The Fort Peck press., 1935-03-07
Mason & Walsh
Make this Record
in Tunnel No. 3

~ VI pGtllR EdItu lICllI tut
channel. The Office of Army En-
gineers at Fit. Peck here announced
that last week more earth was dus
by the 2 spiIlway contractors thar
during any previous similar period
Not only was their own recOrC
broken, but also the amt of earth
moved exceeded the best record
attained by the Addison Miller
Co. Inc during stripping operation
last summer and fall. Maximum
output for | wk when work of strip
ping overburden from the base Of
dam was at the peak, was 1852
cubic yards, whereas amt. moved
by Spillway contractors last week
was slightly over 100000 Gu yards
The comparison becomes more
striking when it is considered that
there is d wide difference IL nature
of materials being excavated. Strip
ping for base of dam involved ,prin-
clpally. removal OF loose, dry mat
erlal, while excavation of Spillway
cuts thru frost laden overburden
into firm shale. Blasting has been
necessary, not only to break Up firm
shale but also frozen ground. Strip.
ping Was done by ~elevatiDg grad
erS, the Spillway by power shovels.
Because of nature OF shale, Spill
way has been a MINOR proving
ground for various types Of dirt
moving equipment. Now, 2 new
l4-yd side-dump tractor wagons
are being tested. These 2 wagons
are pulled behind a IS hp. DIESEL
traCt0r.
Removal of such a quantity of
earth at this time Of winter reflects
credit On MasSman Constr.Co. of K.
G & on Martin Wunderlich of Jeffer.
sou City, Mo, contractors at work.
Massman has 5 haul-roads to up-
per disposal area. Due 10 good
maintenance of these roads, little
congestion has occurred. This has
helped in speeding up operations
A new road to another disposal
near middle and west side of
SpillWay is under construction. A
passing track is also being construc-
ted at south end of the Govt RR.
Over 1000 men are employed at
the Spillway.
Employment figures for Project
continue to show an increase for
each semi-monthly period. Febr.
2S shows 1853 persons at work, a
net increase of 81 over total num-
Der employed Feb. IS, 1885.
Notable records have been estab-
by Mason & Walsh Co. for |
months pilot t~unnelling operations.
From Jan. "a to Feb. %, compris-
ng 80 8-hr shifts, crews in No. 8
tunnel advanced 1903 feet, a worlds
,ecord for penetration into rock
continuous supports are re-
This is an average of about
II # per shift for entire mOnth.A
1 pilot tunnels averaged 1853 fit. :
Der heading for the period, or 1872
t per shift. Record day was Feb.
%, with "a feet advanced in No. 3.
10 date there has not been a fatal ,
iccident inside the tunnels. :
Near top of east abutment, vert :
cal holes Cor pilot shafts) were :
until they intersected the :
unnels below. Steel hoppers have :
,een placed at bottoms of pilot :,
so that when enlargement =
operations are started from top, =
he shaie will fall into these hop =
'ers whence it will be hauled out \
n cars thru pilot tunnels to con- =
eyor. The rough excavation of
Enlargement will be circular. so feet
a diameter. No. 4 shafts has been
nlarged to a depth of ~ feet. |
ome work is to be completed on :
he other hoppers before the work d
f charging shafts can commence
Work in the open, at the down .
tream portals OF the tunnels, has c
progressed steadily during the past T