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In the News

Mountain States Fence has been featured twice on the cover of the World Fence New and in the Intermountain Contractor, the regional McGraw-Hill publication.

(Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 88) When the United States signed the medium range missile treaty with the Soviet Union on June 1, it meant that Soviet inspection teams would be on-site at a number of U.S. defense plants within a month. And since letting them roam around unrestricted was out of the question, a lot of new fences needed to be erected and fast.

One such project involved the Bacchus Works of Hercules Aerospace Co. here, where motors for the now banned Pershing 1A and Pershing 2 missiles were made. The Soviet inspection teams are stationed here, and at other U.S. defense plants, to examine shipments of materials entering and leaving the plants. American teams will be stationed at similar plants in the Soviet Union.

The fencing required prior to the arrival of the Soviets at the Hercules plant was immense: 21,400 lineal feet of 8" chain link with top rail and 3 strands of barbed wire. It was installed in two parallel lines 16' apart along each side of a gravel road that was being built immediately ahead of the fence crews, according to Mountain States Fence general manager Rick Higgins. Six 30' and two 16' double drive gates were installed at three seperate portal areas along the fence, he said. Soviet inspectors will travel along the road between the double fence observing and verifying that no missile components are being manufactured that would violate the treaty (technically, the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty). The deadline was tight - one of those "sleepless nights" completion dates. Construction was commenced on June 2 and completed on June 24 - a day ahead of schedule, Higgins noted.

During the 22 days, the crew averaged 15 in number, and worked an average of 134 man hours a day," he said. "No work was done on Sunday, June 12, but otherwise the crew worked Sundays, including Fathers's Day. On June 17, a crew of 15 poured and set 900 feet, framed 3,600 feet and stretched and stood 14,500 feet. We have been told that this may be a unique achievement. Regardless,, it is certainly a significant one."

Higgins pointed out that Hercules is reputed to be, and is, one of the most difficult areas in Utah for digging. It is VERY rocky. The post holes were dug with a Dandy Digger and tractor mounted Marsmith digger, working side by side, digging both fence lines simultaneously. "Occasionally, a second Marsmith was used, and many holes required a jackhammer," he said. "It was a fun job, very interesting," Higgins commented. "We broke about 20 Pengo points, and there are Pengo teeth scattered all over that place. We were welding and repairing equipment on-site constantly. We were invited to inspect the site before the project was put out for bids, and I about fainted when I saw it. We knew it was going to be a very, rocky job, which didn't help considering the time frame."

Higgins said that his crews were working just behind the road building crew. "It was a circus," he said. "A bulldozer went in first and knocked the rocks down, then the grader went in. They were hauling road base right past us. However, we only caught up to them twice."

Another problem that made the job "interesting" was the fact that since the road that the fences enclose is only 16" wide, two vehicles could not pass one another, and there was no room to turn around. "I don't know how many times we were driving between the fences, met somebody, and had to back up 11,000 feet!" Higgins said. He noted that the inside and outside perimeter fences were originally bid as two separate projects. "Hercules and the Navy, which administered the contracts for the government, did not believe that one fence company could complete the entire project within the time allotted," he said. "When Mountain States Fence was low bidder on both, it was decided to award us both contracts. This decision was based on the determination by both Hercules and the Navy that ours was the single company likely to be able to successfully finish the entire project. "Contractors were invited to bid on the job, and we had about a week to submit the bid," he said. "The bid was awarded about eight days before construction actually started. We were originally going to commence on May 31, but got delayed by the weather and they wouldn't let us on the site."

Higgins pointed out that the company and its employees were especially proud of the installation because it was done during Mountain States Fence's 25th anniversary year. The Soviet inspection team arrived in salt Lake City on July 1, and Higgins said that "it made quite a splash. "It was in the news a lot," he said. "They are staying in 30 units of an apartment building, and some of the tenants had to be moved into other units so they (the Soviets) could be together."