Arizona republican., 1907-10-09
CONSTRUCTION WORK
ON STORAGE PROJECT
Latest Bulletins Concerning the Pro-
eress Of Dam and Transmission Line
Building.

| Engineer L. C. Hill returned from
Roosevelt Monday night. being accom-
panied by Judge Kent. Mrs. Kent and
Mrs Kibbey. who had been his guests
lover Sunday. 1t was the first visit of
Judge Kent to the site of the big stor-
age dam, and like all others who have
visited it the project seemed more
magnificent and comprehensive than
anybody can realize by reading about
! il.
| The work of construction is pro-
crossing quite rapidly now, though
not as fast as people would like to see
Il. About two thirds of the founda-
ton is now covered with rock. Ii
slopes or angles from the upper face
of the dam, which is from ten to thir-
teen feet above datum, to a point two
thirds of the way down stream to-
ward the proposed lower face, where
there is no rock at all. Quite a large
section of the masonry is from two to
five feet below datum. In round or
approximate numbers there have been
laid to date about $4,000 yards of mas
onry and there are 1900 yards yet to
lay to complete the foundation to dat
UNI. The foundation is something over
half in. so far as the masonry laying
is concerned, but great deal more
than half when consideration is given
the preliminary work necessary before
the beginning of construction. 1t is
sincerely hoped there will be no in
reference by flood water until the
foundation can at least be covered,
and brought up some distance, though
1t is too much to hope that the entire
foundation will be in by the time of
the winter floods. But if ii can be
covered and the rock laid for few
feet it may be possible to get the south
end of the dam up far enough so the
floods will not entirely stop construc-
ton even though they submerge the
other end of the dam.
Work is progressing very nicely on
the transmission line which is being
built h. government force. Like the
dam construction, it is the preliminary
work that takes the time. To the av-
erage man. the thought of the trans
mission line conveys only the idea of
a pole stuck in the ground and a wire
attached to the top Of il. Theoretic-
ally. this is correct, but actually such
transmission line is to consist of six
wires. as large perhaps as mans fin
ger, and they are to carry a voltage
that nobody will care to fool with. The
construction of the line is being made
with a view to permanency. Instead
of the wires being attached to cross
arm on a pole. the so-called pole is a
regular tower like the tower support
ing big windmill. Such a tower is
placed every 400 feet. varying in height
from so to 100 feet. according 10 the ir-
regularity of the surface. Each of
these towers is constructed of four
steel poles or legs. the feet of which
are to be firmly set in concrete. II
the pole stations occur at a point
where the surface is uneven some of
the legs are adjusted longer than the
others so the construction is made
for firmness and durability.
The present force Is employed in
making these concrete tower founda-
tons and it has now covered the dis
lance between Roosevelt and Fish
Creek. matter of about sixteen miles.
About five miles a month is covered.
II is pretty slow work. but il win be
a fine job when il is finished. Some
times the foundations are quickly and
easily placed and sometimes n great
deal of trouble is involved The CO.
ment and rock for the concrete has to
be hauled n long distance sometimes
from where il is mixed to where il is
placed in the foundation. in some
cases a mile. In such cases the slow
est setting cement available is used.
and the fastest travelling horses and
men. The reason for it. is that ii is
sometimes long distance from water
and it takes water to mix concrete.
This four tower system
will be employed as far as the trans
mission lines run through the noun
tains, where it is necessary to plant
the feet of the towers in cement.
When the open desert is reached and
the digging OK holes is feasible. the
steel towers Will be planted in the
holes instead of in cement. until the
Highland canal is reached. From that
point. over the irrigated sections of
the valley. single poles will be used for
the economy of room. but the poles
will be no common hemlock spars.
They viii be steel tri-parte or three
part poles. so adjusted as to be very
elastic in the event of wind or acct
dent and also quite ornate, an addi-
ton to the beauty of a farm rather