The Topeka state journal., 1911-06-06
Inspectors Tear Out Handfuls
in Various Places.
Santa Fe and Rock Island Engi-
neerS on the Job.
ASK MANY QUESTIONS.
Try to Find Why Joplin Chat
Was Used.
TIE Formal Report Has Not Yet
Been Made.

For more than an hour Monday af-
ternoon, concrete experts tested the ef-
ficiency of the new Kaw river dixie
but have not yet prepared a report
covering their findings. The investiga-
tion was conducted by a special com
mittee named by property owners IN
the north bottoms. The committee was
composed of ]. NJ. Meade, engineer for
the eastern lines of the Santa Fe, and
J. NJ. Brown, district engineer of the
Rock Island.
V. r. Parkhurst, county engineer, had
been notified of the investigation and
had promised to be present But for
some reason Parkhurst failed to ap-
pear Alva J. Smith was official eX-
palmer for the contractors. He accom-
panied the party of concrete experts
and property owners and told how and
why this and that condition existed.
And Smith had a busy afternoon.
1t was a few minutes after O'Clock
when the delegation met at the Rock
Island bridge. Some of the property
owners in the party had personally in
spected the dixie and they told the
experts where to look for defects. Meade
fired most of the questions. No sooner
Ipld he received a formal introduction
10 Smith than he asked why pilasters
and buttresses had not been built at
he dixie. Smith smiled modestly and
explained that the buttresses were to be
built later and that there were also to
be three piIasters in the long concrete
wall. But as the plans had not out
lined these meagre necessities, Smith
ventured the opinion that they had
been left until a later date.
Then Meade wanted to know about
Joplin chat Smith told him. But
this didn't seem to comfort Meade in
the least. While Meade was being en-
lightened concerning the Missouri flint,
Brown was leading an investigation of
the wall with cold chisel and ham
mer.
Want to Know About "Chat."
Did you ever use this stuff before?"
asked Meade, as he pointed to pile
of chat
"Oh, yes, yes indeed" replied Smith,
as he gave the Santa Fe engineer a
reassuring smile, its used great
DEAL" and Smith really seemed to sym
pathize with Meade for his meagre
learning.
where did you use it before, young
MANI" asked Meade
"Why, down at Emporia. We built
an S-foot wall around the state nor
mall
''Weu, did you ever hear of the stuff
being used in a dixie before?'
No I don't know that 1 ever did"
admitted the engineer for the contrac-
tors, "but it's good stuff and better
than crushed stone"
Then Meade cleared his throat and
said something about the plans calling
dixie. Smith replied that the crushed
stone was unsatisfactory and that
Parkhurst had endorsed the use of grit
or chat.
For an hour the men attacked the
wall. At times the massive pile Of ce-
ment, grit and sand seemed as solid
as a veritable Gibraltar. Then again
it didn't. A property owner in the dixie
district walked along the wall with a
small tack hammer. At times he tore
great gaping holes in the wall with the
little hammer. Then Brown was busy
with the heavier hammer and cold
chisel. The base of the dixie seemed
to suffer the most. Here great chunks
of concrete as large as mans fist were
knocked from the wall at a single blow
of the hammer. In other places the
wall withstood the attack.
Found Soft Places.
In some places the wall showed a
honeycombing combination Of materials
and here the grit and sand could be
Torn from the wall with the mere pres
sure of the fingers. By the time the
men had walked half the distance of
the wall, the rapid fire of questions
eiueers seemed inclined to express
opinions and they quietly pursued their
task, making such deductions as may
be offered later For 10 minutes the
of the gravity concrete mixer. But the
inspectors said nothing. They may be-
lieve that the mixer is a bowling sue
cess They may think it a false alarm.
Neither would say.
Then the little crowd inspected the
wall facing the river front. When the
task was completed the inspectors bid
MIR. Smith an affectionate goodby and
Mr. Smith smiled serenely as he clasp
cd hands with the concrete experts
None of the party desired to express an
opinion as to the condition of the dixie
at the present time. Property owners
who were on the tour Of inspection re-
fused to state whether they were salts
fed with the Job or would ask the coun-
~ commissioners to reject the work.
T. M. Brown, on the part of the Rock
island. Is especially interested in the
work. The Rock Island assessment
foT the erection of the dixie is about
S36 900 and the company is spending an
additional $4,000 for raising their
bridge and tracks in the dixie district.
ant Brown perhaps talked less yester-
dav than any other man on the job.
TJe was looking at the work from every
nossible angle and trying to determine
Ivbether the work will be worth the
Money once it is completed.
In case the decision of the inspectors
is 1nfavorable. it is believed that the
fa,,It will be found with the manner in
which the material has been mixed No
cononIaint was made concerning the
naIitv of the cement or proportions of
e. ent, sand and grit used in the work
i DYCHE LOSES FISH CASE.