British Whig (Kingston, ON), 26 Aug 1913

p.3 New Hotel Probable - the Round Island site where the Hotel Frontenac burned two years ago may be bought by the Richelieu & Ontario Co.

p.7

IN MARINE CIRCLES.

The steamer Sowards arrived from Oswego, coal-laden, and is discharging at Crawford's wharf.

The schooner Katie Eccles cleared on Tuesday for Sodus.

The steamer Advance cleared from Montreal, on Monday night, to load grain at Port Colborne, for Montreal.

The steamer Rosemount arrived from Montreal, and is discharging eight hundred bushels of damaged grain.

The schooner Julia B. Merrill is in port from Oswego, with coal for the Frontenac Coal and Lumber Company.

The steamer Hinckley towed the barge Jessie over from Oswego, coal laden, and the barge will be unloaded for the Frontenac Coal and Lumber Company.

The steamer Acadian passed up on Tuesday morning.

The steamer Phelps arrived in port from Oswego, with the barges Parsons and Acacia, all coal-laden. The Phelps is discharging coal at Marysville, the Parsons at Crawford's and the Acacia at Garden Island.

M.T. Co.'s elevator: tug Thomson from Montreal, two light barges, cleared for Montreal three grain-laden barges; tug Bronson from Montreal, two light barges, tug Mary from Montreal, two light barges; steamer Fairmount passed down loaded with grain from Fort William to Montreal; the Fairmount will proceed to Sydney, to load rails for Fort William; tug Bartlett due tonight with the barges Ungava and Augustus, grain-laden, from Port Colborne for Montreal.

The schooner Acacia is unloading coal at Garden Island from Charlotte, N.Y.

The steamer Kingston was down and passed up again on Tuesday afternoon.

The steamer Rideau Queen is due down from Ottawa Tuesday evening.

The steamer Olcott will make her last regular trip of the season to the city from Oswego on Friday, August 29th.

p.11

RECORD ESTABLISHED

In The Building of the Dredge Port Nelson

An important step towards the fulfilment of the Dominion Government's great plans for the creation of a deep water harbor at Port Nelson, on big Hudson Bay, was the departure from Toronto recently of the biggest and strongest steel hydraulic dredge of its kind ever built in Canada, the Port Nelson.

The new vessel, the contract price of which was $270,000, was built at the yards of the Polson Iron Works here, and the whole undertaking from start to finish was accomplished in exactly 100 days. This probably establishes a Canadian record for the building of a vessel of such size.

While the finishing touches were being made to the boat a party of about fifty shipping men and marine engineers inspected the vessel at the invitation of the Polson Company. These men afterwards stated that the new steel dredge more than came up to expectations.

"We have had night and day gangs of workers engaged on the construction of the dredge twenty-four hours a day and without a let up in order to bring it to completion within the one hundred days," said Manager A.J. Jefferies.

The inspection was made with Wm. Newman, works manager of the Polson Iron Works, who furnished the designs from which the vessel was built, acting as the guide.

Completely equipped, the dredge will weigh 1,000 tons, and is a double-decked structure. It is 180 by 43 feet, with a moulded depth of 11 feet, and a draught of 8 1/2 feet, is steel throughout and fitted with five bulkheads, dividing it into six watertight compartments.

A 24-inch suction pipe is located in the forward end of the hold, directly connected with a 14 x 22 x 36 by 21 inch triple expansion engine, obtaining steam from two 13 x 12 Scotch boilers, also located in the hold near to the engines.

The operation of the dredge is out of the ordinary, because it is not of the stern pivot type. Two steam capstans will be located at the stern, and one at the bow, and by means of anchors located some distance each side of the vessel, at both front and stern, the dredge will be moved from side to side bodily, the dredge end of the discharge pipe moving with it. The cutter and suction arm at the front will be raised and lowered by a winch engine in the centre of the vessel. All the control of the suction, cutters and winch machinery will be from a central point at the rear in an operating room, on the upper deck.

An important feature of the dredge is a complete machine shop, equipped with lathes, planer, drills, etc., in a room in the hold at the stern. In addition, there is a compressed air unit, with a supply of air tools, and a small brass furnace for the production of small brass castings. This will make the dredge self contained in the event of breakdown far away from supplies.

Both sides of the main deck at the front of the engine room are divided off into cabins for the officers and crew, and the central part of the main deck at the front forms a saloon. A crew of 35 will be carried.

The dredge, while operating for the most part in fresh water, has been given salt water equipment throughout. This includes copper piping and a fresh water tank of 50 tons capacity. The coal capacity is 250 tons.

The dredge is making the trip from Toronto to Hudson Bay by way of the St. Lawrence River, being of a suitable size to pass through the locks, and around the Labrador coast. It will be towed all the way. Temporary rudders on each side of the stern will be added for the trip. The dredge is provided with 600 feet of 1 1/2 inch stud link chain, with a three ton anchor. There is also a sea anchor in case it is necessary for the tug to cast the dredge adrift at sea.