The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-09
HALF \ MILLION IN A DITCH.


d., y5fu ,.t did not describe the work which
snrca.i., hckey the gold mining ofthis en-
D,,. region. This is a ditch that takes water
from tn. head waters of the Yahoola River and
dsfflbu,e. t over an area forty miles square.
P.rlai- | IAN best convey an idea TO New
yotk,fs uf She character and extent Of this
work ly imposing a case. Let us suppose
moi. D., iho way an impossible cvcnt-that the
,,uree. .iDn which the CITY OF New York de-
rl,es .,s water supply through tho Croton
ksaro found to be- totally inadequate for tho
ne.assa-v requirements Of the city. There are
p,ofhcr . .ir.es. we will say. that can be made
lo .w,. fls quantity Of water along the whole
course q ,hat conduit Wntcr must be pro-
eured -awhero. II ia found in good quality
apdin l'iant volume Let us say we'll up in
me uraae. bills in Jersey. II ia thcn brought
In op,n l.tcho-. in wooden and iron pipes over
ne hills. along tho valleys. over or under tho
pa-saic ami liackcnsnck rivers until 1t reaches
ue.roi the Palisades on the jersey side OF
uoHuU-Du. Then in mOnsirous iron tube II
is cairiel 3D., an angle Of perhaps IS degrees
down 'hc fave nf the Palisades. across on the
ro,ks uud tie bed OF the Hudson River. and
NJ Washington Heights. whore 1t is delivered
with % head sufficient 10 carry 1t 10 every
part o.. N.ilattan Island. This. or something
very Ike d. IL what has been accomplished by
MrNU Hand in Lumpkin County Georgia.
Ihs .r' rirsc. flrst started in 1858 by some
Boston capitalists under the title OF The Ya-
ho.a l.r.r ami Cane Creek Hydraulic Hole
Mining uplny' was undertaken for tho
puruose supplying the gold placer miners Of
The b.' w..a water for their toms and sluccs.
The Nr-, .' Do built and eNcavatcl 10y this com
pany Wa onpIetcd. with wooden tres,lcs Of
eu1rn.o u.s. ea-ih and height. about tho begin
nIns . ate war The miners had Just
begun a.tse little gold in the placers. by
head ., 'Ae wlter supplied by the company.
when ;lv war put a stop TO all operations. AT
H. cs. tie woodwork OF the trcstlcs was so
hr locayoi Us 90 render the ditch yalueless for
practical purposes. The Original Joint stock
company 0rsani1ed in Boston had capital OF
81 mnNuI. aul a great deal OF stock had been
subscribed and paid FOR NJ par After consid-
srab.o litigation bctwecn the original stock
holders AMI suudry creditors. tho whole con-
cern. 10 viii II not less than half "A million Of
dollars had been invested. was sold out in 1874
by order 9. the United States District Court Of
the y lrtAeru District Of Georgia, for nominal
sum. l. was bought by Mr.. y. II. Hand Of
Cleveland. Ohio. who held Judgments against
" company Tor services rendered and heavy
hdNuuee- f1 far larger amount OF money than
any o4s wa willing to pay ior the property. =.
original basis of fl,O0O.OOO. The work az il
E.uis ;o-lay was begun 10y Mr.. Hand shortly
Ainr b. lul obtained possession OF the proper
". u j. masterpiece OF engineering skill.
AM deserves more than passing notice. The
dNcu.t.r- o. hp overcome before the work
could ne brought 10 n successful termination
woud have discouraged most men, but were
only stimulus TO tho indOmitable energy,
All. and perseverance Of the master spiEit Of
Theto,ai 'engtf today Of this water conduit
over th.r,y-twO miles. which may divide as
/. Main ditch twenty-five miles long, from
near tho h-adwaters ot the Nahoola River 10
and under Tie town oi Dahlopeg4.
2 An extension mill and half in length
b. the Hand and Benning mines
g. An extension two and u half miles TO the
T. An oN,ension six mics in length 10 the
Pigeon Roo-t belt and the Barlow MINIS.
The main ditch takes the water from the
hendwaier- u the lahoola River. about ton miles
due north - the town Of Dahlonega. On one
portion - This main ditch the water is carried
longth over the Naho0ln River This tube
crosses the river At the point whore the old. de
eaycd frc~tework once stood. II Is composed
sections weigh from two 10 four thousand
pounds according to tho thl 'kncss OF iron ru-
CURED ~ the PRESSURE u tho water conveyed
10 10. Tho tube has throughout an inside
diameter ~ 80 inches. The sections are fur
4 shed wi'h cast iron lQnges. inches brood,
the faces ~ which are planed. and then bolted
together and kept perfectly water.tight ih
white cad. The central sections OF this on r.
I,os Eol' ia9e Tes' on iSht stone piers built up
n se o ous weigh four thousand pounds each.
and ar" y ie"t long
O' tAl- tube which was made in Boston ne
hal wa- hauled In sections by siX-yoke OK
leans .foM Athens. q distance Of seventy i've
n.es au .c other halt was hauled from At
hnia distance .of seventy eight miles. rhe
pIiu aloi'oa hy Mr.. Hand Tor laying the Ibo
Nll'n druis one bank Of the river al an
s5Sg ss5se q = d"srGes gree 945 9scends the opp ets
straight l.'aA ,iN feet wide at bottom antlsix
i%l ld, was cu from the crest of either tige
dl 'ranWaJ Of heavy timber wills laid. Tho
,eAli. p. 'iln- which, together measure 200
Ieyl 'h n-ii were then lowered by tackles
IOWA '..- '4anway, ol:d on 10 The piers Cross
w tl' river. adjusted. and rvcied together.
hNer t.ti 'a'u succeeding section was lowered
9oWu lls 'rHmways in the same manner The
HsAG9 which each had t0 be Lowered WAS
uiu' y r..-el 90 the oXtont OF twehty-OnO feet.
u, ,ue'A mo preceding section. The per-
pli.'..l height from the crest Of the ndge
oop iht "a' rp side of the Yahooa 70 the piers
" lle NJ = On which the tube cr1sses the
nysi -it feet and the height 70 which the
rr1at .7 -ii.i u gn tho crest OF the opposite
nlge l- ~ '-et ltisAn inverted. siphoi. ana
No,,nn.. L'' no equal on this side Of the Rocky
ST.. D. s. curious feature Of this water way
c. a. a '-f''- N. .drge wooden tubes n whi M the
ee, veYed at several points over great
w.'3. .- dlI across deep leIressiJns. This
iagN 'ns has an inside diameter Of 80
D."'' at a~ IL is " stayes inches thirk. its
t5s 4i-i"ei'r ls " inches. One ton 10
lsr,.tt over three-quartcrs Qf a milo in
p-s,N. 40 u 'r section Of this tube 100 feet
hs Aff'"s ihe water through a deep cut. /
s,,g' lt.- l- tIr only wooden water tube Of
Ti'"lA- .Ne such Dimensions in this country.
H.. HW' ~ which II Is built are 3 Inches
st.A sr .i los broad. anl ~ fe1t long. They
I.s. .arnfully selected Georgia pine, all
U@ ii nom sap, shakes. and knots. For
rus'l ~ N" 2OD feet tube 2OD. 900 feet
E. 7l"i. ."l hut Mr. Hand had over 5OUOOJ
X isaly rom which to select the clear stuff
HH,g.leg va ro)ected. special machine was
II Mr; Hand and constructed for him
hester y. y. for tho manufacture Of
ss ay II cuts tho four sidos Of the stick
SD +rIa'l0u, forming the outside and in
Weais 'ir slaves and the proper angles Tor
w. Sestaves are banded together with
iln'se" " bands =, Of an inch thick and
fin t1 These iron bands are distant
etas "a 4' 'Arr from II to "a inches. graduated
WINK d" fiiug 10 the pressure Of water
~" "t, Dee sustained.
Uaye NI Hand wanted to construct tho
warnc5, * MACHINE In Rochester. he was
haj '""i hundreds OF thousands Of dollars
SIM, ~ "'7slY spent in endeavoring 10 con
ofE1tf Np- 4"u tube Of large diameter, capable
desUi..t tts water all his friends urged him 10
Wha, ' w We attempt. But Mr.. Hand know
bari, 'e vs. about. and the tube, which is
main iN' ilree feet under ground. will re-
uo sr,s.ItHI IHI ~ centuries. The graduation Of
EO.it" helWcen the iron bands Of this
Naler i '. according 10 tho pressure OF
Wr gt,l 47h!ned, corresponds exactly with
ule tu.t'li ~ tho strength Of the large iron
hel bon t,| 70 mention that this was gradu-
hess m ., ltlh rom Z Of an inch in thick
es 10 8ir I'M where tho pressure is great
Tie ur4s. 'i nh inch at either crest whure |
dlel ''' 20 highest. SO much for the main |
utNH Nr-t Nytanaicp ,,tt.