New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

employed largely. The laborers are chiefly
Italians, Rumanians and Armenians. There
ia also a sprinkllng OF native Indians. who
are called upon to do the very heaviest
kind OF labor. The living conditions and
surroundings OF these people are not tempt
ing TO the American and especially to
man OF family. The men live in shanties
and camps built along the line Of work.
Several interesting engineering problems
have been presented. One Of particular In
terest is that OF carrying the canal across
the gorge at Medina This gorge has
caused the engineers a ereat deal OF
thought. It is cut in a material called
"red horse" This is a sort Of sedimentary
clay which has the consistency OF soft
rock below the surface, but which turns TO
a mudlike mixture in the course OF few
years after exposure 10 the air. II was
proposed TO carry the canal across the
gorge by means OF q single arch concrete
bridge having a span at the waters sur
face OF about 2S5 feet. II this bridge were
built Il would be the largest single span
concrete arch In the world. There were
new problems connected with the construc-
ton OF so large a span resting on this
unstable material. great deal OF expert
mentation was required. and Mr.. Williams.
the State Engineer under the last admin
Istration. made models and full sized sec
tions for test purposes. He had reached
a polnt In his experiments where he was
willing to assume the responsibility for
such a picturesque structure, but he
thought II unfair to saddle the new admin
ls1 tha Qfe az a.
thing of which Mr.. Bensel might not ap
prove so he stayed his hand. and instead
OF the arch the problem of carrying
conduit filed with current OF water four
teen feet deep and more than ninety feet
wide across the gorge may be solved In
another and perhaps less hazardous way.
II has been found that by going down sew
enty -one feet suitable foundation for piers
may be had. Perhaps caissons Will be sunk
TO this depth, distance OF forty feet be-
low the bottom OF the stream IN the gorge,
and the canal carried over on three
arch structure.
An engineering detail which is OF interest
enters the Mohawk River This will have
a lift Of forty and half feet, an ele-
walton said 10 be the highest single lit in
the WOrld. III Is requHeu o"mS W '""
fact that the river sometimes rises at this
point twenty feet above low water. Unlike
any other lock in the system, the lower
gate will be Of the lift type.
The massive lock at Badwinsville lately
completed by the Scott Brothers, was DIFF
ficult engineering problem. This may be
Judged by the fact that they were the only
ones who had the courage 10 bid on the
contract This was the first lock TO be
used Another remarkable piece OF egineer-
ing and construction IS the present dam
lust below the entrance to the land line
leading to the fight of locks built by the
corporation of Stanley Morrissey.
There is one feature OF the construction
Of such a great work ss the barge canal
which is little appreciated by the general
public, whose eyes are fixed on the canal
itself This is the water supply. 1t Is not
is the lock at Little Falls. where the canal
enough TO have giant ditch. with great
cor crete locks at intervals, In order 70
have a canal II is of no use until the
ditch has been filed with water Water
does not run uphill although the canal
may rise over more than one crest OF land
The problem OF a water supply Is second
only in Importance to the bed itself. The
levels, high and low, each require special