Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-19
ON BIC
ELEPHANT BUTTE
DAM DESCRIBED
Interesting Statement Is Given
Out Showing Rapid Strides
Made by Engineers in
Charge Of Project,

C''NN' EDC ~ D ~NNf
The following interesting statement |
has been given out by Construction En-
gineer Baldwin in charge Of the
work on Elephant Butte dam, showing
the progress that has been made IN
the work Of building the dam during
the month Of January.
The past month has shown consist
ent progress in all features on which
work was done While the masonry
laid was not equal in quantity to that
of some previous months, an excellent
showing was made for the area Nlsl-
I BILE Excavation quantities are not
as large as usual but the portion eX-
cavated has perhaps a more import
ant bearing on future work than any
previously made
Masonry work was discontinued
about one week during the lattcr part
Of January on account Of foundation
not being ready TO receive H. During
the month ending February 10, $500
cubic yards of masonry was placed
Of which 2,325 cubic yards were place
I'm eight days In January with one
shift, the balance CI575 cubic yards)
were placed i'm first two weeks Of Feb
ruary with two shifts, using one ca
Bile. or daily average of $50 cubic
wards for one-third the plant This
is the best showing yet made and in
dicates increased efficiency Total
masonry placed to date Is 1900 cu-
bic yards
Excavation has been vigorously
pushed all the week but as much Of
IL was in the cut-off trench and all Of
il near bedrock whore great care had
to be used the output was not as
large as during preceding months the
volume being only about 5000 cubic
yards. This was practically all rock,
either loose or covering unsound rock,
ana mad TO be carefully loosened with
picks, bars or wedges, very little pow
der being used. The CUTOFF trench
has been completed for a total length
of about 425 feet, and the new area
on which masonry is now being
placed is the full width of the dam,
and about 200 feet long. This carries
it well into the east abutment.
In order TO provide working room
for the large force of laborers en-
+, ployed, as the working area near
east abutment became restricted, the
! excavation Of west abutment was re-
I sumed. This will be prosecuted with
1 continually Increasing force so that
, IL win be ready for masonry when
! needed The total excavation 10 date,
, exclusive of flume outside Of dam, is
$4,000 cubic yards.
In addition TO the regular work al
! quarry, getting out stone for dam and
plant, considerable development WORK
Tor additional quarres has been done
80 il is realized that the greatest diff
ficulty hu1 perhaps the limiting fea'
ture so far as speed 10 concerned, may
be the ability of the quarrivs &c fur
: Bish sufficient material. When run
ming full daily capacity daily output
OF 400 cubic Yards, including waste
viii be required.
For some time sand for concrete
has been obtained from the storage
I pile made from river excavation
v Some experimental work has beer
"a necessary 70 obtain the most efficient
: means of handling this material bui
tt is believed that the problem ha,
been satisfactorily solved and thai
= only a few minor changes VIII be nee
= essary The sand and gravel is picked
2 up by a ] IA cubic yard clam shell
[ bucket operated by a hoist and der
, rick The material is dumped ovei
! "a hopper the top Of which is covered
by a sloping grizzly or screen which
carries stones over four inches h
: size to one bin while the sand drop
q into a separate bin. By means o.
: chutes with controlling gates th'
screened gravel Us drawn off int
e cars TN which 1T lis transported TO thu
, mixing plant when using three ca
! bles ON concrete a daily output o
about soc cubic yards of gravel vii
be required.
I The sand cement plant has beer
r. turning out about 600 barrels of &C
r mcnt daily. working one shift but a
cement rs being used at the rate o
f.. something over zoo barrels per day
the surplus is rapidly diminishing
. Commencing tomorrow. this plant will
operate two shifts daily
q Sufficient grouting holes have beer
It drilled to enable a start TO be made
/. Groutng was commenced about ten
I Gays ago. So far the holes nav
ii proven 20 be remarkably tight The
are drilled about fifty feet into bed
rock, below bottom of cutoff trench
y and with a pressure of 100 pounds {
II the square inch, take very little cc
ment. This is a greater pressure tina
a win be brought upon the rock Whe'
} the reservoir is fun,
The large influx Of laborers an
mechanics during the past FEY
months. has greatly taxed the faeili
ties for sheltering them. but tempo
ray quarters are being provided ur
IN more permanent accommodation
can be erected Many Of them hav
families. consequently our town nOi
has "a population of over 1000, whic
I greatly increases the work In all dc
partments but due 10 an efficient Pc
lice and sanitary force. the camp
very orderly and remarkably health.
= while the Y. NJ G. A. and picture the
II alter tend to keep the employees con
~ tented.
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