Imperial Valley press., 1936-02-19
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GUS flood Of a few months later
was caught and stored
While work continued on the
project, Mead Lake. which was
formed by the dam. filled the one
seventh of its capacity and grew
TO be the largest existing artificial
body of water. In addition to
catching a threatening flood. Mead
Lake and Boulder Dam prevented
a drought in the irrigated valleys
along the lower Colorado river.
where crop losses totaled $4,000
600 in 1884, by making il possible
to release from storage a larger
volume of water than the river was
carrying during the summer and
fall of 1885.
Generators Installed
Meantime preparations are being
made to place the first battery of
gigantic $500 kilovolt ampere
generators in operation in May or
June. Four of these are being in
stalled at this time. In all the
power house will contain Is gen.
orators of this size and two of 40
900 kv.a. capacity. The power house
will not be fully equipped for sew
eral years.
In construction of Boulder Dam
and power house. the Bureau of
Reclamation estimated that a total
Of 604,80O man-months was pro-
vided of all classes of employment.
The Bureau of Reclamation will
take over the plant and equipment
of the contractor for use without
charge until October l in the in
Stallation of power house equip
ment and in putting certain fin
ishing touches ON the structures.
Company Gets S54,70O,000
Under the contract entered by
the Bureau with Six Companies,
Inc, on March Il, 1881, the con-
tractors gross earnings will amount
to approximately S54, 100000. The
work now being completed origin
ally was expected to require 1855
days and the contractor was given
until April %, 1888, to finish the
job. Thus the work will be COM
pleted two years, one month and
e days ahead of schedule.
Six Companies, Inc, the con-
tractor, and the Bureau of Reclaim
alton entered a final agreement on
payments, penalties and settlement
of claims prior to fixing the date
for termination of the contract.
The contract was a unit price
contract, as contfasted with a lump
sum contract, and under it pay
mentS were made on the basis Of
the yardage of excavation done
and concrete poured, etc. Disagree
mentS between the contractor and
the Bureau of Reclamation with
regard to amounts of work done;
disputes over the unit price at
which certain claSsifications of
work were to be paid and assess
ment of penalties by the Bureau
against the contractor for violation
of the law against overtime work
all were adjusted in the final agree
ment in which the contractor re-
signed any further claim against
the government.
Estimates Increased
When bids were called on con-
struction of Boulder Dam and pow
er house the Bureau of Reclama-
ton estimated that on the basis OF
the specifications it had prepared
the Job would cost S48, 866,25 Six
Companies. in the successful bid,
estimated the cost under the unit
prices submitted at S48,090, 1850.
The gross earnings now are estim-
ated at S54,700,00O. With deductions
made by the Bureau Of Reclama-
ton for various services, such as
provision of electric power to the
contractor and rental at Boulder
City. the actual cash payment to
the contractor will approximate
S51, $4,000.
After the contract was let,
change was made in the design OF
the power house 10 increase It's
size. This increased the cost OF
the power house by more than two