Steam Dredge Builds Canals, 1891

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Dr. A. J. Chandler used the Marion Steam Dredge to improve the local canals by digging down to bedrock, 1891

When Dr. Alexander J. Chandler arrived in Arizona, he sought to improve the primitive and unreliable patchwork of canals. In 1891, after two years of negotiations, Dr. Chandler was awarded a contract to expand the Mesa Canal. At that time, the Mesa Canal was a hand-dug trench that brought water from the Salt River to Mesa, and was cooperatively managed by the farmers that it served. Dr. Chandler promised to improve the canal at no cost to the farmers, as long as he could use any excess water gained from the improvements.

To expedite the work of improving the Canal, Chandler contracted with the Marion Steam Shovel Company to purchase two floating steam powered dredges. These dredges allowed for the Canal to be dug to the bedrock, preventing the loss of water into the Valley’s sandy soil. The same type of steam dredges were later used in the excavation of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s.

While at work excavating, the dredger ran 24 hours a day and created a spectacle, drawing local and national attention. Visitors came to see these mechanical curiosities as they worked day and night.