, 1874-05-25


s1n: But little romans Of the reservoir dam
Of the Mill River and Williamsburg Reservoir
Company. There fs, however, enough to clearly
show that grave errorb weze committed In ita
took place to burst this dam, as was the case
Of the numerous othor dams Of local MILL
ponds further down tho atrcam OF Mill
hiver-buS it burst, and evidently has
been upon tue point Of bursting, ho-
its intended purpose. In engineering terms, the
structure had culpably insufficient coolflctents
Of safety and stability. At this writing have
not had time to 60 Into details Of calculation to
enable mo to state precisely what these .coet1l-
cie1lta were in this particular case indeed when
tho facts are fully stated ii will be seen TINT
tri1e more or less ono way or tho other would
have made no material differonce In tho result.
Of Ills reservoir W dam, as built, lad been submit
tod to any competent engineer that he would
have toretold tho result which has just hap
enod.
hnyo tried to got tho original specifications
Of this dam, to enable mo to SEQ il tho work was
done In accordance with thenl-but was in
formed by o gentleman who had Just soen aud
read them that he did not believe that they
would be made public, or that should DO al-
lowed to examine tlom
I can therefore only speak Of what nctuRlly
saw On tho spot, and from tho observations
there mado shall draw the conclusions which
follow.
Inc Hlte OF Inc Teaolvolr uR1a ls tnfee Mlles
abovo the villugc OF williamsburg, crossing
narrow valley or gorge, BOUNDED by steep hills
on either side. The location is good one, and
there Is every natural advantage that could be
wished by the englnoor to eunblo him to con-
struct . permanent and thoroughly safe dam.
Taking position hundred yards below tho
limo OF tho dam, and looking up strea1n. tho OBJ
server secs before him tho gap or opening
through which the pent-up waters rushed with
such terribly destructive force. Tho remaining
walls show TINT tho devastating stream lot looso
OH this occasion had width of about Its feos,
aud III average depth Of about So foot.
Tho croas section Of this stream WAS bounded
st tho sido by two vertical walls about 80 foot
lou feet in longth, This hotton wall ID about 3
feet high at tho daepest potnt ot the ravtue, and
extends nearly level on its top surface till 1t
meets tho sloping natural ground. This Inter
ture was baaed and constructed. TAo soil aud
uppor surface for depth Of about 80 inches was
removed, and the hard remaining bottom, con-
Bisting OF small stones tmbeddod III tough earth
thun exposed, was the natural foundation upon
which tko masoury Of tho dam rested. This ia
apparent by inspection OF she ruins standing on
the eaBt side.
The aforementioned bottom wall Allows this
portion Of the masonry to be feet .hok. 1t u
proper here to note that email portion is
patch stuck against tho lower aldo .nt place
whero tho main part was not up to tue e1ceol-
inEly lon STANDARD shown by the adjacent parts.
The reason why this remaining 1oo foot Of the
bottom part Of tho wall was not carried away ~,
that It WAS sustained by aortain cross-walt
about . feet high, which made 40 effective abut-
Haent tor It,, The office of this oross-Wall WAS to
support 90 !ron-pipe IL inchea In dameter and
about 100 feat III longth, through Which tho
water from tue reservoir was led through tho
| base Of the dam.
:, between tho cast wall and tho oastcrly end OF
the bottom wall, a distance OF GO feet on tho
natural alope, thore Ia not the AlghtoBt inlloa-
tion that tho place WAS ever occupied by eu arti-
loial structure. Ascending tho hillside to tho
level Of tho top Of the dam, tho gellaIN appear
anoe Of the ruins III as nearly ~ possible tho
aame ~ II tho work was part Of q hoayy railway
embankment, with vertical wall two feet thiok
1t the top, running through itA length from ton
| to bottom.
II strikes an engineer IS asremarkable to 400 TINT
this wall. fully DO foot tn height, should Rave
hoen built, az Il waB, in straight limo from ono
hillsfde 10 the other, whom by constructing 1t on
| curve with the convox side up .t1eau,, tha
same wall would hayo been immpnaoy iuoreayou
| IN its resisting power and ef1oionoy. For with
| tle form suggested, tlis wall would hayo boon
All aroh laid upon It'll side, With everlasting hills
| Tor abutmants. OF oouEhe, suoh IN sroh should
be built with Integrity and honesty ln evory font