The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-05-07


barrels of cement and that other truck
here, and 1t will cost the Government
$4,000 to cart It away"
Loss to Government.
Here we seem to have a net loss,
to the Government Of $1,000 just be-
cause some engineer did not think of
testing his ground for a Foundation
before ordering all these supplies. Be
sides, 1t took twenty-five men six
weeks to ascertain that the site
should be condemned. Anc I was fur
ther informed that contract had
been let with a Chicago firm for the
construction Of the stan1pine on that
site for $2t00 Perhaps the Canal
commission at Washington win an
nounce whether this particular s2t,-
600 must be forfeited by the Govern
ment And whether it is or not. the
100000 gallons Of water that were to
have been stored in the standpipe
have flowed on into the hungry sea.
Another instance: The municipal
engineers in Colon decided to lay a
six-inch pipe along Bolivar stroet, one
Of the principal thoroughfares. The
bitches were dug and the six-inch pipe
was distributed along the line. There
1t lay for a few days when the en-
gineers determined to put down eight
inch pipe in Bolivar street This
ultimately was done. but the six-inch
pipe is still lying on the surface, and
the cost of It's distribution and col
lection, with the consequent brealxage,
appears to be al unnecessary ex-
lpense. A little more forethought.
such as would have been exercised by
private contractor, would have say.
ed the Government considerable.
J. n Bailey OF Amesbury, Mass, a
waterworks engineer. who was in
charge Of the laying Of Panama's big
outlet sewer pipe, is my authority for
a startling story that verified from
other unofficial sources, Here is what
Mr.. Bailey had to say:
Il was Instructed TO dig trench
two miles long and eight feet deep in
which tc lay the outlet sewer pipe for
Panama. The ground was OF such a
character that It was impossible to go
down eighteen feet with only two
foot width unless timber snoring was
used. | requested this timber, which
was at Ancon all the time. but had
so much trouble with red-tape meth
eds that finally, after consultation
with other engineers, I proceeded to
did at a broad angle. bringing the
point Of the angle at the required
depth This method necesz stated the
excavation Of $1,000 cubic yards Of
earth that we would not have had to
touch had the shoring been availa-
bic. 1t cost the Government 81 cubic
yard to move the earth"
This is a rather brief but interest
ing account Of another misspent for
tune. If Mr.. Bailey is correct then
Uncle Sam IS just $4,000 to the bad
on this one item.
Famous Cement Ditch.
Then there is famous cement
ditch In Colon-a ditch that was built
beneath an awging quarter OF
mile long. The administration was
criticised for the awning and Mr.. Taft
replied that the awning was used so
as TO protect the cement from the
rains. 50 it might properly settle and
harder But now, when the ditch,
which is supposed to drain portion
of the Colon swamp, is scarcely three
months old it develops many cracks
and holes The sea comes rushing
iuto the ditch, drains out into the sur
rounding earth and makes the swamp
even swampier The grade is not
maintained and in one or two other
places where foul water does actuglly
seep into the ditch II Is there retained
for the edihcation Of the passers by.
talked With several engineers con
cerning this and they all declared that
plain ditch dug in the earth. with
out cement, would have been far bet
ter. More unnecessary expense
Over In cnstobal Mr.. Tubby, whom
! have mentioned already, desired
governmental residence CONSTRUCTED
for himself But the sl,s a.Silable
were not the best and Mr. Tubhy was
very particular. so he gave lnstruc-
tions thst the bailding known as
House No. 2T be moved a distance
Ct some thirty feet until Il should
stand close up against House No l."
Both OF these houses were built by
the French and they are on he very
end OF cristobsl Point, the choicest
residence site on ths island Of Man
zanillo By moving House No Mr..
1nbhy secured enough room fer his
house, which is now nearing compile
slon. One Of the foremen who worked
3 athe ojb told NE that Il cost in the
Of $4,000 to move
Hoaze No q
Over IA Panaspa one Of the muni-
..fI