ANNUAL REPORT BUREAU OF ENGINEERING, FISCAL YEAR 1904. The SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND POLICE, Manila, P. I. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual report of the operations of the bureau of engineering for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1904: ROAD CONSTRUCTION. Requests from the provinces for insular assistance in improving existing highways and in constructing new ones have been numerous. These requests have been accompanied by recommendations from various officials pointing out the importance of improved highways (1) to the provincial officials in making their official trips, (2) in the operations of the constabulary, (3) in the extension of mail routes, (4) and, more particularly, in the development of fertile agricultural regions by reducing the cost of transportation of products, the price of which at the market centers has been high during the period of impassable roads, when the cost of transporting same to the markets has been practically prohibitive. The principal work of the bureau during the year has been that of highway construction. Attention is invited to the additional value of road construction as a means of improvement in the organization of native labor and in its increased effectiveness. While difficulties have been encountered frequently in maintaining a uniform supply of labor, they are decreasing. The practice of giving only a few days' service and the unwillingness to labor in adjacent barrios may be considered as things of the past. It appears that considerable confidence in fair treatment has been gained; that a knowledge of the use of tools is being acquired, and that an application of such knowledge to the development of agricultural work is appreciated and utilized, and that the relation of manual labor to the development of the individual is gradually attaining its proper position. While the native still seeks the clerical position at the lesser money value rather than the position of a skilled laborer, he is by degrees acquiring a conception of the dignity of labor. The principal difficulty in securing satisfactory efficiency in the native laborers is the scarcity of competent foremen acquainted with local conditions and native characteristics. The money expended on road work has perhaps a more far-reaching influence on the inhabitants than that expended through any other channel. It is more uniformly distributed among the people, it disseminates a broader knowledge of modern methods of work, it brings the American and the native into closer relationship and into a better understanding of each other. It is anticipated that this knowledge of tools and methods will be applied in the agricultural regions and will lead to an increased demand for American machinery and tools. The aggregate amount appropriated from insular funds for road construction was 1,335,600, of which P494,227.31 were expended during the fiscal year. This money has been distributed through 11 provinces. The total number of natives receiving employment on road work is estimated at 80,000. A brief description of the roads under prosecution and for the construction of which the Commission has appropriated insular funds follows: Vigan-Bangued road, provinces of Abra and Ilocos Sur.-A general description of this project is given on page 214, of part 3, Report of the Commission for 1903. Act 920, providing P80,000 from the Congressional relief fund for the construction of this road, was passed October 3, 1903. The appropriation was practically expended during the fiscal year and work abandoned in the month of June on account of lack of necessary funds for the completion of bridges. An additional appropriation of P14,700 was provided for by Act 1192, dated July 15, 1904, and the necessary bridges between San Quentin and Bangued are now in process of construction. The road is practically completed to San Quentin. The major portion of the work consists of heavy rock and side-hill work in the vicinity of the Gap, about 6 miles below San Quentin. The old military road leading from the Gap to Vigan was repaired for a distance of about 3.5 miles to the barrio San Julian. This portion of repair work the province had previously pledged itself to undertake. Work remaining to be done consists of the repair and construction of 22 bridges and culverts between San Quentin and Bangued. It is estimated that this work will be completed during the month of November. The Abra River now forms the only outlet for Abra. It can be used only by rafts, and during much of the rainy season its navigation is difficult and dangerous and frequently impossible. The completion of this road will afford increased interprovincial communication between Abra and Ilocos Sur; it will provide an outlet to the coast for Abra Province at all seasons of the year, and will materially cheapen the transportation to the markets of agricultural products and timber, in which Abra Province is rich. Its use will materially decrease the cost of transporting supplies into Abra Province. Mr. E. S. Wheeler has been in charge of this road as superintendent since construction commenced. The maximum number of laborers employed was about 700. Money statement. Amount appropriated, Act 920, October 3, 1903.. Balance available July 1, 1904. 180,000.00 79, 877.22 122.78 Capas-O'Donnell-Iba road, provinces of Tarlac and Zambales. Mention was made of the field work in progress on the Iba-O'Donnell survey on page 214 of the Annual Report of the Commission for 1903, part 3. During the southwest monsoons the exposed coast of Zambales is rendered difficult and dangerous for transportation by water. The construction of this road provides an outlet for the southerly portion of Zambales Province overland from Iba to Capas (on the WAR 1904-VOL 13-13 Manila and Dagupan Railway), a distance of about 50 miles. Adjacent to the termini of this road the population is fairly dense; the intermediate portion is sparsely settled. Location over the Cordillera de Cabusilan is somewhat difficult, and will represent the most expensive portion of the road. The maximum elevation is about 1,500 feet. A substantial road is under construction, and at the end of the fiscal year was opened up for a distance of about 20 miles. The road is provided with a rock crusher and a10-ton steam roller, and the finished road will be durable and well surfaced. The road opens up several square miles of fertile territory on the easterly side of the mountains, and considerable valuable timber will be available in the mountain regions. Construction was provided for by Act 1016, under date of November 30, 1903, appropriating for this purpose the sum of P360,000 from the Congressional relief fund. Construction was commenced January 1, 1904. It is anticipated that no additional appropriations will be needed for the completion of this road in a substantial and durable manner. Mr. E. A. Keys, assistant engineer, who made the survey of this road, was the superintendent from the beginning of construction to the 10th of August, on which date he resigned, and was succeeded by Mr. H. Thurber, then supervisor of Bulacan. Maximum number of laborers on this road was about 550. Money statement. Amount appropriated, Act 1016, November 30, 1903 Balance available July 1, 1904.......... 1360,000.00 76, 928.73 283,071.27 Pagbilao-Atimonan road, Tayabas Province. This road forms the principal link in the highway connecting the Pacific Ocean (Lamon Bay) with the China Sea, by way of Lucena, the provincial capital. It will materially reduce the expense of transportation of products from the Pacific coast to the markets. This coast is difficult and dangerous during the prevalence of the northwest monsoons and the present route of transportation is by water around the southeastern portion of the island of Luzon through the San Bernardino Straits. The length of road is about 21 miles; from Pagbilao to Lucena is about 7 miles. Upon completion the at present almost inaccessible portions of the province will be within comparatively casy reach of the capital. The most difficult portion of this road is over the mountainous section, a distance of about 4 miles, in which portion heavy grades are encountered and the construction is expensive on account of heavy sidehill and rock work. The maximum elevation of the road is about 750 feet. Surveys were authorized October 2, 1902, and were made by Mr. J. G. Vogelgesang, assistant engineer, who commenced field work August 11, 1903, and submitted final reports under date of November 10, 1903. The cost of surveys was P2,837.44. Act 1015, dated November 30, 1903, provides P174,000 from the Congressional relief fund for the construction of this road. Construction was commenced January 1, 1904, Mr. Vogelgesang having been appointed superintendent. This position was held by him until August 4, when he was fatally injured while in the discharge of his duties. He was succeeded by Mr. J. R. Miner, chief clerk, who had assisted in the surveys and who had been on the construction from its beginning. At the end of the fiscal year the construction was about one-half completed. The maximum number of laborers employed was about 1,200. Pasacao-Nueva Caceres road, Ambos Camarines Province. This road extends from Nueva Caceres, the provincial capital, to Pasacao, its seaport, and consists principally of repair work. The total length of road is 18 miles; it includes 46 bridges, aggregating 1,404 linear feet. One of the main objects of this road construction was to relieve distress existing in the province. Available provincial funds did not permit incurring this expenditure. Its construction was provided for by Act 918, under date of October 2, 1903, appropriating P50,000 for the work. The construction was commenced under the direction of the provincial supervisor, Mr. E. P. Shuman, February 1, 1904. At the end of the fiscal year about 70 per cent of the construction was completed. The maximum number of laborers employed on this work was about 800. Its This construction work has materially assisted in relieving the distress which existed in the province, and considerable hemp land has been opened up in the vicinity of the road since it began. completion will be of material value in connecting the provincial capital with its seaport. It is anticipated that the construction can not be completed within the appropriated amount, but the provincial funds will permit the completion without further request for assistance from the insular government. Money statement. Amount appropriated, Act 918, October 2, 1903.. Balance available July 1, 1904... 150,000.00 49, 333. 12 666.88 Lucena-Sariaya road, Tayabas Province.-The main object in the construction of this road was to increase interprovincial communication and to decrease the cost of transportation from the westerly part of the province to the capital and to the market. Its length is about 6 miles and it follows the right of way of an old trail. The region is practically level, except the approaches to the ford near Lucena, and the road passes through a fertile agricultural area. An examination of this road was made in December, 1903, by J. G. Vogelgesang, assistant engineer, under authorization dated September 21, 1903. Act 1073, under date of March 3, 1904, provides for the construction of this road by an appropriation of P39,000 from the Congressional relief fund, which includes the construction of a bridge at Sariaya and at Candelaria. Construction was commenced May 2, 1904. |