New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-27
FIRST ENGINEERS WORK.
GOOD RECORD OF THE REGIMENT IN
PORTO RICO
EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING BIDGEs-A REsER
vOIR COMPLETED AND AN ICE
PLANT SET Up.

The experiences OF the 1st Regiment Of Engi-
neers United States Volunteers. in Porto Rico are
thus described by of the soldiers who returned
with the regiment on the Minnewaska on Thanks
giving Day:
The day following the arrival at Ponce the
| regiment went ashore and hivouacked on the out
skirts OF the Playa. in field full OF andcrab holes
| and small hollows. A heavy rain that night, TO-
| gether with the confusion incident 10 a hastily
| prepared camp made the first night in Porto Rico
a rather dismal one. Though this camp was to be
| only a temporary one. Il was promptly dltched
and drained a camp feature for which the lst
| Engineers rightly distinguished among the
| troops the island.
| THE regiment soon moved to excellent nat
| campground nearer Ponce. A heavy ranstorm
flooded the camp the frs. night. before any ditches
| could be dug: but the prisoners were promptly
| turned out and n thorough system or drainage
bitches was begun at midnight In the midst OF a
| fierce rain This remedied the evil. but within a
| week a heavy rain In the mountains suddenly
caused the river 10 rise several feet in less than
| an hour To prevent the camp from beng noouen
| again this time from the river, the main unch
| had 70 be hastily damned with bales OF hay arr
and timber all Of which had TO be again removed
| the next morning to open the trench for drainage
The food also overtoppei by four. feet the road
| way Of the pile bridge on the man road 10 Porcs
| Just below the camp. and partially destroyea -
BRIDGES COMPLETED
ION the food subsIding. at midnight. large de-
tai OF men was promptly put 10 work repairing
the structure and the road was open for traVel nj
! c o'clock in the morning This bridge was mover
and Interesting structure. az II was designed 20
Withstand the effect OF foods. even though thcy
overturned the roadway by several feet The sub
structure ls simple pling placed I'm bents. well
braced I'D and down stream. upon when Is DUH
plank platform. loaded with macadam ROAD
way This platform IS securely tied 10 the piIlne
by knees and lemons with wooden doweis. Inc
strength and elasticity OF the subsiructure and
the weight Of the roadway are sufficient 70 resist
any OF the great foods that distinguish the Porto
R!can rivers The piles Of hard. durable
wood known as 'yachueo' and would be an ex-
ceent substitute for yellow pine did they gro"
larger than to 10 inches in diameter at the out'
and about - feet long
"A bridge on the San Juan Road about two miles
from Ponce was so much damaged by food that
Il had 10 be rebuilt entirely An inspection showed
& 20 be so rotten that its stability even in ordinary
use was remarkable. Yet this bridge only gave
way after a food had overfowed 1t several feet
and then was damage only in the weakest points
and not throughout Captain Rodman. with his
company rebuilt this bridge on substantially the
original plans New piles were cut near Salinas
on the south coast costing about s. Porto Rican
money each The superstructura built Of yell
low pine from the States. a light pile-drve- WA
found at partially completed bridge abutnen.
I
among the engineers equipment from the States.
The hammer was raised by a pair Of Army mules
and tripped at the top by automatic trip rugged
by Captain Rodman. curious feature Of the ma
tive wood used in these bridges was the fact that
rot seemed 10 affect only a portion OF the stick
frequently leaving sufficient Of the wood intact 70
stand the strain required though TO all ap-
pearances the timber about to fall apar5
Measurements Of these Spanish bridges showed
their floor beam system be entirely light for
ordinary heavy travel. and their stability under
the trying conditions Of the Army's =
matter Of surprise These bridges were feature
Of ore Of the most magnificent military roadways
in the world for which the Spaniards deserve ur-
stinted praise on eighty miles OF this road 70
San Juan the smaes details Of drainage. culverts
cutters ETC. exccut d with the greatest care
and skin. and regardless Of expense.
although q cursory glance at tho splendid Sill
gar barns elaborate masonry irrigation canals
carried sometimes across valleys seriel Of
high arches. well as the dccatey executed
ana artistic front gates would indicate that the
spanards were expert users Of concrete. close
inspection failed discover n single piece Of actual
concrete in all tho structures examined
The universal method Of construction was a
brck structure. simply covered with mortar a
sort 81 stucco This soon takes on the same agree
able. notified appearance We expect in concrete.
and with the delicate shades Of brown yellow
and red induced by the peculiar damp climate OF
truly picturesque and beautiful
1T was therefore matter worthy Of note that
the little concrete reservoir built by the lst Ensi
neers FOR the Army hospital at Ponce proba-
bly, something of a novelty. oven I'm the midst OF
so many constructions that looked like concrete.
This reservoir was only about - feet square by
. feet deep the wall being foot thick at the top
and fest inches at the base. and the inside face
vertical 4 lot OF cemen. captured from the Span
ish was found 20 be- so slow-seting a 10 be almost
useless. and only a fov barrels OF rood imported
cement were 10 be obtained the island. Ac-
cordngly the bottom and siles were built principal
- OF me spanish cement concrete OF rlch mkt.
ure. faced with four inches Of concrete made OF
cement mortar. In placing the concrete IN the
wooden forms thin dividing board. about
from The inside face; the poorer cement was then
nled in behind this board. while in front was
former u thin mixture OF mortar was worked by
The trowel 70 insure perfectly smooth face
entire layer rammed together thus making a per
fcetly homoeeneeus mass When the forms were
enpties ,-to n corner OF the reservoir' which is
en- OF by brck wall built across the corner and
over which the water must flow TO get 10 the main
Of he water in flowing the dividing wall tina,
much OF the sediment which comes down the river
AZ food times will settle in the small compartment
from which IL can be cleaned out when necessary
The water is distributed from this reservoir to the
convaescent camp below. well 70 the Army
hospital which thus obtains much better head
AN ICE PLANT SET Up.
The water is taken from the main leading to the
city from the distributing reservoir close by. The
boiler and pump for this water supply in
stalled with the machinery of an ice plant erected
by the regiment for the Army hospital The ma
chine made about one ton OF Ice day, and also
cooled ice-boXes Of considerable size for holding
meat and supplies The boiler and engine were
placed deep concrete foundations which
they were securely bolted. The entire plant
covered by large frame structure with galvan-
lied corrugated iron roof. which is almost uni
vcrsally used In Porto Rico
The floors including the coalbn. were all OF con-
Thus completed. reservoir and ice plant
turned over 10 Major Birmingham by Lieu
tenant Woodman who had charge OF the con-
structon. only few days before the departure Of
the regiment for NewYork. and though Of no
engnee ring Importance. the thorough manner
IN which this work done rs a fair criterion Il
what this splendid regiment would have been capa-