Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-26
Paving Of Highway
viii Not Be Halted

l
this shrinkage actually takes place.
| No Provisions for Shrinkage.
| State Engineer Johnson and Com
missioners Unit and Mcdonald hel,
that specifications of the contrac
made no provisions for such shrink
age and that the gravel must b,
measured at the mixer and cemen
added accordingly, whether the grav
el be wet or dry.
George X. Leonard, assistant stat,
engineer, testified that the one por
ton of cement to six portions O
gravel specifications were enforced
throughout the state. He admitted
there was nothing in the specifca
tions to prevent the contractor from
drying his gravel before. mixing il
and that the measurement of grave
throughout the country was dry.
"Yes," cut in Johnson, "he had a
right to dry it, but he didn't"
But should one be required tc
add cement to the water in the gravel
as we'll as to the gravel" queried
counsel for the contractor.
mo" was the reply of Leonard.
Unaware of Amount.
Contractor Murphy took the stand
He testified he did not know definite
ly the amount of cement he had been
using on the entire job, but that he
believed he had lived up to the con-
tract specifications.
R. c. Yant, superintendent for
Murphy, testified he did not know the
amount of cement used, but that he
could ascertain the amount and make
a report to the board.
DO you know what effort has
been made by the contractor to live
up to the contract specifications"
asked Commissioner Unit.
Every effort" replied Yant. "The
state Inspector always said every
thing was all right"
Its been insinuated that the con-
tractors have been cheating the
county," continued Yant, with emo
tion in his voice. 1--WE are doing
everything to give the county good
job. We have put on mechanical
tlniSher, at the cost of EMPLOYING
tive or six extra men, because we be-
lieve it makes better concrete. It's
the first time one has ever been used
in Nebraska and it isn't required by
the contract, either"
Says Gravel Shrank.
E. E. Ridgeway, a county inspect
or, when questioned by Johnson,
said he had seen every truckload of
gravel brought to the mixer. He
said he was working under the i'm
preston that 20 cubic feet of wet
gravel shrank 10 per cent, or two
feet, thus making three sacks of ce-
ment to each load fulfill the six
to one" requirement.
Guy Dorsey, assistant county en-
gineer, testified he had followed
Is cubic-foot load of gravel from
its point of loading and that there
was an actual shrinkage of LIZ dur
ing the transportation.
Il think the contractor is giving
the county better work than the
specifications require" he declared.
w. H. Camper, Omaha engineer,
said he made test last Saturday
and found that II cubic feet of wet
gravel shrank to 1915 cubic feet
when dried.
On the stand, Professor Mickey
testified that perfectly saturated
gravel might have 10 per cent more
gravel than perfectly dry gravel.
Admits Delay In Reports.
County Surveyor Adams admitted
when qestioned that reports by his
inspectors were sometimes delayed
one or two days and that he didn't
always check them.
whats the idea in having reports
if you don't check them," queried
Johnson.
Il thought everything was all
right" Adams replied. Inspector
Dolman has complete records of the
cement used. left the mixing busi-
ness to Dorsey, largely"
Professor Mickey said that only
three Of the eight samples from the
base showed strength under COM
preston tests which averaged near
tests on bases made last year.
Some of the tests were as low as
300 pounds to the square inch," said
Engineer Johnson. Amy base which
will not withstand compression of
! 900 pounds to the square inch I
would recommend the county board
to refuse. However, some of the
tests were made under adverse condi-
tons and we'll try them again be-
fore making any recommendations"
Work to Go On.
Asked who originally brought the
alleged charge of shortage in the
1uantity of cement used, Engineer
Johnson declared his own inspectors
1ad informed him and that he had
then made personal investigation.
After the hearing the county board
went into private session. A short
line later it announced that the work
would be continued under the present
contract.
There still remains some perplex-
ty as to how the cement is to be
measured, however. Most of the
commissioners favor a straight six
10 one mixture, be the gravel wet or
Try. Professor Mickey pointed out
that the quantity could be checked
~ measuring the work done each
lay and dividing it by the number
II sacks used. The LIS sacks to
Zach lineal foot principle could thus
'e assured, he said.
Commissioner Unit objected to
his system, contending that more
cement might be used in one strip |
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