The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-08
Cement SEWERS.
City Engineer Says They May Be Tried
in Topeka.

City Engineer McCabe has decided to
throw open the specifications for the
proposed Fifth ward sewer so that bids
for the construction of the new style CT
cement sewer can be received. Cement
sewer is a form of sewer which has re-
ceived great approval in the east, but
which has never come west to any great
extent.
1t is regarded as likely that the city
will get some low bids on the cement
sewer construction from the manufac-
turers who are anxious to introduce
their form of sewer into this part OF the
country.
Cement sewer is used as a substitute
for the very large size sewer pipes, or
the brick sewer. Sewer pipes of tile are
very expensive in the larger sizes. The
| 36-inch pipe costs about $40 for each
21z foot section, and As inch pipe is
nearly twice as mucn. There are two
ways Of building the cement sewer; one
! is to manufacture the sections in a
mold on the surface of the ground, ana
lower each section into place, the same
as is done with tile pipes The other
method is to build up the sewer in a
continuous piece, down in the ditch, III
| the way brick sewer is laid. The cement
no steel is used in it's construction. 1t
| is said to be one of the strongest and
most durable kinds of sewer.
The specifications of the Fifth ward
sewer call Tor 8, 4ff I0eI OIL f0-IHCL ScWo
of either brick, vitrified pipe or cement.
| This is a God sized contract in itself,
and by opening the doors to the com
petition of the cement construction, CITY
Engineer McCabe may force down the
price of the tile and brick bidders ma
terially.
The following are the specifications
for the cement sewer construction as
given in the sewer specifications:
eff concrete is used in the construc-
ton of the forty-five inch sewer it shall
be composed of lola or SunnoWer
Portland cement, clean sharp SAND ana
hard gravel or Joplin flint mixed in the
proportion of one, three ana hVe, ana
comply with the general sewer speclh-
cations, herein contained.
1.-The wall shall not be less than SIX
inches in thickness.
There being no special plans or spec1-
fications for this work it is understood
that the concrete construction VIII pc
done under the supervision and to the
satisfaction of the city engineer, and
all directions from him as to the man
ner and quality of construction shall be
strictly observed by the contractor.
LONGER GUARANTEE.
The specifications for the Fifth ward
sewer are improved greatly in an
other particular over all former sewer
specifications. The city Calls Tor a Two
year guarantee instead of one year,
and the contractor must put up
$4,000 bond. This provision of the
specifications follows
after the COmpl0J1On Oh the sewer
and before it's acceptance and before
final payment is made therefor. the
contractor shall give a bond IN the
sum of ten thousand dollars ($1O,-
OOO.OO) signed by some guaranty com
pany as surety to be approved by the
mayor and council, conditioned that II
at any time before the expiration OF
two years after the completion ana
final acceptance of the work under this
contract it shall become necessary, for
any reason or cause whatever and in
any manner to make repairs of any
| of this work, the said repairs shall
| be made at the expense of said con-
| tractor"
Heretofore, the contractor has guar
anteed the sewer for only a year, and
the city has found that it has been
| obliged to take charge of repair work
| on the excavation after the expiration
| of one year. The theory is that the
contractor shall retain responsibility
until all settling in the sewer is ended.
| A year is not sufficient time for the
sewer excavations to settle.
To still further prevent settling, the
specifications prohibit tunnelling. The
ditch must be cut open the full length,
instead of being tunneled about half
| the distance. Tunnelling saves the
contractor a good deal of money in
the moving of earth, but it is almost
| impossible to refill solidly.
| A new specification has been added
concerning rock excavation. of which
there will be a great deal to do on the
Fifth ward sewer. The following is
| the rock section of the document:
| "Iyhen rock is encountered in the
trench, it shall be stripped of earth
and the engineer notified and given
| proper time to measure the same Dy
| blasting.
"All rock removed which has not
been measured by the engineer, will
not be estimated as rock excavation
| Measurement for rock excavation
will be limited to the width OF the
trench as specified for the different
/ size sewers on page six
I'm all cases of blasting, the blast
shall be carefully covered with heavy
! tiubers, chained together, and the en-
/ rineer may limit the number of sim
| infamous discharges. No blasting shall