into 

 five divisions so as to organize the work for supervision and for the 

 greatest efficiency. The "Galveston" is worked continually below 

 Quebec and the "Tarte" in Lake St. Peter, but the other dredges 

 are moved from division to division according to the class of material 

 to be excavated or to the urgency of the work. The dredges stop 

 only for repairs, for moving from place to place, for bad weather 

 or to allow vessels to pass. In only a few cases are records given of 

 these delays. Coal is supplied by barges without stopping the 

 work. Much would be added to the cost data given if detail 

 records of delays could be shown. 



The elevator or ladder dredges load scows, one tug with two 

 scows and a spare scow serving each dredge. The average distance 

 the excavated material is hauled is less than one mile. The scows 

 hold 300 cu.yds., and as it takes a tug 15 minutes to haul one of 

 these away, dump it and return, it is possible with this service to 

 take away 1200 cu.yds. per hour, more material than a dredge is 

 likely to excavate. These dredges are held to their work by a long 



