Alliance Construction

August 6, 1942 almost exactly 8 month’s after Pearl Harbor. Royal was working a summer job as a government inspector at a new (being build) glider base in Alliance. His letter says Alliance, Colorado but I had thought that it was in Nebraska. I got out the Road Atlas and couldn’t find an Alliance, Colorado. I searched the web no Alliance, Colorado. There were lots of different kinds of alliances in Colorado, but no towns with that name. I was thinking this place just disappeared. Finally I checked Nebraska. There it was about 125-150 miles north of Atwood; Colorado was Alliance, Nebraska. Martha & Royal lived in Atwood and he had been teaching in Sterling. At this point Martha must have been in Atwood with 3 kids (Marj 3 ½, Tom 2, Dick 6 mo.). I think at the end of this summer they moved to Prescott, AZ where Royal almost doubled his teaching salary. Even if you find this description of the construction project boring be sure to read the letter all the way to the last sentence.

320 W 3rd
Alliance, Colorado
Apron #1 Runway #16
Station 27+80
Time 5:00 P.M.
August 6, 1942

I thought it might be interesting to write from the reservation for once. The above information will locate my car almost to the foot. I have been on shift for only an hour. The afternoon crew – except concrete finishers have gone. The finishers are sitting on their bridges over the runway waiting for the chemical action of the mix to harden the concrete sufficiently to it stand up when the joints are cut. One finisher is going along the side of the runway edging the new slab. Two are sitting in the shade of a light house. On my left a big grader just went past. This grader is preparing the sub-grade in runway #12 in order that the form can be set. On my right the mechanics and grease monkeys are swarming over Paver # 535E and Paver #501E getting them ready for the night shift (starts 8:00 Pm –until 6 a.m.). My car is parked in runway #14 and just ahead of the car is four more light houses. (Really a 110 volt Kohler light plant with a small house about the motor. A mast with two 1000 watt lamps mounted on top. Also in the distance sit at interval 50 gallon drums that contain paraffin dissolved in some volatile material used in a spray gun to spray the finished slab – This prevent evaporation of the inherent moisture in the concrete which makes it unnecessary to cure the concrete by spraying with water. This process is called the Hunt Process. This material also contains a red dye that fades in light in about two hours. If it did not fade it would cause such great absorption of heat by the concrete as to drive out the moisture before the curing process was complete. (A dark red surface being a good absorber of heat rays – a white surface being a good reflector.

One of the grease monkeys is now going over the concrete finishing machine. Checking the motor and oiling the machinery. This machine carries the levelers or screeds that work back and forth across over concrete. On the finishing machine are the rubber boots worn by Negro puddlers and the shovels that the use to level the freshly poured concrete in the runway. Just behind the finishing machine of the floaters cart is the bull float. The bull float is worked by two men and is used to level off the concrete and pack it.

One of the mechanics has now just left the mixer and has rolled the wheel barrow in which the vibrator is moved down the runway out to my right on the slab. The vibrator is a little gasoline motor with a mechanical contrivance added that can be used to vibrate the concrete between two adjoining slabs or at a contraction joint. The vibrator is used by two men – they get 80-$1.00 per hour. [not sure what he meant here rlr]

In the distance on my left men swarm around new buildings like flies – barracks, storerooms, warehouses, and a thousand and one buildings are being built. In the same area men are laying water pipes, sewers, hanging light and telephone wires, and building up the utilities that go with a modern city.

In the distance on my right giant dirt haulers, (turnapoles) are driving like mad digging out dirt in one place and hauling it to another in order to prepare grade for another airplane runway.

In spite of all this activity grass and weeds grow right in in the untraveled spots. Beautiful wild sunflowers are blooming unmolested 50 feet from this spot.

Alliance is getting a wonderful airport from this project. The business people are getting more business than they can take care of. But all is not gold that glitters. The usual stragglers are here. There are fights in the new Negro town, the usual influx of disease is here. Gamblers, pickpockets etc. are on every corner. Many of the personnel have been in every state in the union and they know all the answers. Many local people will be spoiled by high wages. Much of the high wages is being paid to greedy landlords. Leon Hendersen has kept the groceries from being a racket. But liquor stores and other vendors are really cleaning up. I must close this and read some in my book. I will be glad to answer questions Sat. morning in person. Any other personal service I can render will be gratefully tendered.