The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-09-10
DAM PROGRESS
IS SATISFACTORY
PLACEMENT OF ASPHALT PAVING
ON CHANNEL ROADWAYS
NEARS COMPLETION
Many More Weeks Before Engineers
Feel Secure Against CONTINGENCIES
of the Treacherous Big Muddy;
Downstream Borrow Pit CHANGING,

Dredging at Fort Peck during
the first half of August netted
2,354,5OO cubic yards more fiji in
place. Satisfactory progress is be-
ing made at filling the closure
section of the dam. However, many
more weeks will be required before
engineers feel secure against con-
souri, river. Procurement Of this
material is rapidly changing the
appearance of the downstream bOr-
row pit where the four dredges
are eating enormous gOuges from
the level floodplain.
The yer changing aspect of the
borrow pit is most striking in the
vicinity of the railroad yards where
the swing bridge in the main line from
Dredge jefferson is seen on the west
side of the track charging an appre-
ciable-sized stretch of water between
Park Grove and the dam. Vehicular
traffic between Fort Peck and Nashua
is temporarily routed over the new
swing bridge.
Further changes in appearance are
observed at the flood spillway where
completion of the MaSsman Construc-
ton company has permitted them to
remove most of their job buildings and
Sil4EAAiSAAo IVAN SASo32 oP AN ~ liz
they have done so much work. They
Leave a concrete-lined channel 5000
feet long of large and very pleasing
proportions. Machinery and equipment
have been neatly lined up along the
railroad tracks some distance west of
the channel where it can be inspected
by prospective purchasers. The con-
whole construction plant for sale.
Paving Nears Completion
A sub-contractor is nearing compile
ton with placement of asphalt paving
on the roadWayS down each side of
the channel. When this work is done
there will remain to he completed only
the gate and cutoff structures at the
ends of the lined channel and some
concrete parapet walls, Or hand rail-
ings. along the sides of the roads.
Addison Miller and Fielding & Shop
ley are making rapid progress on the
gate structure. Another two weeks and
the roadway atop the gate piers. The
last of the 16 steel gates has been set
in place. This was near the middle of
the row where it was necessary to leave
an opening for a roadway through the
structure. Since the McKierman Terry
corporation has installed operating
machinery, some of the first gates set
q llOW NC l1lICu dllo OUllC1
utilized.
Over half of the $4,000 cubic yards
of tough Shale required to be %eXcavated
for the cell walls of the cutoff struc-
ture at the lower end of the spillway
has been removed. Last week the con-
tractor averaged nearly 600 cubic yards
of trench excavation per day. Getting
the muck out of the deep holes is
the hardest, slowest part Of the cut
off wall job.
Concrete Plant Removed
The concrete plant at the inlet por-
tails of the diversion-control tunnels
presSors have been taken from their
concrete foundations and shipped away.
Buildings have been taken down and
the site cleaned up.
Similar plant removal has been made
at the outlet portals. Shop buildings
and salvage materials are gone and
the place bears scant resemblance to
the beehive of activity which it was a
year ago. Water pours out of two tun-
tains the small lake above the dam
quite close to elevation 2,O45. Future
maximum lake level will be elevation
$3.50.
Near the control gate shafts at the
top of the east abutment. where a
hilltop was cut off to make a level
working area, a supply of concrete ag-
gregates for the main control gate work
Is being stored. One hundred and
eighteen carloads have been placed
there so far and more is to come until
there is enough to complete the main
control gate shaft work. The j. L.
Shelly company's aggregate screening
and washing plant at Cole, Mont,
probably will not operate next year to
supply sand and gravel for Fort Peck
concrete work. Next years supply of
sand and gravel must be screened and
washed now before freezing weather
starts.
The way government dirt-moving