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<br />I) () 323 \tHE GUNNISON RIVER DIVE~SION PROJECT
<br />
<br />279
<br />
<br />Water flowing into the tunnel must be pumped long distances
<br />before it is finally discharged. The material through which the
<br />tunnel has been excavated has been extremely difficult to handle
<br />in many places. The country in which the work is located is not
<br />self-supporting. This has required the shipment from outside
<br />points of practically every pound of supplies used, Freight rates
<br />are high, labor is scarce, and correspondingly indifferent; supplies
<br />of all classes are commanding the highest prices ever realized,
<br />All of these factors increase the difficulty and the expense. S3 ,
<br />
<br />Lack of good, and in'some cases any, workmen did indeed
<br />present a serious problem, unimproved by good wages. La-
<br />borers on concrete work were paid at the rate of $2.36 per
<br />eight-hour day. Excavation ,laborers were paid from $2.25 to
<br />$2.50 per day, while foremen received $3.00 a day. Superin-
<br />tendentsreceived $122.50 per month. Men received free lodg-
<br />ings and hot showers but had to pay for their meals, 75c a day.
<br />The two camps, however, were somewhat isolated, the work
<br />hazardous, and the average stay for a, worker was only two
<br />weeks!'
<br />
<br />On June 30, 1906, about a year'after the ReClamation Serv-
<br />ice took over work on the tunnel, 11,992 feet had been exca-
<br />vated from the four headings," and in July headings three
<br />and four on the west end were connected.s6 One of the work
<br />gangs during this period averaged 25.6 feet per day, considered
<br />to be "greater progress than was ever made on similar work"s,
<br />At other times it would take from twelve to twenty hours just
<br />to drill the blasting holes.s8
<br />
<br />Over the entire construction period, except for unavoidable
<br />delays, men worked in three shifts, night and day, averaging
<br />255 feet a month (350 a month from west side, 150 a month
<br />from east river portal side).s" It was considered satisfactory
<br />progress to proceed 300 feet per month in granitic formation
<br />free from unusual difficulties, 240 feet per month in heavy
<br />ground, and 600 to 750 feet per month in shale offering no
<br />unusual obstaCles."" An American record in tunnel driving
<br />through hard rock was made here in January of 1908, when
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />S3 u. S. Reclamation Service, fith Annual Report.. op. cU., 108-109.
<br />~I Page, op. cit., 9327; ReclaJj/ation Record (November. 1908>' lOt.
<br />&dU. S. Reclamation Sen'ic€, 5th Annual R-eport, op. clt., 110.
<br />sa U. So Reclamation Service, 6th Annual R.eport.: OJ). cit.. 79.
<br />s. (T. S. Reclamation Service, 5th Annu(.Ll Report.. op. cd., 109.
<br />6~ U. S. Reclamation Service, 9th A.n71.ual Report. op. cU., 97-98. "Dri11ing
<br />was carriec1 on with drills considered best adapt.ed to the character of ground
<br />encountered at any given time. In the hard granites the Su1Hvan 3-inch piston
<br />drill was u!-;ed. In the less refractory ground the Sulltvan 21,~-inch drill gave
<br />good service. For certain classes of work the Leyner drills, e~peclally the new"er
<br />models, gave sath:ifactory results. In the shales, which ha\"e about the hardness
<br />of semibituminous coal, the Jeffre~r coal auger, air driven, was used with highly
<br />satisfactory resultF-. In the cla)'s, some of which were sufficientl). compact to
<br />shoot to advantage, a soft anger gave best results. Pop holes, holes for trolley
<br />hangers, for pipe hangers, for feed- wire brackets, and similar uses, were drilled
<br />wHh stoplng drills, of which several types were used."
<br />Ii9 Chapman, Of) Git., 178; Rolker and Willey, 0.11. eit., 516: U. S. Reclamation
<br />Service, 6th Ann1Hll R.Bport, OJ). cit... 79. . .
<br />90 U. S. Reclamation Service, 9th Annual Report.. Opt eit... 99.
<br />91 U. S. Reclamation Ser:vice, 7th Annual Report, op. cit., 75.
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