Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark, SA : 1913 - 1942), Friday 21 December 1923, page 5


____

Preparing to Instal Gigantic

Humphrey Pump.

(BY A SPECIAL CORRESPON

DENT).

Some twelve months ago a move ment wae started by the Irrigation Department to get things ready, to instal a Humphrey pump, at Cobdogla. The existing plant was only yielding 1,600,000 gallons of water' an hour for irrigation purposes and this was not sufficient. The new pump, which works by gas explosion, is expected to treble that amount, and as it is ascertained that it is the cnly one of its kind in use in the Southern Hemisphere it will be something to be looked forward to.

But before we get to this stage there was some work to be done in preparing for this plant. Mr. W. Joyner, engineer in charge, because of the amount of work. and other plants under his charge had to find assistance and Messrs. L. Murphy and W. Pinnington, of S.A. Harbours Board, came to his aid with a pile driving machine and

other necessities.

Work was then started, and after three or four months the pile driving was finished. Excavating then began, and by means of a suction pump a hole to the depth of 30 to 40 feet and 100 -feet long was made. But this huge pit was not left unprotected. Every 6 feet a pier of huge oregon timber was put in and heavily strutted.

When this place was excavated to its present depth, trees in their decaying stage and bones of one-time animals were found. Some of the bones have been sent along to the Adelaide Museum for identification. The trees, having been exposed to the open air, are gradually going to dust.

With the excavating practically finished and a long way to go the concrete mixer was introduced and Mr. Joyner and his assistant, Mr. A. V. Scott are pushing ahead with a bed for a concrete tank 40 ft. in diameter and some 42 ft. high and other requirements. To erect the pump a large body of labour is also employed but according to the work that is still to be done it will be well into next season before the plant is ready.

During the last week the steamer Tarella arrived here. with the Hum-phreys plant, and unloaded near by. Some of the parts are of immense size, in pieces weighing up to 12 tons, and, but under the supervision of Mr. Thompson and Skipper A. Porter they were safely landed with only one slight accident. Mr. E. Stidiford, one of the crew, had the misfortune to lift a nail off his main finger with a piece of wire rope. The Tarella left for Murray Bridge, but Mr. Stidiford stayed behind to have his injured finger attended to.