HARBOR WORKS AT VALPARAISO.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12814, 13 July 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

HARBOR WORKS AT VALPARAISO.

The J contractA recently obtained by Messrs S. Pearson and Son for harbor work at Valparaiso against tho competition of a Franco-Dutch combination of contractors and a German firm, besides that of another British firm, consists of the construction ofT a breakwater 288 m long, 1585 m of quay walls, a jetty 25;0m long and 120 m wide, a coal wharf 200 m long , arid . 30m wide, and the reconstruction , and extension of an existing fiscal wharf fOr a length of 370 m. The breakwater, the -outer end of which is to be built. in water varying between 40m and 60m m depth, will be. erected on rubble foundations, 120 m wide at the bottom, and brought to a height of 14m below mean water level. Tlie breakwater will be constructed to 7.5 m above that level, and will be composed of concrete blocks made with local stone and English Portland cement. The width on the top will be 14m, extending to 16m at "the bottom, and it will be protected throughout its] length on the sido exposed to the. sea by concrete toe blocks. The quay walls are to be built along the shore line, and behind them land will ' be reclaimed on which ;' to erect warehouses, etc. The principal buildings, to be built of reinforced concrete, include four warehouses measuring 50m by 60iri, two measuring 130 m hy 25m, and four measuring 115 m by 25m. The quay walls themselves will be erected along a part- of the shore which . is now 10m to 12m below mean water level. Tliiey will also be constructed of concrete blocks, and, will be provided with a subway throughout their length for the accommodation of electric cables to supply energy for electric cranes, lighting, etc, through special switches to be provided on the surface. There', -will'-- be 24 -electrically-driven cranes, and one of '80 tons' capacity, besides transporters and hydraulic appliances. The whole undertaking involves 518,116 cum of dredging, 2,104,262 cum of reclamation, 1,226i787 cum of rubble, 325,140/ dii', hi of concrete, 13,600 tons of iron ami- s,teel worl^ 23,500 linm bf railway and crane track, and 163,0cb sq mof paving. The cost of the work is £2,600,000, and the period allowed for its completion is A seven years.