Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-15
THROUGH MUD AND RAIMss

and Dam-The Thatcher Contrnct tPS ca4se of Most of the Deiay-some of thf Things Seen by a Reporter. oe
 Thb members of the city government yeptin search of water Saturday and they found it. The party included Mayor Kill duff, Auditor Cassin, City Engineer Cairns. Aldermen Kiefer, Cross and Gregory. | Oouncilmen Gailond, Boylan. Filling. | Brewer, Horigan, McGrath | and Sanford, Chief Engineer Snagg and | of tho American and | DEMOCRAT. The start was made from the | City hall at 10:30 in one of Lawlor's | 'busses, presided over by Andy Johnson, and the Branch was the objective point | The sky was overcast, but no one minded that. The first stop was made short dis tance above Waterville. where the work iug of gate was explained by City Engi- neer Cairns. There are four gates in Wa teryille. so that if ever it is decided to supply the village with water the expense small. A test of the pipe line from Hall < Upsons ice house to the end of John W. Gaffr ey's contract was being made and the guage where the first stop was made leaked un- der a pressure of 140 pounds. Three men were watching the joints. The engineer insists on a test of 150 pounds. although the pressure on this. section will be only about 125 pounds. "
 At a point near Jericho bridge the driver advised the city fathers to get out and walk, if they valued their official lives. A new road had been built there as the pipe line monopolized the highway, and it is in a really dangerous condition. On one side is deep gorge and on the other a bank. There are a couple of 'rickety bridges and the wonder is that no serious accidents have been reported. badly wrecked carriage was standing by the roadside. When asked who would be responsible in case of accident the mayorsaid that the city would look to the con- tractor. John w. Gaffney. for any dam ages that migh' be claimed. The Gaffney section epds at the river bank near this point. The engineer reported that good progress was now being made by MT Calf ney. although much disagreeable work could have been avoided had an inspec- tion been made here during the summer. when the Thatcher people were making | the river crossing. Then the trench was dry, while now it contains couple of fee. of water.
 The first sign of life was seen at the river crossing. where gang was at work on the Thatcher contract. The pipe runs under the led of the river. It is boxed in and protected by a coating of concrete. A good illustration of the adage that one | half the world does not know how the other half lives presented itself at the settlement of the Italians employed on the Thatcher contract. A rough frame house was the center of as strange a village as | was ever seen in these parts. Little wig wam shaped huts built of mud, stones and sods loomed up all over the side hill over- looking the river. The argus eye of Assessor Kiefer took it all in at a glance. but before he had an opportunity to take note of this evasion of taxation someone reminded him that Waterbury assessors had no jurisdiction in Watertown. The | point was we'll taken. Mud houses were strange enough for these parts. but one
 thrifty son of Italy. who evidently believes
 in taking life easy. being of an original turn of mind went his companions one
 better. Early in the summer he pre-
 empted one of the thirty-six inch pipes
 covered one end and for m onths made this
 his resting place at night. Every day a'
 soon as work is over little fires spring ul
 as if by magic. It is a unique sight. Tn,
 men are sturdy fellows and live on what
 an ordinary laborer would spend for to
 bacco. This is what American labor hs,
 to contend with. And yet. after lookinl
 at the work and the nature of the terri
 tery, it seems as if there vas some truth | in the claims made by the contractor | when the cry was raised for home labo
 some months ago. that residents of Water
 bury. no matter how hard pressed, woult
 decline such work with thanks.
 When the inspectors reached this poin
 preparations were being made for a bil
 blast. The whole side hill is a ledge ant
 for hundreds of yards it is necessary to GU
 into solid rock to a depth of ten or fi.teei
 feet. All was hustle for few minutes
 Twenty holes. averaging about ten feet Il
 depth. had been drilled and charged witt
 dynamite. Logs and trees were pile
 along the Saugatuck rold tracks to protec
 the rails. and the word was passed alonl
 for everybody to move away tw
 hundred yards Instanter as the blast wa
 about to be set oil by electricity fe,
 minutes of suspense and the trained ey
 of Engineer Cairns saw the side of tn
 ledge begin to rise. even before the soun
 of the explosion was heard. There sh
 goes" he shouted. and the next instau
 there was deafening roar. The air wa
 filled with huge rocks and the sight va
 a magnificent one. Boulders weighing iy
 hundred pounds were hurled a long di'
 tance and ere the echoes had died ava
 the Italian laborers seemed to rise out ( the ground and begin the work of clesrin
 away the debris. Despite the precaution taken piece of rock had struck one (
 the Naugatuck road rails. snspping 1t hk
 pipe stem. As the visitors were leayin preparations were being made for an UT usually large blast. which was set of yei ! terday. Fifty twelve fo,t holes wei charged. requiring 250 pounds of dynl , mite.
 Here also the interesting operation ( calkIng the joints was witnessed. ) rope packing was first inserted into th bell of the pipe, then an iron frame whiC t served as a mold was placed around it an ' the molten metal pour. d. After cooling I was forced deep into the bell with hamin' {, and chisel and the whole was covered wit
 a composition of clay. How do they 6 at the bottom of the pipe to wedge it in ! asked one of the sight-seers? "Lie c their backs" was the engineers lacon ' reply, and all admitted that the man vi D lies on his back in a trench filled vii $ four inches of water and mud earns b salt.
 Contractor Gaffney's name has been b Q fore the public as the main cause for Il s delay that has proved so costly to the cit | The writer is making no apologies for
 Gaffhey. Perhaps he deserved all Il censure that he received. But it was q . general opinion that it is the Thatch contract that will yet cause the mayor al , city engineer many a heart ache. Lack !, experience is the whole story in a nutshe II It was evident to the most inexperienc eyes that the contractors on this sectit :, have been picking out the tidbits of | ' work and now that the soft snaps are finished they have a job on hand that
 will be impossible to complete within | ' time specified in the contract. In fa'
 there is a question in the engineers mil :. whether it Sil lnot be letter to comp v them to give up the contract They .
 confronted by lodges of rock and are wit - out facilities for doing the work For fl