New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-06
ana FRUIT arv now king AZ the sdngs awaiting trans
portatjon 10 New-York and Boston.
THE DAM IN BAD CONDITION.
NO WATER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO
CHOW OVER IT-NEGLECT TO KEEP THE
wAsTE-GATEs IN ORDER.

HuOW OVER IT-NEGLECT To hbhP bnS
wAsTEGATEs IN ORDER.
An interesting story involving tho construction ana
history OF the Conemaugh Lake dan! above Johnso"'
was related to Tribune reporter yesterday Dy % 10
Montgomery, who formerly lived In Western fehn'>,
vana and is now we'll known in the Nest as ia'i
road contractor Mr.. Montgomery, who Is on 'is't
10 the city, gives u very clear explanation oi '"o
which led 70 the calamity in the Coheni"us"
Valley. "Tho DAM said he, was Duiit aoo"t I'M
five years ago by the state OF PenhsyNah' 40
feeder for the western division OF INC Iei'S'
Canal The plans and specifications for the uan "''o
furnished By tho Chief Engineer OF the STATE d"
not sure hut n is my IMPRESSION that Colonel Nliiam
Minor Roberts held the office at the Time 'oonci
Roberts was one Of tho most famous engineers III 'No
country lie died several years ago In IhlH lho
contractors for the construction OF the dam were Ten
eral J. r. Moorhcad and Judge II. H. PafRer' OF
wuuamsport a brother of Governor Packer General
Moorhead had built many dams before this on inc HNes
n, pennsylvania and his work was always known To
bo n, the very best In this case however, all that
he had to do was build the dam according TO the
specincatons furnished by tho stat. The dam was
b,IIt of stone ard wood throughout and was OF par
tIcuIary solid construction. There IS no significance
in the discovery Of straw and dirt among the ruins
OF the dam. Both freely used when dams aie
being built to step the numerous leaks.
4The dam had three waste gates AZ the bottom 50
arranged that they could be raised when there was tno
much water IN the lake and permit the escape OF tho
surplus. These gates were in big srons arches through
which the water passed the canal when the lake was
used as feeder
ain 1850 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company pur
chased the canal from the state and the dam ana lahe
went into the possession Of that company. Shortly
afterward the Pennsylvania Company abandoned inc
western division OF the canal and the dam beramc
useless as a feeder For twenty-five years the lake
was used only as a fsh-pOnd and the dam ana thr
gates were forgotten. Five years ago the lake was
leased to a number Of Prtsburg mon, who stocked II
with bass, trout and other game fish, have heard II
said that the waste gates had not been opened Tor
great many years II this Is so, no wonder nc h"m
broke Naturally the fishermen did not want 10
open the gatcs after the lake was stocked, Tor lhe
fish would have run out. A sluceWay should nave
been built on the side OF the dam SO that Nhoh 'h'
wafer reached certain height the surplus could cs
care The dam was not built with tho lntahtioh tha'
the water should flow over tho tor OF II under any
circum stances and II allowed 20 escape IN that "aN
the water was bound Ia undermine II in short time.
With a dom seventy feet high tho pressure OF guam
tty OF water great enough TO overflow 1t must be
something tremendous -. .,.,.
III II Is true that the waste gates were never
opened after the PuSbnrg mon leased the iake ,hg
Of the bursting o. the dam Is 10 be iouHd
risht there. II may be that the dam hau NOT bocn
looked after and strengthened OF late year ana was
urdpubtrlIy weakened In the pcriot OF twenty nVr
years during which the lake YVES not used Ailer ,uc
construction OF the dam the lake was csiIel W. We
tern Reservoir The soMm iorR o, r oyc rem toci
Wide but even when there were NJ Uhn NuAl N,,9rhh
II carried enough water To MI the ahn ihil WITHIN
year showing how important II was that INC En,cS
Should be opened occasionally TO rin on IN" spIN.
Mr.. Montgomery was one o: parry oI cnI ~
who Inspected the dam Thea !, was r1S'" " then
needed repairs, but was In a pcrie,tN .M' ,"''" ."
the water was not allowed to How oVor w.