The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-12

other cOmmotiOn with the contractor
On the gravity sewer, by condemnini
four more cars of cement and, as {
result, 800 men are idle and a specia
meeting Of the council was held las
night to consider what should be done
in the matter
This makes nine cars which have
been condemned by the engineer with
in the last two weeks. The first five
were mentioned exclusively in The
Herald last week. The others were
passed upon late Friday evening.
Councilmen O'Meara. Cohn, Young
cheesman, Lynn, Hardy, Mason. and
: Watson we're at the meeting last night
as we'll IS the city engineer, the chair
man of the board of public works, the
sewer contractors and Hon. Farley L.
Williams, the attorney Tor the sewer
lien.
Chairman Doremus outlined the sit
uation, stating that the contractors
held that the engineer had acted
wrongfully in taking the course which
he has in condemning cement when
the specifications call Cor a test of ten
sile strength alone. The engineer, on
the other hand. maintains that he has
the right 70 make any test which in
his mind is necessary for him to ar
rive at determination as to the
quality of the cement.
Mr.. HObson was first to address the
council This cement, he said, was
the best that the contractors could OBJ
tam He had compelled the parties
from whom he bought it to agree that
IL should stand a tensile strength 100
pounds in excess of what the contract
q &c fs0r. Il
TINS was not satisfactory, he did not
know what TO do. They were now in a
position where they found themselves
with $1,000 worth of the material on
hand which they could not use. They
did not dare to order more, for if
they did, inasmuch as there are no
provisions for the pat test which the
engineer is using, they cannt compel
Spreckels & Bro, to furnish them with
a cement which will stand the tests
which are re luired.
I'VE maintain" said Hobson, that
we have complied with all the require
mentS of the contract and that the
city is acting wrong in this matter
The city engineer, in defining his po-
sition, admitted that he was fain to
say that he was not satisfied with the
results which had been obtained from
the tests. There was indications that
the cement contained material such as
Tree lime or magneSia. The pat test is
used to determine whether the ma
terial will expand in volume after it
,SSaS beer used. While this cement is a
good one-the best which has ever
been in the city-superior to that
used last year, it was not fair to the
city 10 place it in use. There is
chance that in time. it may De a year
or il may be longer or shorter time,
when the lime will slack, the cement
expand and the work be damaged as
q result. The engineer said that he
was not prepared to say whether this
cement was actually bad. He desired
time, to make tests. If il proved to be
good, then he would consent to its be-
ing used; if not, he should stand by his
position.
Elias Morris then took the engineer
in hand and asked him a lot of ques-
lions regarding cement tests which /
were Of a nature satisfactory to the /
engineer, but contrary to the con-
tractors. The engineer admitted that /
The bricquette tests were all right and /
that the cement had the necessary ten
sile strength. He had never tried to /
place the bricquettes in a mold to see
whether or not they had swelled.
Having got this answer, Mr.. /
Morris smiled and gave the
floor to Mr.. Piper, who formerly
" VI EA-Nl III l4lC E-4S A44CGl O4llCE anu
who made ali the tests last year. Re
plying 10 questions asked, Mr.. Piper
said that all the cement which was
used last year was not subjected to
the pat test, but as TO how much was
allowed to pass without it he could
not state.
The engineer and the chairman Of
the board of public works then We'd
with each ether in endeavoring to see
a he
knowledge of cement in general, a
sort of debate in which a decision is
This little matter ended, the en-
yineer repeated that the cement was
he best lot which has ever come to
he city. It is finely ground and in
every way a good cement save that
le fears that it contains foreign mat
er.
The chairman Of the board remark
ID that ne did not fear the results
which might accrue as did the en-
,ineer. which statement prompted
hat official to say that his fears were
l.ot of such an astounding nature
hat ne could not be convinced that
he cement was good enough to use
lfter he had made additional tests.
What he wanted distinctly under
.tood was this, that the cement in its
/
foreign matter. If this
hould be demonstrated, he would not
onSent TO its use on the sewer, and (
Stil ne was satisfied that it did not
ontain foreign matter he did not
propose 10 pass il.
Attorney Williams then took a hand
n the talk, or rather voice. He
bought that if the cement came up !
o the provisions of the contract, then
should be allowed to pass. The con-
ract provided for no pat tests and
therefore none were needed. If pat
ests had been contemplated it would ]
aye been inserted in the contract.
A sort Of running debate between !
he attorney for the contractors and
be engineer was INDUCED in, the lat
er contending that the contract pro- I
ided that this cement should be as {
god as Whites
Isn't it as good as White's?"
1T is in the respect Of tensile
trength, but not as a whole" said :
ne engineer. "The specifications pro- :
ide that it shall be equal to Whites =
enerally; not in one particular. a
Whites cement will not blow under r
le tests which we make. This ce- e
tent has. Therefore it is not AS good T
S Whites"
Councilman Watson thought that If
,e contractors furnished a cement
HIGH would stand all the tests men
oned in the specifications that it
as sufficient.
aIf I had the most particular job on
and that I can now imagine and
III hot !