The New York herald., 1877-10-12
TESTING A GOLFER DAM.

wALSH'S PORTABLE STRUCTURE SUBMERSED IN
TIE NORTH RIvER-THE TRIAL SUCCESSFUL.
test submersion OF the "Walsh portable Golfer
dam" was made at the foot Of Thirty -nith street.
North River yesterday afternoon the object being to
demonstrate It's efficiency in facilitating tho laying Of
foundations IN deep water Fully 100 gentlemen in
terestcd in TINS branch OF submarine engineering, as
applied to docks, pers bridges and like constructons
gathered the structure aud witnessed the with
much qualification. Among the company assembled
were several members OF the Chamoer OF Commerce,
Commissioners westerven and vandcrpoel, and Chief
Engineer Greene, OF the Dock Department;
Chef Engineer I. l. Arnold, State Harbor
Commission OF California; Judge Noah Davis, General
Ward b. Burnett. Surrogate CALVIN, Colonel GlIlon
Joseph f. Daily, besides represen tavcs OF the Mayor
and Comptroller Although the Golfer dam Centennial
has before beon described the HERALD 1t Is perti-
nent In brie that 1t Is box sided structure,
200 feet all, 60 feet width, 35 foet deep
and with a working OF loo by 80 ieet Ii IS
provided with "A travelling derrick, which runs fore
and att the aam OH IRON rails OF the ordinary charac
ter and this Is used for hosliDX aud driving piles and
hosting material inuvard while IT Is also adapted
Is used for dredging purposes. The dam Is easily
managed when required 10 be moved from point TO
point the harbor, ana this pecunarity Is one OF
the principal novel features OF lis construction The
sides and ends enclose waior space OF 1000 square
feet, having solid perpendicular walls oil timber, tho
spaces heen feet WIDE and hollow, running ioic and
ait and arranged IN compartments for pumping ma-
cninery aud ior water ballast Ia sinking Inc The
structure docs not IN reay oat ON us own bottom,
for IL lacks such "a whole, but the bottom OF
anu walls, winch fitted with kees ior tho
double purpose OF balancing the dam when IT III
lions ana o rendering perfectly steady when 1t first
rests on tho muddy bottom The keel cuts uecp INTO
the soft mud then makes u wa.ertight joiut be-
tween the Golfer dam wall bottom and the ground on
which IL rests.
THE EXPERIMENT
Tho structure was found floating IN 20 feet or water
by the company who gathered on the narrow deck
way extenting completely around the vastwcl formed
oi proposed wall, and upon Dcing pumped OUT gives
the $50 feet by 80 iect working space, tue river
the outside peng harmless. Shortly before
O'Clock the valves OF the communicating pipes be-
oil filling tho chambers commenced. 1t did not
require o great while Tor tue structure to
SINK, but IL was gradual that the DOWNWARD
motion was not perceptibe. AS the weight
Golfer dam sunk until II hrinly rested the bottom
and imDedded itsef III the mud. linen the pumps
were started, and the vast BODY OF wafer the we'll
rapidly nowed into the river Had the full pumping
force been brought INTO reQusiton this portion vi the
work would not have consumed quite Two hours but
one pump only being used the greater part OF the
time the trst duh rid9c oil the muddy bottom
shown until ten minutes past four. More pump force
bottom was laid bare and the last small pools of
water drained toward the pump wells. Every
body was on the tptoe Of excitement 10 notice
now the nshes would act III the lace OF this
encroacnment upon their domaiu but besides a lew
shners and dreary CRAB or two, that seemed lost
In astonishment, the bottom did not disclose much
more than mud IL Is the purpose oil Mr Walsh to
keep the well dry Tor duy 50, order allow the
public TO see tho bottom OF tue river and the
structure
Ine success OF the submcrsion was of the most gra
tho result, and the engineers present cordially con.
graduated Mr. Walsh.