Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-07
MASONRY WORK
IS DELAYED At
ELEPHANT BUTTE
Failure to Receive Gate Cast
ings Causes Slight Setback
but in Spite of This Much Is
Accomplished,

tsrtcist ceHNEsfoNoeNct 70 MORNING JOURNAL
Elephant Butte. n. NJ, Dec. Con-
account OF several reasons, some un-
expected and all unavoidable. mason-
ny progress during the month has not
been as good as during previous
months The NUN trouble was due
TO delay in receiving gate castings, the
lack of which prevented work on GER
tain blocks, restricting the area on
which work could be done, and there
by limiting the quantity of masonry
that could be placed. This condition
was enhanced by the cool weather
which considerably retarded the set
ting of the concrete and limits the
height to which concrete can be
poured against the forms.
While the quantity placed was not
as much rs usual, advantage was taxi
en- of the adverse conditions to pour
concrete in some Of the out~of-the-
way places. small structures with re-
enforcement that required placing of
concrete by hand. and consequently
took more men to handle. In this
way the apron below service and
slulce tunnels were built. also some
grillage work at entrance TO gates.
This Is all of reinforced concrete, the
fabrication of the steel requiring con-
siderable labor and time; while the
placing, on account of the shovelns
and careful spading as compared with
the ordinary procedure OF dumping
the concrete from the skips. utilized
the full time of all the masonry crews.
Even with this delay, $4,000 cubic
yards of concrete was placed during
the month, making total to date of
39l, 900 cubic yards.
Excavation Continues.
Masonry work Is now in progress
from Station 1920 at the west abut-
ment TO Station 1909 at the east abut-
ment. The block at west abutment
has been brought up to elevation
4.s2s, or eighty-four feet above the
old river bed. With the exception of
the flume and winter block, all other
blocks have been worked on. The
high blocks adjacent to the flume Will
be left at their present height until
the flume has been closed and that
block raised to nearly the height OF
the adjoining blocks.
Excavation has continued on both
abutments and at the apron below the
outlet pipes. At the west abutment
a derrick has been placed within $50
feet of the galloway towers, and CON
siderable excavation done In its vicin
ity At the easterly abutment exca-
Walton is in progress and we'll up the
slope towards the railroad. The fine
material is being carried in wheelbar-
rows and dumped in gully just below
dam while rock Is being removed
by derrick with skips and cars and
dumped below on apron to protect it
from being undermined when water is
passing through the outlets. The ex-
eavation crews have been increased by
several crews from the quarry. Ex-
cavaton for the month was LOO
cubic yards, making n total to date
of 3S3,490 cubic yards.
A larger force than usual in the
qnarries has resulted in the accumu-
1ation of considerable rock, both for
erusher and plums, that will be of
great benefit later when mixing Is
running at full capacity. The total
output from the quarries for the
month was 1880 cubic yards, divided
between sand cement plant. erusher.
plums and waste. From sand storage
$500 cubic yards was used, making
a total to date of 10000 cubic yards.
The sand cement plant operated with
out incident, most Of the time three
shifts. During the month 900 bar
rels of sand were produced, a total
to date of $4,000 barrels. The CO.
ment gun and core drill were in OPP
GRAFTON a part of the time.
Excellent Progress Made.
Excellent progress was made on the
construction of the portion Of llngle
road that is to replace the part that
will be flooded. A force of about for
ty men are working on this feature,
and while some of the work is diff
cult, mainly in solid rock. 1t Is ex-
pected that 1t will be completed by the
end OF the year
At the embankment n force of eigh-
ty men and fourteen teams are max
ing excellent progress, though at
present that work Is still in the pre-
liminary stage. A camp has been es-
tablished, water and electric lines
for light and power have been put IN.
The excavation of heel and toe
trenches is nearly completed, and the
toe trench partially filled with rock.
The site of the embankment has been
grubbed and plowed. borrow pits have
been grubbed and a rock quarry
opened. The principal equipment,
consisting of il s5-ton revolving steam
shovel. 1g-ton roller, dump wagons,
scrapers. etc. has been received, anu
is being erected and oyerhauieu pre-
paratory to Use. In addItion 10 'nc
twenty Eight head of stock now III use,
about ninety additional head nave
been arranged for and will be on shahd
by the time the shovel Is READY lof