CANAL CONSTRUCTION. 



63 



on the cost of building a canal exclusive of the rock 

 work they usually calculate the expense of excavating 

 at from ten to fifteen cents a cubic yard of earth 

 removed. The ac5lual cost of this work has of later 

 years been reduced, by means of the big grading ma- 

 chines, to the minimum of three or four cents a cubic 

 yard. In arriving at the cost of canal construdlion in 

 various parts of the west the government officials have 

 compiled the following tabulated computation : 



average; cost PISR MIIyE OF CONSTRUCTING IRRIGATING 

 CANALS AND DITCHES 



Since the foregoing estimates were made up and 

 following the publication of this book in 1895, the 

 cost of ditch work has decreased very materially, so 

 that future estimates must be on a much lower scale. 

 For instance, on ordinary ditches the large-sized drag- 

 scrapers will deliver one-sixth of a cubic yard in one 

 load. With good teams and proper management, one 

 yard every six minutes, or ninety yards a day, can be 

 removed. In scraper work the cost of excavating 



