The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-03
Statement Is Made That City Eli
gineer Has Underestimated
Excavation.
IN CONNECTION WITH
WORK ON THE AQUEDUCT
Matter Is Laid Over Pending a
Report by Mr.. Kelsey
and Others.

Il
asking for an extension of time for
the completion of the North Temple
street aqueduct from June to De
cembcr l. The communication in full
follows:
Gentlemen-We are just in receipt of a
copy OF communication addressed to
the board OF public works dated June 30,
a9V9' signed by the city recorder, which
sets forth resolution by Councilman
fernstrom: adopted at Il meeting of The
CITY council held June 2S. 1909. This res
oiution Is in reference TO the North Tenn
Pre- street aqueduct and instyucts the
BOARD OF public works to notify us ITO
proceed proceed at once as per contract and ac-
cording to law 10 finish the contract in
the shortest possible time so that 1t Will
at least he ready before the fair In the
coming fall, and that II they are not ca
pap!e OF complying with said request thet
the board OF public works then proceed
10 take II out of their hands and 10 take
such steps as may be necessary to have
IL completed before the lst of October
1909 In reply 20 this communication
We respectfully beg leave TO set forth the
following facts:
March l. 1909. we entered into con-
tract with Salt Lake City. Utah, for the
work OF constructing North Temple street
aqueduct OF reinforced concrete, from
Fourth West street TO the Jordan river.
AZ the time the contract was entered
INTO, the city engineer did not furnish us
a profile Of the work and II was mpos-
slb!e to get any idea OF the depth OF
the aqueduCt other than from the ap-
proXimate amount of excavation and back
filling set forth IN the general instruc-
tions to bidders. The approximate
amount of excavation was placed at $500
cubic yards, and the length OF the aque-
duct being about $500 feet and the width
s feet inches, outside diameter. the av-
crage approximate depth OF the aqueduct
would be about five feet.
heHIn' work
March %, 1909, and about April %. 1903
the city engineer furnished us with
tsbulation Of the yards OF excavation TO
be made between the beginning point OF
the aqueduct and Ninth West street The
tabulation shows the necessity for an eX-
cavation OF 1900 cubic yards being an
cubic yards Of excavation estimated for
the whole work on the entire length OF
the aqueduct,
Visited City Engineer.
June 20. 1909. we visited the city cngi-
neers office and found from an eNamina-
ton OF the crosS-Sectton sheets that from
Ninth West street 10 the Jordan river
there would have 10 be an excavation OF
400 cubic yards, which Is within 100
cubic yards of the engineers estimate for
the entire excavation from the east end
of the aoueduct which is located between
Fourth and Fifth West streets TO sthe
Jordan river.
If only 45O0 cubic yards would have
ildG 10 De GNCaNatCu, lIS Nepli VI lDe
aqueduct would have had 10 be but an
average of FIVE feet. but now that the
total excavation, according to the city
engineer, is 10 be 1l,Io0 cubic yards, the
average depth Of the aqueduct will have
to be approximately ten feet, instead OF
five.
1t will readily be seen that 1l,Too cubic
yards nowhere 'approximates 1900
cubic yards. and as no profilcs were fur
nished us when the bids were solicited
we could not figure that the city engl-
ncer would SO underestimate the amount
Of excavation to be done as TO compei us
TO cxcavate a ten-foot trench instead OF
a nye-foot trench, To handle art 10
z fiye-foot depth only requires one hanu-
ling but TO handle dirt to "a depth OF ten
feet requires from two 10 five men, Win
much less output per man. The addi-
tlonal excavation makes the work much
more expensive on account OF the greater
depth and the amount OF material TO pc
cared for on the banks. There Is also
a greater amount OF water encountered
In a ten-foot trench than In nNe,ioot
trench, and this means an addiliondi eN-
pense. Qulcksand, which wouid no, ll1I Se
encountered at a nVe-loot ueptH, VIII ~
found at a ten-foot depth.
Means Big Increase.
Tho additional depth also means an in
crease of from 5000 to 5000 yaros OF en-
cavation for which the city does not pay,
This excavation Is necessltated oS reason
of the fact, that inc, tne onnhS arnnS living ss,
W. also desire to call your attention
to the TACT, that the floodwaters Triim,Is s
down the City creek into Norlh ie"plC
street, has been greater this year ltiah LOT
many wears past. The board OF pupilC
works instructed us during the fipoItll VI
May to place screen at lne eHtianSe u
the Oregon Short Line aqueuuct 10 ',,Jth ,t,h
the flow of gravel and We compncd WIN
tho instructions. During the hlgh water
period, which prevailed In the early par!
of June. the city authorities TORE ou'
a.,
titles OF gravel and rock to be depositeu
in that part OF the aqueduct already con-
by US between the east euu Vi
the aqueduct and Sixth west sIref., i'iS q aIe ta
removed before we again resume worh.
The water running down Norlh Leitipse
street from city creek Is sun very nisn,
and while this condition exists, II Is
neither TO the contractors nor the city
advantage that the work should proceed,
When the water gets 10 an average low
water mark. the work can DC reeu'"eu
with more satisfactory results.
IN view of the foregoing lacts reiatIne
to the undcrestmated amount or eNca-
vation. we hereby desire 10 notlty YOU
that we shall at the proper Hnc, MAKE
a claim for extra work necessary 10 DC
done, not at the price bid, but on a basis
OF what the work is actually worth.
change from the 1000 cubic yards eHcaFa-
ton TO IL 700 cubic yards eXcava ton, is,
we hold not within the meaning oil tne
word deviation" as set toTth IN the
general instructions 10 pluueIs' "iLiCh
formed part of our contract, but makes
an entirely new contract. To increase the
amount OF excavation 100 per cent over
the estimate. and TO Increase the depth
of the trench 100 per cent, Is practicanS
anew the conditions upon which
our contract price was based
Demand Of Engineer.
In other words, If III the construction OF
one sewer 1900 cubic yards Is the estl-
mated amount Of dirt to be excaVated,
for two sewers 5000 cubic yards should be
the estimated amount of excavation. ana
for two sewers and q half ll,25O cubic
yards should be the estimated amount OF
excavation. The city engineer now de-
mands the removal OF HOO cubic yards,
which is according TO his original estl-
mate. more than enough for two and a
half OF the original proposed length and
width. We did not contract TO build two
and 81 half sewers OF the Length ana
breadth set forth in the proposals for
bids, and the city engineer having so al
tered the original estimates as TO make 1t
necessary TO remove 11,7O0 cubic yards
OF dirt instead of $500 cubic yards. we
have been advised that the words de
Walton" and approximate. as used In
the original proposals for bids. nave so
lost their significance and commonly un-