Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-04
AOUEDUCT CAMPS
BREAK RECORDS
SAUGUS DIVISION is MAKING
GREAT PROGRESS
ENGINEERS PLEASED WITH Sue
CESS OF TUNNEL BoRERs
In Point Of Distance, Workmen on
Section Nearest City surpass
All Previous Efforts
on Record

Attention of the engineering world
has been called again to the Los An
geles aqueduct by the rapidity with
Which the great task is being carried
to a successful completion. This time
II is the engineering camps of the
Saueus division, which lies nearest the
civ that have established a new aque-
duct record by boring 997 feet of tunnel
from two headings in a single month
Of thirty days. In point OF distance
these men have broken all previous
records established in year OF record
brealxing speed at all points along the
big ditch. TT is a burst of speed, say
William Mulholland, chief engineer,
and his assistant, j. b. Llppincott,
(which it will be difficult to surpass.
The work was done ION tunnel NO.
104. which is to have total length OF
9727 feet, situated between Newhal ana
Fernando, thirty miles from Los An
eeIes and only a mile from where, four
years hence, it is expected the waters
of the owens valley will be pouring
into the San Fernando reservoirs. Inc
tunnel was opened last December, but
it was not until April that equipment
was provided so that the men on the
division could be given the opportunity
to show the stuff of which they are
made.
American Record
The American record of 476 feet in a
thirty-one day month is held at the
south portal of the Elizabeth tunnel;
This still stands, as the men at tunnel
No 104 worked in soft sandstone, re-
curing timbering to sustain the roof
and sides, whereas at the Elizapetn
south portal the work was In hard rock
and the tunnel was excaYated by tne
use Of machine drills.
At tunnel No. 104 the excavation was
accomplished with hand augurs, the
broken rock being carried out OF the
tunnel on electric trains. The size or
the bore is approximately ten by
twelve feet. d. l.. Reaburn is the Ill
vision engineer In charge, with j. w.
Henderson as tunnel superintendent,
assisted at the north portal, where 4S7
feet were driven, by Sidney Dean ana
at the south portal, with a record Oh
$40 feet, by FL. e. Warden.
The average distance which should be
made at each heading has been estab-
lished by careful observation and COM
putation at 315 feet per month. For
exceeding this distance every man
working underground and assisting in
driving the tunnel forward is given
bonus of 25 cents a foot. In other
words. the city shares with the men
the profits to accrue to the municipal
ity by accomplishing the task at the
earliest possible moment. Each man
therefore at work on the north portal
will receive $43 as a bonus in addition
to his salary, and at the south portal
$51.25.
The work was carried on with three
shifts employed night and day through
out the thirty days. The men started
April 1 with the intention of establish
ing a record and worked through the
month to that end. For soft rock such
as this is the American record still re-
mains secure with the Gunnison tun-
mel, where 1922 feet was bored from
single heading in thirty days.
Complete In TWO Years
Mr.. Reaburn has been given two
years in which to complete the Saugns
division. He was given the word by
William Mulholland to Ego to IT. and
he has been going to it, ever since.
The construction on this division, as
ii is comparatively close TO Los An
geles, is exciting large amount OF in
terest from citizens, and many are
going out to see the work.
On the Elizabeth tunnel in March the
American record of 466 feet in hard
rock, made on this tunnel in October,
1908, was broken by ten feet.
On the Jawbone division, eighteen
miles north of MojaVe the work, say
the engineers, is little short OF marvel
Gus. Tunnel work was started here in
october, 1908. In this toughest TWEEN
ty-three miles of the entire aqueduct,
where access to the aqueduct line, 100
feet above the floor of the desert, was
most difficult, there was $4,000 feet OF
tunnel to be bored With such rapid
ity has this been carried forward that
April l $4,000 feet had been excavated,
a mile of tunnel had been cemented
and the last report shows that concret-
ing is being carried on at the rate OF
100 feet day.
In the specifications inviting contrac-
tors to bid on the construction of this
division two and half years was al
Iotted for the completion of the thirty
three tunnels. Contractors thought the
time short enough. City engineers as
sert that this part of the task will be
completed by January l, 1910, or nj
teen months from the time the hrst
tunnel was started.
The unusual diligence with which this
work is being carried on has excited
the admiration of eastern cities and
private contractors engaged on large
engineering enterprises. Requests for
Information as to methods and equip
ment are frequent, and one engineering
company about to begin work on
large undertaking has an expert now
on his way west to make trip over
the aaueduct and gather data as TO
how the city is able to accomplish 50
much within a given time.
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