Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-04
CHEAP Cement
FOR TONIC
Government Gets ) Cinch -
200, 900 Barrels Tor Big
Dan
A BIG SAVING
Manufacturers WIN Build Plant
II Arizona and Prepare Mate
rial on Ground

x tentative agreement has been
reached BY the interior department
and the cement manufacturer IN the
matter OF furnishing cement for the
big Tonic basin dam In Arizona. The
agreement provides that the Interior
department shall invite bids for 200.
900 barrels or cement, AMI the cement
men agree that the bids shall not be
D than $3.50 q barrel. This pracr
tically settles the matter In dispute.
II will be remembered that the
trouble arose over the governments
determined stand against the payment
Of IN exorbitant price for cement
The agents OF the government were
Informed that the cement would cost
the people between 50 and $3.50 a bar
rel. This was considered too much
by the government experts, especially
In view IL the fact that within easy
distance OF The proposed dam there
are immense deposits of all the ingrel-
tents needed in the manufacture Of the
cement. The estimates as % the cost
Of the dam had been placed nj $4,000.
900. which was 10 be repaid 70 the
government IN ten years BY the PEG
pie Of Arizona. who would be most
benefited by the dam and the lrriga'
tion works that would be established.
These people took q hand in the mat
ter and directed the attention Of the
United States engineers TO the facts
that all the materials necessary for
making cement we're Mt hand. and
suggested that II proper terms could
MOI be reached by the manufacturers
= plant be constructed. and that the
government 10 ahead making its y
cement The cost was figured. ani II
was found that this could be done at
! cost of about $3.50 = barrel. and
that . plant would cost about $780,
coo. The saving in this name would
amount "a u. . 1000. and would keep
the cost OF the dam within the e3s
900. 1000 called for In the estimates,
The matter was put to the officials Of
the interior department IN this light,
and the result was that those In
charge Of the work Of construction
were authorized to 10 ahead and build
the plant.
Manufacturers Protest.
Al this juncture the emen manu-
~facturers stepped TO the fore and nles
d protest with the secretary u the In
terror. They claimed that they hal
never been invited 70 submit bids iol
the cement, and pointed out that Thu
high price charged In the informa
bids had resulted from excessive
railroad freight rates 10 the site OF th'
dam. The manufacturers sent theil
representatives 10 Washington, an'
q conference was held with the secre
lary or The interior.
Al this conference two proposition
were made to the government b,
manufacturers. The first Was that III
manufacturers would furnish all tn
cement within the price set BY tn
government engineers rs Just and rcs
sonabIc. The second proposition wa
that the government should permi
the manufacturers 10 use the 3i0s
900 plant In the course OF constructed
70 manufacture AL the cement 70 b
used in the construction o. the dam.
The United States win be the lari
est purchaser and user Of cement !
The country. probably In the worl'
for the next ten years. on account {
the enormous engineering works thi
are to be undertaken In which ceme1
will be used. and the manufacture
claim that they should bc permitts
70 furnish the material for the work
The people Of Arizona favor u
proposition Of the cement manufa
turers. and - they are the people o
Of whom the money will eventual
come for the payment Of the cost
The dam the government is disposed
consult their wishes. Therefore Il
department has decided TO ask I
bids for furniahing the 100000 barre
Of cement that will be- necessary !
the work on the dam. and until =
agures are obtained on these bi
nothing further will be done in 4
matter.
The rrvekss Project.
The interior department has
received an oder for furnishing 4
1880 barrels Of cement needed I
~ Truckes irrigation project
NevaSs a. es.ss . barrel. instead
n1.7f -asksI y the bids recent