Bisbee daily review., 1908-02-05

ROOSEVELT, Feb. 4.--Work on the dam is progressing rapidly Saturday the derrick used for laying masonry in the excavation on the west side was moved to near the centre of the dam in readiness for work on the cen ter and downstream lace. The piaee in the west side excavation where the derrick stood was filled in Satur- day afternoon and this finishes the work on. the west side for several weeks, as it is thought that by next Wednesday the water will be diverted
 from the tunnel to this side. The con tractors have finished the excavation
 on the west side for height of about thirty feet above the datum. It is es- timated that something like 1900 cubic yards of stone were blasted out of the place About two-thirds of the up- stream face now stands thirty feet above datum and no work will be
 done on this part of the work until the gates are in the tunnel and the water can be turned back off the dam again. The rim on the coffer dam will be talk en off when the water is diverted from the tunnel and in short time 1t can be done away with altogether. Many fine stones are being taken from No. 2 quarry and this is of considerable ad- vantage as the large stones require a smaller amount of mortar per cubic yard than the smaller stones, thus re- ducing the cost. In laying these large stones considerable care must be ta- ken. First, the stone is let down into the mortar, and if it does net move easily in the mortar, this shows it is resting on stone and the derrick lifts 1t and uore mortar is put under it. Be tween the large stones small spalls are used to reinforce the concrete. The face of the dam is now so far above the river that the beauty of the gray sandstone which is cut for this work shows to advantage. The down stream face is made of selected stone, but it is not cut more than to form the arch of the dam. The stone on this face is set back six inches to the foot and will be so continued to the top. At the present height the dam is 150 feet wide at the center. Care is used in SC lecting a place to wash the stone be- fore it is laid. The concrete must be several weeks old and as hard as the stone, before there would be danger of weakening it from the water. When the stones are within four feet of the foundation the hose is turned on and in some cases large scrub brushes are used to clean the silt of. A hydraulic pump is used then to pump this water from the dam. Waste taken from the west side excavation has been depos- tied in front of the upstream face and the waste from the quarry is just be low the site. The contractors expect the first flood to carry this waste down stream and thus save the cost of nov ing it with cables. Three derricks have have been working this week on the masonry work alone, with about if
 teen men to each derrick. As many more deTTicis are used on the other parts of the work.
 The walls of the power house are nearly completed The small room through which the ten foot pipe enters from through the dam is still to be built. Through this pipe the water from the reservoir which is to furnish part of the power for the plant will pass. The regulation of the flow will be controlled by means of valves and this valve room will be added on to the main structure of the power house shortly. The power house is one of the most beautiful buildings in the territory. Great care has been taken