WOOD PIPE FOR CONVEYING IRRIGATION WATER. 29 



may be made of a heavy piece of timber about 5 feet long. The pipe 

 is usually driven from the coupling or mortised end. 



Deflections of from 2° to 6° per joint can be made with this kind of 

 pipe, but a straight line is desirable, and crooks in either vertical 

 or horizontal alignment should be avoided as far as possible. Where 

 curves are necessary, short sections of pipe may be obtained for the 

 purpose. Greater deflections can be made with small pipe than with 

 large sizes. 



The backfilling around curves should be thoroughly tamped or 

 puddled, as a precaution against blowing out under pressure, and 

 metal bends and plugs should also be well staked or reinforced, for 

 the same reason. 



To make best progress in laying this kind of pipe a crew of from 

 four to eight men is required, the number depending on the size of 

 the pipe. The amount that can be laid in a day varies with the 

 size of the pipe, experience of the crew, and other conditions. 



The Pacific Coast Pipe Co. estimates the cost of laying western 

 pipe at from 1^ cents per foot for 4-inch to 5 cents per foot for 24- 

 inch, exclusive of all distribution along ditch and earthwork. The 

 Portland Wood Pipe Co. estimates the cost of laying different sizes 

 as follows: 4-inch, 1 cent per foot; 6-inch and 8-inch, \\ cents; 10- 

 inch, 2 cents; 12-inch, 2-J cents, distribution and earthwork not in- 

 cluded. P. A. Devers, manager Pasco Eeclamation Co., Pasco, 

 Wash., gives the cost of laying pipe at Pasco, as follows: For sizes 

 from 8 inches to 14 inches in diameter the labor cost for excavation 

 and installation varies from 8 cents to 10 cents per linear foot, ac- 

 cording to size. Trenches for some of the larger pipes were exca- 

 vated by contract at 25 cents per cubic yard. For installing several 

 miles of 6-inch pipe, the trenching and other labor cost was about 6 

 cents per linear foot. The rate of wages is not given, but presumably 

 laborers were paid from $2 to $2.50 per day of 10 hours. Trenches 

 were probably not more than 2 feet deep, and the material excavated 

 was mainly a sandy soil. In gravel the cost was increased 15 to 20 

 per cent, according to the statement of Mr. Devers. 



MAINTENANCE OF WOOD-PIPE LINES. 



It should not be assumed that large continuous stave pipe lines 

 when once installed will forever after take care of themselves. 

 Reasonably frequent inspection is advisable, and whenever leaks 

 are found, or injuries of any nature are sustained, they should be re- 

 paired without unnecessary delaj^. Negligence in this respect and 

 failure to appreciate the importance of such inspection has riot only 

 shortened the life of many pipe lines, but has in some instances 

 greatly increased the cost of repairing. The continued impinging 

 of a grit laden jet from a small leak has been known to sever steel 



