EXCAVATING MACHINERY USED IN LAND DRAINAGE. 



29 



ranging in size from 3 feet wide and 2\ feet deep up to 19 feet wide 

 and 8 feet deep; while the wide-templet machine will construct 

 channels varying in size from 6 feet wide and 6 feet 3 inches deep, to 

 32^ feet wide and 12 feet deep. 



The excavator is operated either by steam or gas engine. A 25 

 to 40 horsepower steam plant is necessary, depending on the size of 

 the excavator; or, if an internal-combustion engine is used, from 50 

 to 80 horsepower is required. The bucket varies in size from \ cubic 

 yard to 2 cubic yards. An operator and 1 assistant are required 

 to operate the machine. 



COST OF OPERATION. 



A single-bucket templet excavator was used in southern Louisiana 

 on the construction of 7,825 feet of ditch having a 24-foot bottom 

 width and ranging in depth from 3.5 to 7 feet. The side slopes were 

 1 to 1, and the width of berm was 15 feet. The total excavation was 

 43,128 cubic yards. The total cost of this machine on the work was 

 $8,506.22. The soil was a yellow clay with a few spots of gravelly 

 clay, and the top soil was baked very hard. No special difficulties 

 were encountered except that considerable cribbing was necessary 

 to level up the track supporting the excavator when crossing natural 

 water courses; except for these streams the ground was level. Some 

 trouble was also experienced with the traction device, due to the fact 

 that the ditch was larger than that for which the machine was designed. 

 The actual number of working days was 128, 73 days of which were 

 spent in actual digging. The cost of operation per day was as 

 follows: One operator, $3.85; one fireman, $2.28; three deck hands, 

 $6.27; one team and teamster, $5.40. The total cost per day was $17.80. 

 The average daily excavation for the number of days worked was 337 

 cubic yards. The total cost of operation for 5 months was $3,500.58. 

 Interest and depreciation in that time, at 41 per cent per annum, 

 would amount to $1,452.82, making the total cost $4,953.40 and the 

 cost per cubic yard $0.1149. Table 1 is an itemized statement of 

 cost for the entire work. 



Table 1. — Cost of operation of single-bucket templet excavator on a ditch in Southern 



Louisiana. 



Labor. 



Opera- 

 tion. 



Re- 

 pairs. 



Material. 



Opera- 

 tion. 



Re- 

 pairs. 



Fuel. 



Total 

 cost. 



February.. 



March 



April 



May 



June 



Total 



Dollars. 

 170. 00 

 439. 75 

 306. 59 

 499. 63 

 469. 27 



Dollars 

 26.00 

 48.90 

 116.31 

 46.80 

 56.47 



Dollars. 



45.00 

 141.92 

 122. 05 



77.69 

 109. 37 



Dollars 

 20.00 

 52.63 

 91.34 

 5.41 

 53.61 



Dollars 

 55.39 

 158. 50 

 100. 00 

 156. 92 

 131.03 



1, 885. 24 



496. 03 



222. 99 



601. 84 



Dollars. 

 316. 39 

 841. 70 

 736. 29 

 786. 45 

 819. 75 



3,500.58 



