Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-15
A conxuHrcAr1on.


| Il to be erected On two piers, each with .
eoncrese foundation The work 10 to be
done by contract.
| For forty years have been . close cbsef-
/ yer Of contract work, and il has been my lot
70 see some good work done in that say.
out the larger rart IL what 10 called ''siop
made. The gas company made a contract
three yeaTs ago 70 lay their gas pipes TO Hal
lowell, And soon after il sas laid, they we're
digging ], up in places all aiong the line, and
year later they dug IL sIl mp and relaid IT,
II report 10 true the Foundation Of our new
bridge 10 being feFszried - rapidly and ~
uIworthily-
Many persons that read this viii
recoIlecs the circumstance of the build
| ing Of 3 very large tenement brick block on
Tenth avenue, New York, few years since,
/ ny contract. The block sas nearly com
I pietsd when il collapsed and fell into heap
Of ruins, the mortar and cement not being
strong enough 10 hold the bricks together
The investigation that followed revealed
the fact that the mortar in which the bricks
we're laid was izrgeiy sand, very little lime
being ased in the mixture.
Report comes from those watching the
building of the foundation Of our new bridge
% eleven barrels Of sand and crushed rock
that this IL the mixture vi ich 10 being used to
make foundation for the granite WORK
Have used and seen cement used a great
many times. For good work, neyer knew
more than five barrels Of sand and rock used
70 one barrel VI cement IL Is more often
three 10 one. II repor, 10 true eleven bar
rels to one would equal the New York tene-
ment mortar. "A rope Of sand" has always
been considered as Of little value as any thing
could be for strength. Would not eleven 10
one make "a rope Of sandi'
To allow Of good opportunity to secure
good foundation for the two piers - rest up
on. Golfer dams were constructed inside Of
the cribs" Mach time, labor and expense
sere consumed oy this undertaking. much
Of the work being done IN the night. IL vas
the stated Intention Of tn eontr4e or to pump
olt the wafer and thus afford chance for
cisan, dry gr0utlng VI which niHe feet were
To be lad he stone work to rest upon ,his
niass grDut compound OF cement sand
aud crushed rock under favorable crcnm
stances is solid compound which con-
unaes To groS harder. even under water
after being once veil mixed and made solid
Nov marx the change Of programme.
The Golfer dams having been com leted
body Of water insid- fh-m. il was expected
hey souid .oon be empded, bat they we're
not. II va. quite evident that the pumps
were not powerful enough 10 overcome the
leakage AT the bottom and after veral at
tempt, 10 pump II out, gave il
~ and more pump power
would cost money il Was tDa at this time
that eminent engineers and builders made the
discovery that it vas mt aecessnry to remove
the water 10 construct a good concrete
founjsfinn but that it Was bettey
= dump the cement mortar into t,rentg
feet Of water contained in the Golfer dam
and allow il to form itself TITO a concrete at
the bottom Now taking a diluted cement
miIed IN the way report has Tit Is very
difficult for some persons To believe that
such concret materials. after taking a 'go
as you-plesse" journey into watery grave
twenty feet deep-cau in this drowned out,
disintegrated condition form very solid
structure for heavy granite pier, and the
additional weight Of heavy iron bridge to
rest upon.
That foundations have been bniIt in this
"a 10 qDtst i0aters where it has been found
impOssIbie to rea,0re t. will not deny; but
IN cases Of that kind the cement would be
mixed stronger say one TO three. But to
compound of one to eleven. would seem an
invitation for other bridge builders to come
along and Appropriate our taxes few years
later.
The foundation for the piers of the new
bridge should he as good that Of our new
post office. Yes better, If possible. IL is
built in running water and should be above
suspicion. Does anyone suppose that I'm
Gle Sam" would allow new post Office to be
erected over running water with such a
foundationI
This foundation will soon be covered up
and closed to inspection. Has the city had a
competent official in attendance to see that
the work is being done properly
vas gformei hY a man some years since
that while working with a crew of men on the
foundation wall of large 10000 spindle
cotton mill, in digging they came to a
soft place of springs Of water, and only at a
large expense could good foundation be |
obtained; but it was contract and the
foundation must be had at as little expense
"a possible.
What was ioneY The contractor quietly
had large quantity of rocks and stones
gathered about aud near that place. and
watched his opportunity, but said nothing.
When the official for the company, in charge
to see that the work was done thoroughly, |
instead of always being on the lookout went
off for an afternoons ride. then it was Mr..
Contractor msssed his men in that particular
part of the foundation, in went the tons and
tons of rock, pell NELL. on went the work iu
rapid manner. and when the official ap
peared late in the afternoon, that portion of
the wall was good a. airy other, to all APP
pearsnces and orh to appearances.
Report SAYS that before the rise of the
water there Was huge pile of sand on the
AL. of the crib. The water rose above the
crib forming an eddy. and all that sand was
swept down into the hole without an ounce
Of cement. Taking this condition Of things
with dl-integratg mass of concrete I'M
properly united hos long before the pier
s.l 40 tie aud ruin the bridge which rests
Hpon 1t. VIII all of Augustus lax payers
that approve of th's way of brdgejbuilding
use IN their seats uu.il they are counted.
W,,nup