Arizona republican., 1910-05-29
PROGRESS OF WORK
ON CENTER ST. BRIDGE
THE SUPERVISORS VISIT THE
SITE.
They Deny That They Heard the Con-
struction Was Faulty.

hSdfu ana a couple OF neWSpaperfnefl
yesterday visited the operations at the
bridge site. The expeditions was taker
at the suggestion of Mr.. Heard anC
was made by him because of a rumOl
published in the evening papers the
light before that the construction was
faulty and that the supervisors were
going yesterday to appoint an inspector
The supervisors said that the story
was without foundation-that they
had heard of no complaint regarding
the work, but on the contrary they
had heard that il was being carried
on according TO contract and that i,
had received the fullest approval OF
Engineer Jaeger of the Santa Fe and
Engineer Mcclure of the Southern Pa
cific, who said that a bridge was build
ing that would stand for all time
Foreman Lee of the Mercereau
Bridge company was naturally indig-
nant at the rumor that the work was
being sighted and said yesterday that
he would welcome the closest inspec-
ton. in some respects, he said. the
terms of the contract had been ex-
ceeded: that is more concrete work
was being put in than was called for
by the plans.
Mr.. Lee said that the story would
not injure his comany, whose reputa =
ton in California had been established
or the character of its work, and that
il had attained such n standing that
much of its work was being done there
without contracts. But he would have
no objection to the appointment of an
inspector by the board or as many in
spectors as the board might desire.
Mr. Parker, a brother of the junior
member of the firm of Mayberry &
Parker, the architects of the bridge, IS
representing that firm as inspector and
he said yesterday that the interests of
the county were naturally the inter-
ests of the company. He said, too, that
further inspection by the county would
be welcomed
The Republican few days ago de-
scribed in detail the placing of the
piers which is now still farther ad-
vanced.
There will be forty-one Of these
piers exclusive of the abutments, which
will be massive. The concrete work on
the north abutment has been raised
10 height of four feet and so that
work is now going rapidly forward.
This abutment is to be thanked both
above and below by reinforced con-
crete work for long distance, so that
there will not be the slightes: danger
that the water will make inroads up
on ii.
On the first pier. the concrete work
on top of the piles has been brought
n he s-fg a..
being put in place Yesterday for its
further growth. 1t will be raised to a
height of eighteen feet above the surf
ace.
The excavation for the piers is fif-
teen feet deep and caissons are let
down to that depth and kept clear of
water by means of an eight-inch pump
The caissOns are square, five feet and
nine inches. They are set in obliquely
and the piles, five to each caisson. are
driven in one in each corner and one in
the middle. The piles are driven by
3200-pound weight TO a depth of from
ten to twelve feet below the bottom
OF the excavation. or they are driven
until there is a danger of grooming
But at any rate, they go to a depth
of twenty-five feet below the lowest
level of the river, seemingly unnec-
essary depth since investigation has
shown that the river has never secured
greater depth than six feet below
the level.
The piles are cut off three feet below
the bottom of the excavation and the
pier is then built up to the surface with
reinforced concrete. OF course the
great strength of the piers is in the
ends but they are connected by a net
work of steel and concrete to minimize
further danger of "shearing"
The pile driving for the second pier
was finished yesterday while the Wis
ltors were present. The water was
thrown out by the huge pump and the
work of saving the piles off was be-
sun. making them ready for the con-
crete work. Meanwhile the excavation
for the other piers was going on.
Mr.. Lee said that the work might
seem slow to an outsider and it was
necessarily so at the present stage. 1t
will be carried on more rapidly when
half dozen of the piers are under
way so that the bridge building force
can be strung out" At present many
of the skilled men brought from the
coast are employed at work that a dol
lar and half a day man could do Just
as well. There is not room yet for all
of the experts, but by the latter part
of next week there will be enough piers
in process OF building to give them
room according to their strength
Mr.. Lee added that the bridge would
be completed before the time mentioned
in the contract
All the Indians quit yesterday to go
back to their farms. but Agent Alex
ander said that their places Would be
taken at once by other Indians and
that in the course of a month, after
the crops are all out of the way he
can furnish all the help that will be
required.
The Indians are allowed $3.50 day
Mr.. Lee in speaking of aboriginal la
Dor said 1t was as good as the best
unskilled labor. There were three rea-
sons he said why the average Indian
laborer was better than the average
Mexican laborer. In the first place the
Indian loses no time lighting cigarettes.
a process that eats into the working
day of the Mexican; second, the Indian
loses no time talking either among
themselves or to others, while the Mex
lean is 'palaverer"; in the third
place. when an Indian has been taught
to do thing he needs no watching,
10 h. -