The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-17

in, it would have stopped all leakage
The city engineer, he said. did not
know enough about practical sewer
work to permit the work feing done
properly. Had the mortar been put into
the work first the sewer would have
been water tight.
On cross-examinatiou by Mr. zane
Mr. Wilkerson admitted that ne did
several things in direct violation OF the
letter of the contract, because 1t
would save him some money. lie did
not consider the contract violated be-
cause he did the work better than II
the suggestions of the city engineer or
the contract had been followed out. Ehe
city pipe he used from Sixth to Tenth
East. and the leaks were between
Sixth and Seventh East The con-
tract specifically provided that the pipe
should be laid dry: the witness kneT
about it, but insisted it should be done
otherwise. The contract provided that
in all controversies arising concerning
the work the city engineers decision
should be taken as fihal. The reason
his second bid on the, Firth south
street sewer was so much lower was
because thirteen manholes and three
blocks of pipe were excluded from the
advertisement for the second bid.
As to water clOgging up the pumps,
Mr.. Wilkerson stated it was caused by
pebbles.
Yes, rejoined Mr.. Zane, this water
which you said was so clear and pure
clogged up your pumps?
We'll. pebbles don't make water
dirty" replied Wilkerson.
Now. Mr.. Wilkerson. why did you
order one of your men to stop up the
pumps?"
Why. you must take me for a fool
mo, don't think you are a fool
We'll, then, you must think am a
knave or a rascal" replied the con-
tractor somewhat heatedly.
We'll, as to the last, there might be
two constructions"
Mr.. Wilkerson said the contract pro-
vided that the sewer should be made
water tight, but in failing to make it
water tight he did not consider the
contract violated. No sewer could be
made perfectly water tight.
AS to the deduction from the July es-
innate for pipe. he stated that the con-
tract expired on July 1. The inference
from this was that the city engineer
did the proper thing regarding the de-
duction of the amount.
After a. H. Snow had testified. Con-
tractor A. L. Hobson was placed on
the stand, and said he was familiar
with the contract, and had inspected
the work during its progress at the in
SLISdllOIl OI JOQn h. DOOly, one oil VIII
kerson's sureties. He said to lay such
pipe dry was not proper, and all speci-
f1cations had since been changed The
proper way was to place cement first
in the gasket at the bottom. then put
the joints together and press in the
cement on the outside. To lay such
pipe dry was contrary to custom, and
1t was entirely impossible to lay the
pipe in that manner and make it water
tight. Heretofore it had always been
permissible to run clear water through
the pipe when the work was not in
progress. Mr.. Hobson said he had as
certained that all the leaks were from
the under side of the sewer When in
speeting the sewer Mr.. Hobson found
that the sewer had been damned up
with sand and gravel, evidently inten-
tionally. After the sewer had been
flushed there was but little over one
inch of water in it, instead of five and
a half inches as the. records in the
engineers office showed. All cement
joining would leak more or less.
Cross examined. Mr.. Hobson said he
examined the work while the pipe was
being laid. He found it was being done
according to specifications, but they
were WRONG
AT this point the committee arose to
resume the hearing at some future
date to be fixed by the council.