The Cairo bulletin., 1907-11-27

ABOUT iUU,VOO CUBIC yhTuS W Hitf
lterial in the vicinity Of Mindi Hills
will be removed By steam shoyeis,
This method being more economical
since the borings made during the
fiscal year Indicate that d large per-
centage Of rock Is round in this 10.
lcality; the remainder viii be dredged.
| The necessary clearing and other
preparations were made and excaVa-
tion by steam shovel was begun to-
ward the close of the year
In the Colon district dredging oper-
ations We're In progress throughout
| the year, the greater part in the
vicinity Of the dry dock slip and
along the route OF the old French
canal as far as Gatun. The latter was
| u make navigable waterway for
| the transportation of the materials
that must be taken to the site for
the construction of the locks. The
| dredging feet consisted of ,one old
French ladder dredge, one 5.yard dip
| per dredge, and one 16-inch suction
dredge, and there were under con
tract another dipper dredge and a sea
going suction dredge similar to those
now operating in New York Harbor.
For use in connection with this fe
sly steel hopper barges were under
contract During the year the
dredges in nse We're served by tug
-four old French self-propelling barges
known as the "Clapets."
The excavation by dredges during
tho fiscal year amounted to 1,112,321
cubic yards, place measurement CT
which 1902 cubic yards were rock;
1000 cubic yards of the total were
removed from the canal prism, the
remainder Of material being from ac
cessory works.
The machine shop for the Colon
dredging division at Cristobal was
equipped during the fiscal year with
many pieces of new machinery and is
in good working order Steps were
taken to enlarge the dry dock so that
when completed it will be capable Of
taking a vessel 29S feet long, 50 feet
beam, and 8 feet draft.
Contract Versus Hired Labor
Under date of October g. 1906, seal |
ed proposals We're invited for the
complete construction of the canal
in accordance with the approved
plans, bids TO be opened On January
12 1907 AS none of the bids re
ceived appeared to be entirely salts
factory, they were rejected. and the
work was continued in the same man
ner as Il was progressing at the time
that the invitation was issued.
There is no question that III the |
majority of cases in the United |
States work Is contracted because 1t /
can be done cheaper by that method |
than any other. This is generally |
cue to the fact that the contractor
has ON hand construction plant
that can be more cheaply hired
than purchased anew. Where, in any
particular case, either from the ma.
Lure of the work or its location. the
contractor must purchase machinery
and appliances which, so far as he
ran foresee, will be practically use
less on the completion of the work,
1f where the party having the work
lone can make use OF the plant sub
'equent to its completion, the adj
of the contract system dis.
appear.
As illustrative. the government Sc
,nred cheaper and incidentally better
concrete work in its Notifications
han was obtained by contract. The
are heavy concrete con-
struction requiring machinery for
which the contractor could find little,
{ any, subsequent use. For the same
'eason the government, in mary
,ases. especially where the work was
'emoved from commercial centers,
more cheaply than could a con
ractor. In some instances. to over
.ome a combination of contractors.
he government purchased the neces-
AIRY plant and accomplished results
more cheaply than by contract; this
s notably true in dredging operations Z
IS recent legislation on the subject {
Hearty indicates. IL is not uncom- !
ron in the execution of compara- i
lively large projects that the con- ,
ractors have failed and the govern !
nent carried successfully to compile
ion, by hired labor, the work under
aiken by the contractor. Notable In 7
tances of the government success
ully completing work are the State, !
Var and Navy department buildings
nd the Congressional Library. Wash
ngton, ID. c.
Omitting profits derived from sub
istence and general stores. and as
uming the hours of labor the same
\ both cases. It stands to reason that \
he government when warranted in
making the necessary outlay fer
liant, can do work cheaper than
ontraetor. for no question of profits
nters into consideration.
The question Of government work Z
ersus contract in connection with $
he Panama canal has been discussed. c
nd conclusion reached I'm favor of L
be latter method beoarse of certain }
tated advantages that are claimed "
y result. To those familiar with q
iver and harbor improvements. erec- 4
ru oF uubfic huiffin0u 1fqhf houses !