Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-30
DAM THE COLORADO.
Austin Makes as Much Fuss About It as If 1t
Meant Prosperity and salvation
in One Bowl.
Special TO the Gazette.

Special TO the Gazette.
AUSTIN, Tex, March 2s.-The opera house
was crowded tonight to hear and discuss the
report of Engineer Frizell on the proposition to
dam the Colorado. The point selected
for purpose of estimate is the
Breckenridge place one mile and a
half above the city limits. The report says:
The channel in the rock is here about 1l50 feet
wide, at height of sixty feet above the summer
level of the river. The cross section OF the
channel is not far from level on the
bottom, and is bounded by nearly per-
pendcular walls of rock, rising to the
height of a little over sixty feet one
side of the river and lis or more on the other
than this width, the remainder being an alluvial
deposit rising to the heghth OF forty or fifty feet
above the river bed. The situation here is ad-
mirably well suited to the development OF water
power by a dam about sixty feet IN height,
the perpendicular face of rock rising to the
height of the same, and thence receding from
the river in q gentle slope forming a bench, on
which the canal or feeder could be con-
structed, the alluyial strip of ground between
the canal and river furnishing sites for
pumping and power stations, and
any other establishments requiring power.
An estimate has accordingly been prepared on
the basis OF a sixty foot dam. Its crest will be
about Il so feet in length. 1t is contemplated to
make it some sixteen feet thick at the top, in
creasing downward and spreading out into
broad toe or apron to give the water horizontal
direction making its extreme width at bottom
about fifty feet. The body and upstream of the
dam are to be made of limestone rock abound
ing in the vicinity, the upstream race belng OF
quarry faced work with close joints. The
downstream face and toe are intended
to be of the granite rock found in
such abundance in Burnet county, split to an
approximately regular shape and laid with but
small amount of tooling. The Gaping is of
granite in as large blocks as can be handled,
worked to regular shape, the entire work to be
laid in hydraulic cement
The report, WI ich makes six columns, gives
the cost in detail which, briefly stated. is ST.,
BOG iOO. which includes SlXtV-fOOt stone dam
l2OO feet long, reservoir obtaining Is, 600 GOO
gallons, a complete system of waterworks for
TEN furnishing H. 600 horse power
and after giving enough for waterworks and
light, there viii be II, 000 horse power left for
manufacturing purposes. In conclusion, En-
gineer Frizell says: The aggregate cost I'M
derstard, is considerably in excess of the pre-
conceived views of the promoters of the enter
prise. Assuming that the city will have to pay
per cent. ON the above sum, the interest charged
would be close on to SO, 600, to which we must
annual charge of sra, OOO However large this
sum may appear. there can be no question that
the immediate income from the works would
oFse 6btaS an idea of ~ the inco@e
on the assumption that the price OF water is put
so low as to insure the taking of water by prac-
fioally the entire city. The above estimate in
eludes the motive power and complete plant for
the electric light system OF the city, which
should entitle it to considerable iLcome from
that source. 1t may also, be assumed with GER
tanty that the street system of the city viii be
operated by electricity in the immediate future,
also that a considerable amount OF power will be
Immediately required for printing presses, ele-
vators, shops and small industries throughout
the city transmitted by means of electricity. /
take the present population of the city
as computed from the names in the
city directory, viz: q %, 900 people. This
implies about 5000 families. OF these 1 assume
that 2500 wou d pay 50 each per annun, amount
ing to so, 900; 1000 could pay Sf2 each per an
mum, amounting to S12 600; 1000 could pay $50
each per annum, amounting to $50, 900; also 100
large takers by meter at 500 each, $40, coo.
SAVING TO THE CITY
for water and light, with a much more liberal
supply, $50, 900, the state and county paying as
at present 1920.
Net revenue from electric light, not less than
1000 powers furnished for street railroads fifty
600; for miscellaneous industries, 100-horSe
powers, ten hours a day, at $50, $1,000,
total, SOS, 200. The above takes account
O. the water power which as I have already in
dicated would possess a commercial value of
over 500, 600 per annum. have not counted
upon any immediate income from the water
power, not knowing how the city would decide
to dispose of it. There are two
ways of conducting such an enter
prise. The water power may be held by
real value, or it may be disposed OF at merely
nom nal rental to induce manufacturers to locate
in the city, the rental sufficing merely for the
efficient management and maintenance of the
work. the city finding its account in increased
population, revenues, values and general pros
perity.
The meeting at the opera house tonight was
packed with the property men of the city, and
they seemed enthusiastic on the dam, which
may be considered a fixed fact. Such men as
bridge, E. Lord Col. Walsh, DR.. Tobin and
Mayor Mcdonald spoke.