Imperial Valley press., 1936-06-14

Although each concern Is large
firm in itself, they grouped togeth-
er to assume the heavy responsible
tiles of the undertaking, just as
six companies combined to con-
struct Boulder Dam.
They received the contract as
the result of a bid Of $4,374,240.6O.
All materials fer the permanent
structures will be provided and
purchased by the government,
which will bring the total cost up
to the six million mark. 1t was
en- January Is, 1896, that work
started, and, according to the
contract, Morrison Utah Wins
ton has until April, 1888 to
excavate 2,55O00G cubic yards OF
earth; drive 100000 board feet
OF timber sheet piling; drive 5.-
203 900 pounds of steel sheet pill
ing; mix and pour some l65,3OO
cubic yards OF concrete over l8,-
255,000 pounds of reinforcement
steel bars, and place more than
eight million pounds OF gate struc-
lures and miscellaneous steel.
Hundreds of Tasks
These are the raw engineering
provisions which mean little TO
the layman Actually, they are
merely terms OF measuring costs
for construction firms and, in ad-
dition to what they indicate IN
the major construction job, they
do not picture the hundreds OF
additional tasks involved as a
BACKGROUND to the construction
undertaking itself.
Various tasks were grouped to-
gether and sub-contracted to other
firms. The work of driving all pill
ing, both steel and lumber. was
Sub-contracted to Merritt Chapman
& Scott Of San Pedro; excavation
of all soil and transporting and
filling all compacted earth and
rock embankments, weirs, canal
banks and other parts OF the job
were contracted to the George w.
Condor company Of Omaha, Neb
Lockhart and Hall, building con-
tractors of Los Angeles assumed
the task of building town to
house workers; the National Com
missary company of the same
place took the contract to feed
workers, supervise the town dor
mitories and provide clothing,
drugs, food and such essentials as
a community needs to exist. To
still others went other sub-con-
tracts such as fabricating steel re-
Inducements by Charles Hill, and
the water system installed by the
Kelly Pipe Co
While these firms are actually
doing their prescribed parts. Nor
riSon- Utah Winston generally re-
ferred to as M.UWD are RESPONSE
BILE and closely check, supervise,
and consult with the respective
superintendents, while assuming
for themselves the major duty of
mixing and pouring all the con
crete in the huge dam and desilt-
ing structures.
Civilization Comes
Starting with the first day of
work. civilization has invaded this
heretofore desolate spot n the
foothills. Among the first en-
croachments of engineering was a
bridge across the river just a
bove where the dam will eventu-
ally be located. Across this march
ed armies of workmen, trucks,
tractors and power shovels, con-
Meeting the Arizona side Of the
structure with the main head
quarters on the California shore.
Brush Cleared Away
A large force cut away the
greasewood, salt cedar, arroWweed |
and ironwood on both sides of the
river. On the California shore,
marshy flats were pumped dry, |
cut away by draglines, and be-
came the habitat of putting pile
drivers. Power shovels ate away
heretofore desolate spots in the
hills which stood where the upper
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