Arizona republican., 1903-12-22
PEoEN1X. ARIZONA. DEC. 22, 1sO;
The Latest Phase of the Cement Question.


 According to a special dispatch tc the Los Angeles Times from Wash ington. at a special joint meeting of the senate and house committees on irrigation. Saturday. Chief Engineer Newell of the geological survey fur nished consider able enlightenment to the lawmakers on the subject of the Tonto Basin reservior and the cement industry which will be connected herewith.
 Mir. Newell made it clear that it is the intention of the government to make no mistake on the cement ques- tion. If it shall develop that the gov ernment can manufacture cement at the damsite cheaper than the product can be delivered there by cement fac tories located elsewhere, CT cheaper than private parties can manufacture at the site. the original programme will be adhered to. Otherwise, there may be a change in the policy. That is, the government will see to it that the cement which gees into the dam is of the best quality and that it is the cheapest obtainable. Possibly, but not probably, the cement manufacturers can mako a delivered price which will be lower than the best figures at which the government can manufacture. This possibility exists because of the great quantity of oil which will have to be trensnorted to the site from the coast in case the cement is manufactured at the site and 1t may develop that it is cheaper to ship in the finished product than to ship oil in and manufacture at the dam. But this is only a possibil- ity. It is yet an open question as to which will be the most economical plan of manufacture in the ba sin whether by the government or by con- tractors operating the government mill. It will rot be surprising if it sHall be found that the work can be done more cheaply by contractors. As everybody knows, nearly all work done by the government is more expensive than when performed by individuals or corporations. Necessarily, in much of the work around a cement factory no great degree of skill is called for. But in all lines of work for the government laoorers are restricted to eight hours per day. In the matter of hours alone there would probably be difference of 20 per cent. in favor of manufactur- ing by private parties under govern ment supervision.
 But, as we s1id at the very outset of this cement tangle, the ranchers of this valley need have no anxiety in any event. There will be a vigilant determination by the government to protect the interests of the ranchers.
 As was to be expected, Engineer Davis has been subjected to some criticism for failing to call for bids from the cement manufacturers. and iu his statement before the senators and representatives on Saturday Mir. Newell is reported to have said that he regretted this omission to call for bids, as he himself would have been spared severe criticism. But this does not imply that MT. Newell was finding fault with Mir. Davis. or that the criticism to which he refers was justi- liable. It is only technically true that Mir. Davis failed to call for bids. As MT. Newell explained. figures had had been obtained from Calito, n. a manufacturers nearest to the damsite, showing that the lowest price of ce- ment delivered at the site would be s9 per barrel.' MT. Davis. all fair men will consider, was justified in consid- ering this figure a bid made in good faith. He did not surmise that the figures submitted were to be treated as mere estimates which were to form 8 text for future negotiation. Entirely frank himself, he expected that the ce- mant manufacturers would be equally frank. And. it should be remembered. an engineer. engrossed with the details of great engineering project such as fhis dam. is not to be censured if he happens to overlook some of the joekeying tricks of trade.