EXCAVATING MACHINERY USED IN LAND DRAINAGE. 11 



was 9| miles long and ranged from 22 to 30 feet wide on top and from 

 8 to 10 feet deep; it had side slopes of J to 1 and a berm 8 feet wide. 

 The water level was easily maintained near the ground surface. Very 

 little right-of-way clearing was required. In the construction of this 

 ditch the dredge excavated 350,720 cubic yards of earth. One year 

 was required for the dredge to complete this work. The following 

 cost data were taken from the records of the drainage district which 

 owned and operated the dredge : 



Cost of operation, including labor and fuel $15, 889. 01 



Repairs 1,948.24 



Interest and depreciation 4, 240. 22 



22, 077. 47 

 Cost per cubic yard, $0.0629. 



A new dredge of the same size and type as the one just described 

 was used in the excavation of a drainage ditch in the same locality 

 as the foregoing project. The ditch followed an old creek channel 

 for the greater part of its length. The cost of the dredge, erected, 

 was $9,365.34. It was operated in one shift of 11 hours; the actual 

 time of operation was not recorded. The crew and the rates of pay 

 were the same as in the foregoing example. The ditch was 3f miles 

 long and ranged in top width from 22 to 26 feet and in depth from 6 

 to 10 feet. The side slopes were J to 1 ; the berm was 8 feet wide. 

 The dredge worked downstream and the water level was easily held 

 near the ground surface. Practically no right-of-way clearing was 

 done. The material excavated was a loam top soil underlain by stiff 

 clay; very little rock was encountered. The cost of the work was 

 considerably affected by the expense ($1,459) of passing three bridges. 

 The total amount excavated in a period of about 10 months was 

 121,200 cubic yards. The dredge was owned and operated by the 

 drainage district. The following costs were recorded: 



Cost of operation, including labor and fuel $5, 921. 05 



Repairs 1, 028. 73 



Incidentals 117. 95 



Interest and depreciation 3, 199. 80 



10, 267. 53 

 Cost per cubic yard, $0.0847. 



A dipper dredge with a 5-J by 16 by 60 foot hull, 7 by 8 inch 

 double-cylinder hoisting engines, friction swing, 1-yard dipper, 

 35-foot boom, and telescopic bank spuds was used in the construction 

 of about 5 miles of ditch in western North Carolina. No reliable 

 information was available as to the amount of material moved; but 

 the following figures as to the cost of mstalling the dredge are of 

 interest: 



