Laying Cast-iron Pipes.—Table 10 has been prepared to show what can be accomplished with Mexican labor in laying pipes. In this kind of work the labor was particularly efficient; after the gangs were once drilled into shape, the work proceeded systematically, and at very good speed. All the pipes, after being laid, were tested to 150 lb. per sq. in. in the presence of the Technical Inspector.
Table 11 gives the details of the excavation, the material, and the average cost, of laying about 106.6 km. of pipes.
House Connections.—The ordinary house connections, which are of 19-mm. (3⁄4-in.) galvanized-steel pipe, are connected to the mains by lead goosenecks and brass corporation cocks. The Company's obligation under the concession extended to the edge of the sidewalk, and at this point curb-boxes, chiefly of the Hays pattern, were placed; but, subsequently, owing to the metering of every house service in the city, the control of the Company extended to the meter, which, as a rule, is placed immediately inside of the house. Owing to the rapid deterioration of the house service pipes in some districts of the northern part of the city, where the soil is formed of decaying organic matter, it has been decided to use lead pipe entirely from the main to the meter.
Damage Due to Floods.—During the night of August 27th, the main 61-cm. pipe, under the river bed of Santa Catarina, at the point where the main entered the city, was destroyed for a distance of 130 m., due to the scouring away of a whole block of city property. The Venturi meter register chart at the South Reservoir showed that the break occurred a few minutes before midnight. The location of this pipe is shown by [Fig. 5]; its broken end was in proximity to an old bridge pier. Fortunately, at the time of the flood, the Obispado Reservoir works were completed, and the whole city was supplied with water from San Geronimo within 48 hours. As only about 1,500 services had then been connected, this delay was not serious; in fact, in the lower part of the city, the water in the mains was sufficient until the San Geronimo supply could be connected. To make a temporary connection
to conduct the high-pressure water to the city, a 15-cm. steel pipe was placed above ground, on the line of the main, for a distance of 100 m. This pipe was supported by a cable, 30 mm. in diameter, and by timber trestles. By limiting the supply district, this pipe was of sufficient capacity to serve until the large main could be safely restored.
TABLE 10.—Cost of Laying and Jointing Cast-Iron Pipes,
Excluding Lowering and Testing.
| Employees. | Rate for 10 hour day. Pesos. | Total No. men. | Total cost of labor. Pesos. | No. of pipes laid.. | Cost per linear meter. Pesos. |
| Foreman | 4.50 | 1 | 4.50 | ... | ... |
| Caulkers | 3.00 | 4 | 12.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead pourers | 2.00 | 2 | 4.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead melter | 1.50 | 1 | 1.50 | 20 | 0.498 |
| Pipe cutter | 2.00 | 1 | 2.00 | ... | ... |
| Peons | 1.00 | 12 | 12.00 | ... | ... |
| Water boy | 0.50 | 1 | 0.50 | ... | ... |
| —— | ——— | ||||
| ... | 22 | 36.50 | ... | ... |
| Employees. | Rate for 10 hour day. Pesos. | Total No. men. | Total cost of labor. Pesos. | No. of pipes laid.. | Cost per linear meter. Pesos. |
| Foreman | 4.50 | 1 | 4.50 | ... | ... |
| Caulkers | 3.00 | 5 | 15.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead pourers | 2.00 | 2 | 4.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead melter | 1.50 | 1 | 1.50 | 25 | 0.410 |
| Pipe cutter | 2.00 | 1 | 2.00 | ... | ... |
| Peons | 1.00 | 10 | 10.00 | ... | ... |
| Water boy | 0.50 | 1 | 0.50 | ... | ... |
| —— | ——— | ||||
| ... | 21 | 37.50 | ... | ... |
| Employees. | Rate for 10 hour day. Pesos. | Total No. men. | Total cost of labor. Pesos. | No. of pipes laid.. | Cost per linear meter. Pesos. |
| Foreman | 4.50 | 1 | 4.50 | ... | ... |
| Caulkers | 3.00 | 4 | 12.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead pourers | 2.00 | 2 | 4.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead melter | 1.50 | 1 | 1.50 | 35 | 0.287 |
| Pipe cutter | 2.00 | 1 | 2.00 | ... | ... |
| Peons | 1.00 | 12 | 12.00 | ... | ... |
| Water boy | 0.50 | 1 | 0.50 | ... | ... |
| —— | ——— | ||||
| ... | 22 | 36.50 | ... | ... |
| Employees. | Rate for 10 hour day. Pesos. | Total No. men. | Total cost of labor. Pesos. | No. of pipes laid.. | Cost per linear meter. Pesos. |
| Foreman | 4.50 | 1 | 4.50 | ... | ... |
| Caulkers | 3.00 | 4 | 12.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead pourers | 2.00 | 2 | 4.00 | ... | ... |
| Lead melter | 1.50 | 1 | 1.50 | 40 | 0.221 |
| Pipe cutter | 2.00 | 1 | 2.00 | ... | ... |
| Peons | 1.00 | 8 | 8.00 | ... | ... |
| Water boy | 0.50 | 1 | 0.50 | ... | ... |
| —— | ——— | ||||
| ... | 18 | 32.50 | ... | ... |