PHOTO BY SYDNEY
w.
NEWBERY, LONDON.South Africa House, Trafalgar Square, London:
Marble Columns, Wall Linings, and Floor Inlays in Marble from the Company's Quarries at
Marble Hall, Transvaal.
Large stocks Imported and South African Marble. Lowest prices consistent with Best Quality and Workmanship.
Largest Plant in South Africa under supervision of overseas
experts.
CONTRACTORS TO PUBLIC WORKS DEPT.
- - - A N D
OTHER PUBLIC BODIES
HMARVELLO" PRODUCTS:
Air Separated Hydrated Slaked Lime
Plaster Lime Unslaked Lime Agricultural Lime Building Lime Marble Chips
Manufacturers of:
" MARVELLO " (Reg d. Brand) PLASTER LIME and BUILDING LIME- P.W.D. ap- proved. Superior, stronger, most economical, easier to work with, of outstanding plasticity
and very hardsetting.
Please write for descriptive brochure.
A cordial invitation is extended to Archi- tects, Contractors, interested Officials of Public Bodies and others to visit the Marble Plant at
8-32, WRIGHT BOAG ROAD (off Eloff St. Extension), Village Deep
JOHANNESBURG.
m ~
JOHANNESBURG
P.O. BOX 7711 Telegrams: "MARBLE" PHONE 33-8711
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
From the early days the Firm of HUNT, LEUCHARS & HEPBURN, Ltd., has been closely associated with the Building Industry in South Africa as suppliers of
Timber~Joinery, Hardware, and all Building Materials. - Specialities : "Universal" Teak Windows, "William Tell" Corrugated Iron, Ferrodor Paint, Malthoid Roofing and Mastipave Floor Coverings.
HUNT, LEU CHARS & HEPBURN
L I M I T E D
DURBAN & JOHANNESBURG
Baltic Buildings, SMITH STREET. Baltic Buildings, 42, ANDERSON ST.
P .0. Box 943. Tel. 26831. P.O. Box 47. Tel. 33- 2611.
Page 1.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
MACKAY MANSIONS
These two Parthenon Products were relied upon to produce pleasing effects to the exterior of this magnificent building.
A Word about these Two Products
NAVY
PARTHENON XX QUALITY NAVY PAINT.This finish produces perfect results on wood, metal or plaster, has great covering capacity and particularly long and effective "life." For interior or exterior use.
Weathering is uniform and without the formation of cracks.
23 Shades.
GNUDEK
DURABLE GLOSS PAINT. This is the perfect finish for wood or metaL inside or outside, will retain its protective qualities for years. Dries with a hard gloss finish which can be washed or otherwise, treated as an Enamel.Hl Standard Colours, all intermixable. Also Black and White.
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA
PARTHENON XX QUALITY NAVY PAINT was applied to all the plaster surfaces of Mackays Mansions.
GNUDEK DURABLE GLOSS PAINT was the obvious choice when considering a reliable all-weather finish for application to the Steel Windows.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
•
Herbert Evans & Co. very much regret that an illustration of Geraldine Court was inadvertently inserted instead of one of Mackays Mansions in an advertisement appearing in a previous issue of Public Works of South Africa. This error is greatly regretted and our apologies are hereby rendered to the Architects of each of the buildings concerned .
HERBERT EVANS & co.,
THE PAINT HOUSE.88 Pritchard St., Johannesburg •
and at 263 Pretorius Street, Pretoria.
Page 2.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
Portable and Mobile Crushing Plants
to meet all specifications
7/8 cu. yds. per hour-i product requires 21 h.p.
Kennedy No. 14.S. Crusher and Screen on Portable Plant.
Kennedy Primary, Secondary Gyratory crushers and screens require minimum of horsepower and maintenance to pro-
duce cubical product ..
SOLE S.A. DISTRIBUTORS FOR:-
*
Adams Graders & Motor Graders, from 1,400 lbs. to 24,000 lb.
weight.
Aireductor Ventilators.
Allis~Chalmers Crawler and Wheel Tractors from 16 to 120 h.p.
Baker Bulldozers and Hydraulic Scrapers.
Dawson Fawcetts Portable and Fixed Tarmacadam Plants, Brickmaking Machinery.
Mobile plant with Allis-Chalmers Tractor and Hadfield Crusher.
Gordon Boiler Control Equipment and Recor·ding Instruments.
Huber Road Rollers from 5 to 14 tons.
Kennedy Crushers, Screens and Pulverised Fuel Equipment.
Kinney Bitumen Distributors from 200 to 2,000 gal. capacity.
Slusser~McLean Rippers and Scrapers, 1 cu. yd. to 12 cu. yd.
Smith Mechanical Excavators, 8 cu. ft. to 14 cu. ft.
Sharples Oil Purifiers and Separators.
W · , - · ·TU8MA· >·~;,f > ett.<itT1'> lTB.
E.NCINEERS . . . MANUFA~CTU~EQS .~ '· . . IMPODTERS '
- Q, SIM~ONDS ST. EXt,. SELBV TOWNSHII('JQtf~NNESBURG. _P..O.BOI ~07, PHONE 33-7518 -_
AGENTS:-
CAPETOWN: W. S. Thomas & Co. (Pty.), Ltd., and Albert V aux & Co., 65 Short Market St.
PORT ELIZABETH: R. L. Weir & Co. (Pty.), Ltd., Victoria Quay.
EAST LONDON: F. Adendorff & Co. (Pty.), Ltd.
44 Union Street.
DURBAN: Victor Kent (Natal), (Pty.), Ltd., 62 Ordnance Road.
Mining and Engineering Agencies, Ltd.,
BULA WA YO, SALISBURY & N'DOLA.
Page 3
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OI' SOUTH AFRICA.
GEORGE KENT, LIMITED
24,000,000 GALLONS PER DAY
Maximum Instantaneous Flow Rate
Klips/Jruit Sewage Disposal Works.
Johannesburg Municipality.
•
VENTURI FLUME
METER
•
The Largest
Sewage Venturi
Flume in South Africa
METERS-RECORDERS-CONTROLLERS •
f-OR WATER, AIR, GAS, STEAM, CYfitNIDE, TEMPERATURE ·P.H. CONDUCTIVITY
Co2, Etc.
20, KERK STREET, JOHANNESBURG
Telegrams:
P.O. BOX 7396. "KENT METER" PHONE 33- 7766.
Page 4.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
CHLORIDE
pre-eminent • 1n
EMERGENCY LIGHTING
• Sorrze useful facts automatic emergency
about ~~ Keepalite '' lighting system -
WHAT DOES IT DO ? It switches into circuit autom:ttically a Chloride battery which maintains light in the vital parts of the bailding. The battery is switched off again automatically when the mains supoly is resumed.
IS IT EXPENSIVE? No. Equipments have been standardized for small, medium and large buildings, thereby reducing cost to a minimum.
WHAT ATTENTION IS REQUIRED ? Practically none. The battery is always maintained in a fully charged and healthy condition by a continuous minute trickle charge taken from the mains. The addition of distilled water to cells is only necessary about twice a year.
Entergency
must be
Lighting, to be adequate, AUTOMATIC-so specify
Pacenc No. 3 13248
THE CHLORIDE ELECTRICAL STORAGE COMPANY S.A. (PTY.), LIMITED,
P.O. BOX 7508, JOHANNESBPRG.
Page S.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
Page 6.
P-ROC-E./f-E./ IN
~-RCI-IIT -ECTU-Rtl L
M~TtiLWORK
The Draw Bench is the modern machine for sheathing hardwood mouldings with metal, and two such machines are in use in our Johannesburg Factory. Metal mould- ings of any design can be repro- duced to the minutest detail.
It is our constant endeavour, by skilful interpretation of schemes and excellent craftsmanship, to maintain our reputation as the leading Archi- tectural Metalworkers in the country.
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Cold Drawing of
Stainless Steel, Bronze,
Aluminium, etc.
on
Wood Cores.
Typical drawn ntetal section.
~RC~ITfCTUR~L M'T~L CR~f.T/MfN
Fredk. Sage & Co. (S.A.) Ltd.
10 HEIDELBERG ROAD
P.O. Box 777 Phone 22-7555
JOHANNESBURG
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
• Reliability ...
To talk about the many uses of cement, and how those uses have increased of late years, may not interest you ... but we feel sure you are very much interested 1n quality reliability !
• • •
The progress and achievement of this Company is due to the reliable quality of the cement manufactured. Thus, we can invite you, with every confidence, to specify PRETORIA Cement, for every bag is guaranteed Standard Specification . . . .
PRETORIA PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY, LIMITED, JOHANNESBURG.
Page 9.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
Month by month we will feature here illustrations of structures erected by us.
The photograph c!epicts Concrete Shells (56 feet high) for Lime Kilns, erected for Marble, Lime &
Associated In~
dustries, Ltd., at Marble H a ll.
Entire contract - foundations, shells and load~
ing platform - completed in 29
days.
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
HEADGEARS SILOS RESERVOIRS RAMPS BUNKERS - WAREHOUSES - BRIDGES - GRANDSTANDS DAMS- WATER TOWERS- SEWERAGE OUTFALL WORKS
0. GRINAKER
Civil Engineering Contractors
(PTY.)
LTD.
CROWN INDUSTRIA, MAIN REEF ROAD, JOHANNESBURG
Teleg.: "CONSTRUCT!' -· Box 90, P.O. CROWN MINES. Phone 35-1189.
Page 10.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
Public Works of South Africa
EDITOR : ERIK TODD.
EDITORIAL OFFICES :
FEBRUARY,
1 9 3 9.
PuBLICITY DEPARTMENT:
P.O. Box 1113. FIRST FLOOR,
PRETORIA. 92 MAIN ST., JOHANNESBURG.
''PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA," which is published monthly, is intended to keep the public up~to~
date in regard to projects of the Public Works Depart~
ments of South Africa, Union. Provincial and Local Government, giving expression to the activities of each of these departments of
service.
,...---* CONTENTS *--
Page.
CENTRAL GovERNMENT OFFICES, PRETORIA 13
NEw HARBOUR WoRKS AND IMPROVEMENTS AT DuRBAN 19
DuRBAN DEFENCE DEPARTMENT- MAIN OFFICE BLocK, QuARTERS, ETC. 23 NEw DEPARTMENTS IN SEWAGE DISPOSAL- JoHANNESBURG MuNICIPAL
ExPERIMENTS
ELECTRIC TRACTIONS FOR RAND AND PRETORIA RAILWAYS AN APPRECIATION
THE JuNIOR ENGLISH MEDIUM ScHOOL AT BoKSBURG KLERKSDORP's NEw HosPITAL
A NEw NoTE IN CoNCRETE WATER TowERS THE UMLAZI RIVER BRIDGE
TENDERS INVITED
BLoEMFONTEIN GENERAL PosT OFFICE SuPERSTRUCTURE - TENDERS RECEIVED
TENDERS AccEPTED
AuToMATIC ScREw~FEED CoNCRETE MIXER
25 29
31 32
33 34 36
37
40
41 43
Page 11.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
Page 12.
Central Government Offices Church Street
Pretoria
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
Central Government Offices, Pretoria
By W~ A. Macdonald
~~ ~~
~ Large- scale extensions ~ 1T described and the TI
~ unusual difficulties which li
~ have had to be overcome ~
THE MAIN STAIRCASE.
B
EFORE proceeding to describe this building, I feel that a few notes on the site are necessary, and a block plan has been reproduced in order to make things more clear. When the Central Govern~ment Offices, in Vermeulen Street (marked C. on plan), were designed in 1929, the building was treated as an architectural entity owing to the fact that the ground marked B, D and E did not belong to the Government at that date. The portion marked B was bought a few years after the building was erected, and D and E will be released shortly for Government use when the new Barclays Bank has been completed. Section D will be used probably for extensions to the Vermeulen Street block, while section E will be reserved for additions to the existing General Post Office (A).
From the foregoing it is obvious that had there been any hope of the Government obtaining the sites referred to ( B and D) there is no doubt that the Vermeulen Street block (C) would have taken a very different form in planning and design. An attempt would have been made to create one large building or
" Government Centre " near Church Square. As it is, we are faced with the prospect of at least three separate buildings, together with the G.P.O. and its Annex e.
Although the Vermeulen Street block was designed as one building, an attempt has been made to bring the building under review into alignment with it as far as was practicable. The main horizontal lines, including the floor levels, have been carried forward Page 13.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
Ct
Page 14.
N
I-
l ) 0
T
LG 0 V N M E p R E T 0 R
N
~
CHUI!.CH S T 2. E t T
B L 0 C K P L A N
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
T Of C E
T I N G
!I U I L D I N G.
C H U l C H S Q U A C. t .
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
Photo by courtesy of Fredk. Sage & Co., Ltd.
THE MAIN ENTRANCE.
to Chur.ch Street; but, owing to the fact that Koch Street rises rapidly from Vermeulen Street, the ground floor of the new building lines up with the first floor of the old one. To compensate for this loss, an additional storey has been added to the Church Street block and is clearly defined on the elevation by being set back above the main cornice.
The new building, which is only partly completed, has its main entrance off Church Street, with a subsidiary entrance off Koch Street in the completed scheme. The external bronze doors are swung back into recesses so as to form side linings to the vestibule, the ceiling of which is also in bronze. To the internal face of the vestibule there are two glazed bronze swing doors which lead into the lower hall. This hall is two storeys in height with a gallery at the first-floor level.
The walls are lined full height with tambootie marble, designed with columns, pilasters and marble entablature.
The plinth is in Transvaal slate. On either side of the gallery at first-floor level two mural panels have been let into the marble wall lining. These paintings, which are 8ft. long by 4ft. high, were executed by Mr.
Amshewitz, and add a touch of colour to this important part of the building.
A short flight of steps from the lower hall takes_ one up to the main floor level of the building and into the stair and lift hall. The marble treatment has been carried into this hall from the main entrance, and rises
up to the underside of the plaster cornice next to the ceiling. This wall design meant that the marble had to be carried on the beams with soffit and architrave slabs. On the north wall of the stair hall, and placed axially on the main entrance, two large bronze sliding doors lead into the fountain court which is one of the attractions of this building.
The main staircase has been handled in a very simple manner, being fairly wide, Sft. over the kerb and the internal angles at the landings splayed off. The stair treads are of rubber with a slate skirting on the wall side and a slate-faced kerb on the external side. The wreaths and ramps to this kerb have been cut out of solid slate. The wall treatment is in marble, taking the form of a dado with cement plaster above, while on the outer side there is a wrought iron balustrade finished on top with a bronze handrail.
The corridor treatment follows that of the Vermeulen Street block with two exceptions. The black cement skirtings and black granolithic margins and crossings have been dropped, and a slate skirting and black lino margins and crossings substituted. These materials have obvious advantages over the former from every point of view. Transvaal slate has again been used to the corridor columns.
The offices generally have been treated simply with two coats of lime plaster up to the picture rail and cement plaster above. The floor finishings to the first four storeys are of lino in tile form and the two
Photo by courtesy of Fredk. Sage & Co., Ltd.
THE MAIN ENTRANCE, SHOWING THE BRONZE DooRs.
Page 15.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES,
PRETORIA.
CHURCH STREET,
C l N l l A L GOVT OFfiCES
V £ t Iii l U L f N I T l f f T. I C. l
0
c c.
G
~0 U N D F L 0 0
R.Page 16.
IM r t t r.
PO!:.TAL Y A l D.
~
L A N
•
•
II U I L D I II G l I ~ T I N c.)
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
THE ENTRANCE HALL.
remaining storeys in cork tiles. Wood-block floors have been used in the more important rooms. One room on the second floor has been panelled in teak and is intended for use as a Board Room; the woodwork throughout the building is teak.
Lavatories for both sexes have been placed conveni- ently next to the Postal yard. The wall treatment of these lavatories is in cream-coloured %," thick pre-cast terrazzo slabs rising to the height of the W.C. cubicles and finished with a 4" capping of black terrazzo. The partition walls in this section are 3" thick, composed of two 3;4" terrazzo slabs with the cavity between filled in with concrete and reinforced with
3Js"
diameter steel rods. The floor finish is in black terrazzo terminating at the wall with a 3" coved skirting. The effect of this finish is more pleasant and restful than the usual white- glazed tile specified in the original building.The cleaners' rooms are located on all floors and have a dust chute passing through them to the ground floor.
The external treatment of the block is shown clearly in the photograph on page 12. The base is in red granite and the first storey in Flatpan freestone, the same material being used as dressings to the second floor windows and quoins. The next three storeys are in vertex facing bricks terminating at the fourth-floor sill course. Above this course the walling is in pre-cast
concrete blocks, including the main cornice. The link between the new block and the General Post Office has been treated externally in freestone up to the fourth floor sill course and pre-cast concrete blocks above this.
The concrete beam to the carriageway opening under this link has been faced with freestone slabs hung with bronze cramps and dowels.
The building is a concrete frame one, and is cen- trally heated throughout. Vertical travel is by means of two passenger lifts and one goods lift, in addition to the two stair.cases.
The building contracts were let in two sections, that for the foundations to Messrs. A. S. Perkins, Pretoria, for the sum of £10,000 in December, 1934, and that for the superstructure to Mr. G. N ewlands, Pretoria, for the sum of £82,000 in January, 1936. The total cost of the building, including electrical work, heating, etc., was in the region of £109,000.
The scheme for completing this block, details of which are already worked out, is shown on the accom- panying plan and will bring the new block in contact with the existing offi.ces. The length of the combined elevations to Koch Street will be 4 70 feet and the total number of rooms available will be about 600. This number, I may add, includes very large drawing offices, registries, etc., and does not include the enormous storage accommodation available in the basement.
THE FouNTAIN CouRT.
Page 17.
NEW HARBOUR WORKS
AND IMPROVEMENTS
Progress at Durban includes : -===========:- jf
fvlore deep-water berthage (to cost nearly £2,000,000), whichwill accommodate six large ocean-going vessels (the dredged spoil from this work being piped on to Durban Beach for reclamation purposes); a new floating dock; a flying-boat
C
ONSIDERABLE work is being uundertaken by the South African Railways and Harbours Administration in connection with improvements to Durban Harbour.Unfortunately it has been impossible to obtain accounts of the latest progress made, but the facts given below will prove of interest, and will at any rate show the progress made up to the end of the last financial year.
NEW T WHARF FOR DEEP-WATER BERTHAGE.
Originally it was decided to construct a new project..- ing "T " wharf to provide deep-water berthage for six large ocean-going vessels. This scheme would have cost £1,500,000, but, owing to the traffic developments, it was found desirable to amend and enlarge the scheme, the estimate of the revised scheme being put at a figure of £1,921,592. This figure includes provision for
base, and other works.
equipment of the jetty with cranes, sheds, rail tracks, etc.
The scheme as finally authorised, and which is at present being proceeded with, provides for the con..- struction of a jetty 725 feet wide. This is 50 feet wider than the jetty under the original scheme, the extra width allowing for an adequate number of rail- way tracks to be laid.
The position of the new projecting jetty will make it possible to provide a traffic yard, with the necessary lenths of sidings, for the exchange of traffic between the Maydon Wharf and the new jetty. Increased shed accommodation and improved deep-water berthing facilities will also be made available under the revised scheme.
A length of the quay wall, approximately 350 feet, was constructed by means of sinking monoliths, eight in number, to a depth of 50 feet below L.W.O.S.T.
A QuAY WALL BUILT ON THE MONOLITH PRINCIPLE: DEEP~WATER BERTHS AT DURBAN IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Page 19.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
IN LATER QuAY CONSTRUCTION FOR THE DEEP~WATER BERTHS THE CAISSON METHOD WAS ADOPTED: THIS PICTURE SHOWS CAISSONS SEATED IN POSITION AND TWO FLOATING CAISSONS WHICH HAVE STILL TO BE SEATED.
(low water ordinary spring tide). Construction by this method has, however, been superseded by a more economical method, involving the use of reinforced caissons. This latter method was made possible by the scrapping of the old floating dock, and equipping it for the construction of caissons. The caissons, measur~
ing 60 feet by 26 feet, with a base of 33 feet, are being
built to a height of 22 feet on the floating dock, and are then floated off and raised to 52 feet whilst still afloat. By the end of March, 1938, twenty caissons had been completed, of which eight had been sunk in their positions on specially prepared beds.
These two methods of construction are illustrated in the accompanying photographs.
To ACCOMMODATE THE NEW FLOATING DOCK: THE SITE AS IT APPEARED DURING EXCAVATION.
Page 20.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
'tl tl:l CQ ~ ~
IN SERVICE AT THE NEw DEEP~WATER BERTHS AT DuRBAN: Tr-m SucTION~DREDGER "BLESBOK," WHICH WAS PLACED IN coMMISSION IN JANUARY, 1938.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
EXTENSION TO WHARF AT ISLAND VIEW.
The expenditure of £12,238 has been authorised for the extension of the wharf at Island View by 500 feet to provide increased berthage for oil-tankers. It is understood that this work has already been proceeded with.
GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The existing straight quays at the Point are being extended at a cost of £41,869, while a new repair quay is being constructed at the graving dock at a cost of
£30,101. Separate wharfage accommodation is being provided at the Bluff for whaling craft, at a cost of
£29,000; while repaors to Maydon Wharf will cost
£22,179.
NEW FLOATING DOCK.
The contract for the new 4,000-ton floating dock was let in October, 1937, and the dock arrived in
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
A photograph showing the excavations for this flying base, as they appeared last March, is illustrated here.
NORTH PIER.
The removal of the cant in the North Pier at the harbour entrance is another work on which the Depart- ment has been engaged during the past year. The rate of progression on this work was necessarily dependent on weather conditions. By the end of March, 1938, 2,623 blocks, ranging from 5 to 7 tons, had been lifted by the " Sir Gordon," and 34 feet of concrete capping had been removed.
DURBAN BEACH RECLAMATION.
Perhaps the most interesting activity of the Depart- ment is its share in the reclamation of Durban Beach.
The erection of a steel jetty, travelling gantry and pumping plant was completed by the Durban Corpora- tion, and this plant works in close co-operation with the Administration's dredger "Blesbok," which arrived
THE SITE oF THE NEw FLYING~BoAT BASE AS IT APPEARED DURING EXCAVATION.
Durban at the end of 1938, and is now in commission.
The expenditure authorized for the preparation of the site alone amounted to £31,763. A photograph of the excavations, as they appeared about 9 months ago, is reproduced on page 20.
FLYING-BOAT BASE.
A flying-boat base is being provided, complete with hangar, slipways, workshops, etc., which are in the course of construction. A Customs Office for the Airways will be provided in due course. The estimated cost of providing these facilities is £60,017. The hangar is constructed of structural steel, the design of which was prepared in the Railways Drawing Office, and which, I understand, was fabricated in Railway work- shops. The span is 1 78 feet.
Page 22.
in Durban in December, 1937. This dredger was specially equipped to be used on the Durban beach reclamation project.
She has a hopper capacity of 3,500 tons, and is capable of reclaiming ashore from her own hoppers, through a shore pipeline of 42 in. diameter, and 2,500 feet long.
The " Blesbok " has been engaged in dredging work in connection with the construction of the " T " wharf, and at the same time pumping the spoil ashore for beach reclamation.
Considerable areas of land have thus far been reclaimed from the sea, and at the present rate of progress it is anticipated that the reclamation of the Durban foreshore will be an accomplished fact within a measurable space of time. E.T.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
T
HE above sketch, roughly traced from a photo~graph and finished in charcoal, shows the front fa<;ade of the main office block and officers' quarters at the new Defence Force buildings on the Snell Parade at Durban.
The design of the building might be termed 17th Century Renaissance, but subject to the heavy proper~
tion and simplicity characteristic of modern South African work of this nature.
The entrance doorway, framed in the centre of a
semi~Doric colonnade of four 25~ft. columns, and in a recess of 42 feet, is surmounted by a symbolic panel in plaster. Modelled by Miss Stainbank, of Durban, the two wildebeest, representing the spirit of Natal, are keeping guard over the future of the country's traditions of defence, commerce, and civic development, etc.
Above the cornice, in the same line and on the raised part of the blocking course, is the Union Coat of Arms, also by the same sculptor.
In sharp contrast to the long low lines of the building, a 1 OO~foot carillon tower stands sentinel~ like in the
·centre, with simple clock dials on the back and front.
On either side of this central tower internally is an open courtyard, around which, on the south, are guard room and offices, etc., on the ground floor, and bed~
rooms, etc., on the first floor. On the north side are arranged the library, ante~room, mess room, kitchen, offices, etc., with further bedrooms, etc., on the first floor.
The general contractor for the works was Mr. A. T.
Horner, of Durban; while the total cost of the com~
pleted building was in the neighbourhood of £35,000.
TURNER NEWHAM.
Page 23.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
AN INTERIOR VIEW OF THE MAIN BUILDING AT DELTA SHOWING FOUR SEDIMENTATION TANKS.
THE ENGINE RoOM IN THE MAIN BUILDING AT DELTA.
Page 24.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
New Developments
•1n Sewage
Disposal
Johannesburg Municipal Experiments . . . .
By JOSEPH HARDING.
THE DELTA DIS POSAL WORKS.
B
ESIDES its mining activities Johannesburg leads the world in many ways, one of the most important being in matters of public health.This is illustrated by tremendous developments that are at present undergoing construction at the Klipspruit sewage disposal works some 10 miles out of Johannes- burg on the road to Potchefstroom.
Klipspruit, together with the Delta sewage works adjoining the Craighall Estates, numbers among Johannesburg's five disposal works. It embodies some of the most modern methods in sewage disposal.
Johannesburg Municipal authorities, however, intend that Klipspruit should become the most modern works of its kind, in Africa if not in the world.
In the main the developments at Klipspruit concern the final treatment and purification of the effluent; and it is in this respect that several experiments are being carried out on a large scale by the department headed by Dr. E.
J.
Hamlin, D.Sc., F.R.S. ( S.A.) M.lnst., C.E., the Johannesburg City Engineer, and Dr. A.Milne, M.B., Ch.B., D.Ph., Medical Officer of Health.
The results of these experiments promise important discoveries, the application of whkh will enable the construction of disposal works that will be the last word in hygiene and efficiency.
As the processes used at Klipspruit and Delta, Johannesburg's " show-piece" disposal works, are the same except in the process of effluent filtration, the latter works will be described in detail. Klipspruit's projected filtration works will then be described together with the experiments to be carried out there shortly.
DELTA DISPOSAL WORKS.
The Delta sewage disposal works deals with domestic sewage and trade waste from the north-western area of Johannesburg. Originally designed in 1933 to treat a capacity of 1,000,000 galls. per day, Delta had to be enlarged owing to the rapid development of
J
ohan- nesburg. The works now treat 2,000,000 galls. a day.Because of its proximity to the residential areas of north-western Johannesburg every precaution was taken to avoid foul oudours from spoiling the air. Delta is fronted by a lovely garden and lavender is grown in the grounds. Within the dose environs of the works, which are almost completely housed, there is not the slightest odour to arouse suspicion as to the true nature of the works.
The sewage from the mains enters the large modern building in which are housed, in order of treatment, the bar screen for separating out the rags, etc., by Page 25.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
means of a hand rake, four sedimentation tanks, sludge pumps, ozonising apparatus, etc. The building contains also the engine room, the administrative block, air compressors and instrument panel.
After being screened the sewage passes through a small detritus chamber, in which heavier solid matter is deposited, and then into the sedimentation tanks of the upward flow type. Each tank is 25 feet in diameter at the top and has a detention period of 13;,1 hours. The sludge is then passed into a sludge sump from where it is passed to the sludge digestion tanks. In order to maintain an optimum degree of digestion in the tanks, the sludge before passing on is heated to approximately 80° F. For thi spurpose the waste heat from the gas engine is utilised by means of a heat exchanger and hot water coils. The foul air from the sedimentation tanks is drawn from the main building by means of fans and mixed with a quantity of highly ozonised air before being discharged- odourless- into the atmosphere.
The heated sludge from the sedimentation tanks is then pumped to the digestion tanks. There are 14 primary digestion tanks each having a capacity of 21!-J_
cubic feet per capita (on a 2,000,000 basis). These tanks are covered with floating steel gas collectors, which collect the gas evolved during digestion- mostly methane - which is returned to the engine room to be used as a fuel for the gas engine. This engine generates electric current, which in turn drives electrically oper- ated air compressors. The supernatant liquor from the digestion tanks is returned to the incoming sewer for further treatment.
This completes one stage in the disposal works. The second stage is the purification of the effluent from the sedimentation tanks. It is in this that there is an inter- esting difference between that process used at Delta and the projected process for Klipspruit.
At Delta the effluent is passed into outside aeration tanks which act on the diffused-air system. There are eight units, two still being under construction. Each unit is approximately 167 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Air is blown through these tanks through special diffusers at the bottom, where the area is approximately one-tenth of that at the top. The deten- tion period is 18 hours.
After being subjected to aerobic action in the aeration tanks, the effluent is passed into settling tanks for a detention period of four hours.
From these settling tanks sludge is drawn continu- ously. A portion is returned to the aeration tanks to inoculate the incoming sewage, the balance being returned to the incoming sewer at the beginning of the sedimentation process.
The effluent from the settlement tanks, now clear water .containing small portions of activated sludge in suspension, is passed over sand filters consisting of six units each 150 feet long by 50 feet wide. These filters remove the remaining impurities in suspension.
The resultant sewage is then used to irrigate lands.
In all respects it is clear pure water.
Page 26.
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
KLIPSPRUIT.
At Klipspruit the effluent is run straight on to the lands, but in future it will be subjected to an entirely different process. Klipspruit deals with the sewage from the central area of Johannesburg, and the sewage includes heavier material from abattoirs and factories.
Though at present treating 6,000,000 gallons a day, Klipspruit will have eventually a capacity for 16,000,000. One outstanding feature at Klipspruit is the venturi flume meter which measures the incoming sewage. The meter is one of the largest in South Africa.
While the sedimentation process is the same at Klipspruit there are eight such tanks instead of four and provision has been made for a further eight. The tanks are of the upward flow "Dortmund" type.
Large filter beds, however, are undergoing construc- tion at Klipspruit and in time a portion of the sedi- mentation tank effluent will be purified by aerobi·c action in eight such beds. Each bed is circular, of 100 feet diameter and 6 feet deep. The filtered and purified sewage from these beds will be supplied to the new Orlando power-station for cooling purposes. While all of these filters have been built of conventional design as far as process is concerned, their construction presents an unusual aspect. They constitute a reinforced concrete hoop, the wall being eight inches thick. It is supported at 12 points on small concrete piers. This construction provides efficient aeration from the base.
A distribution tank is used to ensure equal distribution of the sewage.
Experiments on a large scale are to be carried out here on completion of two additional filters of similar design. One of these experimental filters is 12 feet high and the other six, and each is divided into 12 separate sections. It is hoped that by filling these different
THE SLUDGE DIGESTION TANKS AT DELTA SHOWING THE FLOATING STEEL GAs CoLLECTORS.
sections with stones of varying kinds and sizes and experimenting with the control of temperatures and ventilation the most efficient form of filter for the Klipspruit works will be discovered. As the bulk of the filtered effluent is being eventually disposed on
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
the land, complete purification is not required, and greatly increased rates of dosage are expected. For this purpose special distributors are being provided.
These are probably the largest in the world. For the 12-foot bed a 21-inch .centre colume with eight 8-inch distributor arms will be used.
Other important developments at Klipspruit are the construction of 16 primary digestion tanks, each 60 feet long, 30 feet wide and 16 feet deep. Eight secondary tanks, 75 feet long, 30 feet wide and 16
feet deep, are also being constructed. These will be capable of treating sludge from 8,000,000 gallons of sewage per day and provision has been made for further extension to treat the ultimate sewage flow of 16,000,000 gallons. The gas collected from these tanks will be utilised for heating purposes.
Several years will elapse before the work going on now at Klipspruit will be completed, but when it is Johannesburg will boast one of the largest and most up-to-date sewage disposal works in South Africa.
pART OF THE ENGINE ROOM AT DELTA SHOWING THE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED AIR COMPRESSORS. THEY ARE DRIVEN BY CURRENT SUPPLIED FROM A GENERATOR DRIVEN BY A GAS ENGINE USING
SLUDGE GAs As A FUEL.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
IRENE's FINE NEw STATION BurLDING.
THE VIADUCT OVER THE RAILWAY BETWEEN IRENE AND PRETORIA.
Page 28.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
Electric Traction for
Rand and Pretoria Railways
-=========[ High Lights of a Great Undertaking
pictured and described ]=-
T
HE electrification of the various railway lines of the Rand area, as well as the Germiston - Pre- toria section, is now almost complete and full electric passenger services are in operation on most of the lines.The erection of the overhead equipment to these lines was made difficult by the simultaneous undertaking of numerous track
and other improve- ments, many of which were of a major nature. The heavy traffic which had to be main- tained over the lines further han- dicapped the pro- gress of the work.
On the Pretoria line these difficul- ties were accentu- ated by the fact that, with minor exceptions, double- line working was not possible, with the result that the periods available for track occupa- tion for the pur- pose of erecting steelwork and run- ning out wires, were limited.
Street, Marshall Street and Jules Street, while a special bridge had to be built to give access to the new station at
J
eppe, which has been built on a level with the existing streets, and is placed over the tracks, being carried by huge girders. A photograph of the station under construction is reproduced here.The doubling and straightening of the line between Germiston a n d Pretori2 was a big undertaking, which included I a r g e banks and cuttings.
A very pleasantly designed viaduct in the Fountains Valley is illus- trated.
An over-rail via- duct has been con- structed approxi- mately half way between Pretoria and Irene, which eliminates the old, and very danger- ous, level-crossing at this point.
The Johannes- burg - Germiston - Pretoria line has been greatly im- proved and altered in the last two years. The huge u n d e r taking of lowering. and re- grading the line at
J
eppe, now com- pleted, entailed the erection of bridges at CommissionerAt Irene a road sub-way has been constructed and a delightful little vil- lage station in the Cape Dutch man- ner has been erect- ed. This building presents a truly charming picture, with its multi-col- oured slate roof and its brilliant white plaster walls, set against a state- ly row of pine trees The o n I y improvement one could wish for is that the gardens ELECTRic TRACTION ExTENDs NoRTHWARDS: OvERHEAD EQUIPMENT oN THE GERMISTON-
PRETORIA RAILWAY LINE. coulc. be hurried
Page 29.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
THE NEW VIADUCT AT FOUNTAINS, NEAR PRETORIA.
THE OvER-RAIL STATION BUILDING AT TEPPE: As IT APPEARED DURING CONSTRUCTION.
Page 30.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
on and brought up to the picturesque standard of most of the village stations in the Union.
electrification to Pretoria West, including the Pretoria West traffic yard.
In order that the maximum operating advantage, especially in respect of goods traffic, might be derived from the electrification of the line between Germiston and Pretoria, and in view of the alterations effected to the traffic yard at Pretoria West whereby the latter station became virtually the terminal point for goods traffic from Johannesburg to Pretoria, it was decided in September last to extend the Germiston-Pretoria
Activities on this line include many other major improvements, such as new station buildings at Pine ...
dene and Olifantsfontein, doubling the bridge at Irene, and eliminating level~crossings as far as practicable.
When all the work has been completed first class railway communication between the Rand and the Administrative Capital will have been provided.
An
Appreciation
Mr. J. S. Cleland, the lately retired Secretary for Public Works, has handed us the following letter which he has received from the Royal Institute of British Architects, London:-
" Dear Mr. Cleland,- It was a great pleasure to receive your lett~r of the 3rd January accompanying the first two numbers of Public Works of South Africa.
It is a creditable start indeed and I hope your colleagues in the various departments will make it a success by subscribing to it regularly. These first two numbers are full of remarkably interesting material and I have enjoyed reading them.
" Many thanks for your good wishes for 1939, which I heartily return. - Yours very sincerely,
IAN MAcAusTER."
E.T.
~~-=======================================================================~
Page 31.
FEBRUARY, 1939 PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
The Junior English Medium School
*
" A house well builded is ne'er in vain For it neither totters nor falls, So you may laugh at the lash of the rain
On the face of your sturdy walls."
D
URING the past five years the Transvaal Provin- cial Administration has been progressing steadily with an immense programme of school buildings, and it is with great pleasure that we are able to provide here a short description and reproduce a photograph of a delightful school building which was carried out for the Administration by Mr. V. S. Rees-Poole.The first and central portion of the school building was erected about six years ago. Additions have just been completed which provide a new class-room wing, facing north, a stafF-room, milk-room and two cloak- rooms.
The lavatories are arranged between the respective blocks, beside an open area in each case for light and ventilation, with all water and sanitary pipes hidden.
* at Boksburg
The corridors are closed with a number of mullioned windows to prevent rain and cold winds sweeping through the building. The windows as arranged give a pleasing " Cloister " effect to the simple Gothic or Tudor style of architecture employed, adapted to suit the local climatic conditions.
The external walls are faced with rough wire-cut bricks, brindle in colour, and the windows and door openings have splayed pressed red brick dressings.
The roof is covered with interlocking terra-cotta tiles.
The architect, with his judicious use of materials and general treatment, has contrived to bestow upon the buildings an atmosphere of quietude and learning.
A FINE TYPE OF SCHOOL BUILDING AT BOKSBURG.
Page 32.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
KLERKSDORP'S NEW HOSPITAL
\ J:lT1~..t~l1""'======================::::1' 1!~ '~ ~~
... 11
~ ~
£85,000 Building n
This month witnessed the opening, by GeneralJ. J.
~II
Pienaar, Administrator of the Transvaal, of the fine~ II
new hospital which has just been completed atnow 1n comm1ss1on
U I<lerksdorp. We are indebted to the " Rand Daily c; Mail ,, for the following description of the building. ~~ ~
~ '3CeJI
*
~~~..:..)T
HE new hospital- a pile of buildings of redface~brick, with a four~storeyed lift~tower to the right of the main entrance- stands on a site measuring ten morgen just beyond Klerksdorp High School on the Kroonstad main road. The hospital took 18 months to build. The site was the gift of the Klerksdorp Municipality.
So great has been the growth of Klerksdorp during the last three years, with its gold mines now producing
£1,000,000 worth of gold per annum, that even the present fine new hospital of 102 beds may soon have to be extended.
Envisaging a much larger institution of 600 beds, the architects have planned the hospital so that it can be easily extended by building two more storeys on to the European wing and by building a corresponding wing on the far side of the administrative block. The
lift~tower has already been carried to the full height of four storeys.
The new buildings consist of the administrative block with its attractive entrance, the four European wards in a double~storeyed wing, a kitchen block, nurses' home, Native wards, isolation wards, mortuary, com- pound, boiler~house and sewerage plant.
In the European wing there are 48 beds, equally divided among men and women patients. The four general wards have been named after the late Mr.
Simon Bekker, former Administrator; Mr. Leibbrandt, chairman of the Hospital Board (both of whom laid foundation stones of the building on October 22, 1937);
Mr. William Campbell, a former chairman; and Mr. H.
Bramley, who was Mayor of Klerksdorp in 1911. In the Native section there are 40 beds for males and 1 0 for females. The two isolation wards, which will be completed by the end of next month at a cost of over
£4,000 voted by the municipality, have four beds.
No pains and expense have been spared to make the Klerksdorp Hospital a model hospital, modern in design, installed with the latest in medical and surgical equip- ment, and planned so that the patients enjoy the maximum of ease and comfort. The wards are well~
lighted and airy, and at the head of each bed there are plug~points for wireless headphones. The master radio receiving set and 50 headphones have been promised by the Klerksdorp Toe H and the League of Women Helpers.
The most interesting rooms in the attractive block are the two operating theatres. The theatres are air~
conditioned by a concealed motor in the roof, and the filtered air, kept at a controlled temperature, leaves by a large ventilator in the ceiling. The costly operating tables, adjusted to any angle by foot pedals, are lit up by shadowless lamps. The light from these lamps is reflected by thousands of hidden mirrors set at various angles so that n~ shade falls while the surgeon is performing an operation.
The walls of the theatres have been treated with rubber paint; and each theatre opens into an an<£sthetic room and a common surgeons' wash~up room. A well- equipped sterilising room is conveniently placed.
Opposite the theatre is the radiological department with its stationary and portable X~ray apparatus and an adjoining dark room reached through a hairpin- shaped passage with black walls and no door.
The rest of the administrative block contains the board room, many bright offices, a waiting~room and a casualty ward. The board room is panelled in teak.
It will also serve as a nurses' lecture~room and a conference room for doctors. It has been attractively furnished, down to the blackboard in the corner.
Extending towards the back is the kitchen block.
Here, beyond the dispensary and the sewing~room, is an enormous kitchen, exceptionally well laid out and opening on to passages leading to the main hospital on one side and to the storerooms on the other. A long serving counter makes it unnecessary for nurses to invade the cook's domain. Cooking is doneby steam.
Electric appliances are also available and the prepared food is taken in wheeled carriers to the wards.
The wards have the merit of compact arrangement and comfort. All corridor ceilings are made of a kind of asbestos pierced with holes at intervals. Even if a hundred plates were to be smashed in a corridor, no patient would hear the clatter of breaking crockery, nor even the soft footsteps of hurrying nurses. The ceilings absorb 95 per cent. of all sound.
Sluice rooms, small distributing kitchens, sisters' offices and a flower room in each ward open into the corridors.
Besides the general wards where there are lines of comfortable balcony beds, there are private wards, each pair with their own wide verandahs.
Page 33.
FEBRUARY, 1939.
On the roof of the double~storeyed European wards is the solarium. It is a roof garden where convalescing patients may obtain a fine view of the school playing fields without paying entrance fee and see the panorama of the hills surrounding the town, with the mines in the distance.
The Nurses' Home has been well named. This two~
storeyed building, connected by covered ways with the main building and Native wards, provides for the com~
fort of the nurses off duty. In it there are 32 single bedrooms, tastefully furnished sitting rooms, spacious balconies, a dining~room, bathrooms and a kitchen.
The matron's suite on the ground floor has· a delight~
ful sitting~room opening on to a private varandah, a cosy bedroom and its own tiled bathroom.
A New Note in
Concrete Water Towers.
C
ON CRETE water~towers are seldom structures of beauty, and it is therefore all the more pleas~ing to find that the Structural Engineer's Department of the Union Public Works Department has designed a type tower in which a definite attempt has been made to attend to the <esthetic side of the design.
The tower, a working drawing of which is reproduced here, will first be erected at Grey's Hospital, Pieter,...
maritzburg, where it will ensure a permanent water supply to the HospitaL It will be 80 ft. high over all,
*
PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Between the Nurses' Home and the Native wards, smoke curls from the chimney stack of the boiler house, the steam centre of the whole hospitaL Two gigantic boilers provide steam for cooking, for sterilising instru~
ments and for heating water.
Throughout the hospital there are 25 electric clocks taking their time from a master clock in the inquiry office. Telephones connect every ward with the prin~
cipal points in the hospital and the Nurses' Home.
Nothing seems to have been forgotten- from shelves for drugs to pink pyjamas for Native patients who come unprovided with sleeping appareL
The architects were Messrs. Cowin and Ellis, of Johannesburg, and the builders, Messrs. P. Leemhuis and Sons, of Pretoria.
and the supports will be 60 ft. high. The usual bracing of the legs has been omitted, which adds greatly to its appearance. The legs are furthermore linked at the base by a curved brick wall, giving a solid and stable appearance.
On the engineering side, I would like to draw atten.- tion to the unusual arrangement of rods in the floor and roof.
On close examination it will be seen that general simplicity has been maintained in the arrangement, and that there is a great deal of repetition of rods.
E.T.
[See page 35.]
*
Page 34.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
ui 0::
w ~ E-< 0
0:: w
f-. -<
~
w f-.
w 0::
u z
' I
0~ u
l
~w f-.
0 z
~ w
z
~
Page 35.
FEBRUARY, 1939. PUBLIC WORKS OF SOUTH AFRICA.
THE UMLAZI RIVER BRIDGE.
UMLAZI RIVER BRIDGE.
T
HE Umlazi River bridge, on the road from Durban to Empangeni, Zululand, which was referred to an article appearing in Vol. 1 No. 1 of Public Works of South Africa, was recently completed by Messrs. Green and McNicol to the design of the Structural Engineer of the Public Works Department, Pretoria, at an approximate cost of £12,000.The bridge will be opened to traffic as soon as the approach roads have been made, a difficult task under the present flood conditions of this part of the country.
Page 36.
Photograph by R. B. P. Willson.
UMLAZI RrvER BRIDGE: GENERAL VIEw.
Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services, 2015
