Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-20
LAYING THE BIG MAIN.
Delay In Making Connection With tn
Four Foot Pipe.

The work Of laying the new four-foot water
main along street is not progressing as rap.
idly as was at first expected by those who had
the project In hand. There is no trouble about
digging the trenches; these can be laid oper
the entire length of the street in q short time
IL necessary. Nor is there any delay in the
delivery OF the materials, for at present the
great tubes are stretched along the line from
4th and streets nearly to 18th street and from
the distributing reservoir well into George
town. The delay does not come from these
causes but from the trouble encountered al
the corner OF R and 4th streets in making q
joint with the old four-foot main branching OF
from the New Jersey avenue line. The work
is progressing at q very slow rate and, although
it was announced by those in charge at the
started in the trenches on Thursday last, the
first piece is still resting on the bank above the
hole ready to be put into place.
CAUSE OF THE DELAY.
In the first place the work of cutting in three
places through the ~ inch iron main to re-
move section in order to make the joint was
found to be a difficult task. 1t was started last
Wednesday evening and was finished yester-
day. This morning the gang of ditch diggers,
who had been called off pending the delay at
the JOINT. was started in again and the pave
trench once more headed westward.
A DELICATE OPERATION.
A dozen large-muscled white men were put
to work at the joint pit, and the derrick, weigh
ing about ton, was slid along, inch by inch,
across a temporary bridge thrown over the hole
until its legs straddled the hole like Colossus.
This was delicate operation, for with the
weight all in the air there was imminent dan
ger that the great mass OF timbers might fall
over. The workmen were nervous at it, and
divided their attention to the job in hand and
to warning the in-pressing crowd away from
the perilous limits. At 9 O'Clock q
allng OF stout rope was passed under
the north piece of the cut pipe and the crank
handles OF the crane were turned by six strong
men. The rope creaked and the block groaned
and the handles went round and round but the
piece remained where it was, although it had
been completely severed from the rest of the
main. 1t had bound on the Jagged edges
and 1t was the work of a couple Of hours to get
the great tube of iron out of the pit. The
other was an easier victim, for one edge was
entirely free, but by the time the two pieces
bad been taken out end placed out Of the way
the best part of the day was spent.
THE ''T-JoINT"
is just six inches shorter than the aperture cut
into the old main. This difference will be d.
vided evenly between the two-e ends and the
edges will be Tapped by two enormous bands
fully IA inches wide and 8 inches thick at the
Sides These bands will completely overlap the
joints, and when jute and lead are hammered
in will make perfectly-tight jointure. The
mouth of the new pipe will then point west
ward. and after short piece Of pipe is added
the monster sluice gate or spigot will be riveted
on and the line proper will be begun. 1t is
safe to say that tomorrow will be occupied in
getting the T-joint into the hole and soldered
to the old main, and that the remainder Of the
week will be spent in placing the short joints
and the gate, if it does not extend over to next
week. After that is accomplished the work of
laying the straight pipe ought not to take long.