The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-04
AUSTIN.
ENGINEER FRIzELL WRITES
A RINGING ARTICLE ON
OUR MANUFACTURING
FUTURE.
A WHOLE RANGE OF PRODUCTS.
The | FaIIacy of Steam Competing
with Water Power Wholly
Exploded.

The city of Austin, Tex, has recently
commence the construction Of an i'm
mense dam across the Colorado river to
create water power for the immediate
purpose of pumping the city's water sup
ply; this object being held to justify the
undertaking from legal point of view.
In addition TO the requirements for this
purpose, there will remain large surplus
of power which the city intends to devote
to such industries as may be attracted to
the place. The dam will create fall of
sixty feet, and develop, at the lowest stage
of the river, some 10000 or $4,000 horse
power, available ten hours per day, being
somewhat in excess of the permanen
water power at Lowell. Mass.
Compared with some dams built for the
purpose of impounding water, this cannot
be regarded as q high dam. For a dam
discharging the drainage of 40 600 square
miles of ground, it is unique in the history
of engineering. The dam will be near
1900 feet in length, measured on the crest,
resting, throughout its entire length, upon
solid and refractory rock, rising above
the same to height of near 70 feet at the
highest part. The width at the bottom is
to be 66 feet, at the top 10. The water
falls down an incline. changing by agentle
ln, nj 1;raofipn tho
bottom, and spends its force upon the
water below, instead of the bed of the
stream The entire exterior of the DAM
including the massive capstones, is to be
of dressed granite, the interor of limestone
rubble work, all laid in hydraulic
cement. The wants of the city for
pumping, electric lighting street cars
electric motors, etc., are not expected for
many years to exceed 1000 horse power,
leaving 10000 or $4,000 disposable for in
dustrial uses.
This enterprise, bold and novel as it
may appear to the superficial observer, has
not been undertaken without due delib-
Grafton and a full consideration of all the
conditions Of the case.
The state of Texas covers an area larger
than the republic of France. Two straight
lines can be drawn within its borders al
most at right angles with each other, imore
than 700 miles in length. The six New
England states could be scattered within
its limits and neither approach the other
within hundred miles. 1t contain
ready two and a quarter million of people,
increasing with great rapidity, and could
support in perfect comfort population
of 10000 900.
This vast domain contains at present no
city of more than 10000 people. The
tendency so marked and observable in
other parts of the country and in Europe
for the towns to increase at the expense of
the rural population has not yet become
manifest in this state. That it will be-
come manifest is as certain as that wood
will grow and water will run. This ten.
dency results from great underlying so
cial law, as memorable as the law of
gravity, and no civilized community can
escape the operation of it.
1t may be predicted with entire conf
dence that Texas within the next twenty
five years will contain cities of 100000 and
100000 people. Which cities these
shall be is question of the
gravest Importance to many.
They will probably be, so think
the people of Austin those which are now
laying most broadly, deeply and firmly
the foundation of their future prosperity.
AUsTIN's SITE.
Austin is situated on the Colorado
where the latter emerges from the high
country to the northward. At this point
the river loses it character of a mountain
stream, flowing in deep canon skirted
by high escapements of rock and thence
pursues its course through fertile valley
as a river of the plain. The low water
level of the river at this point is about
420 feet above the sea level, the general
altitude of the country outside of the riv-
er valley being something over 600. The
surrounding region is agreeably diversified,
some points rising to 900 feet or more
above the sea level. The climate in sum
mer is usually tempered by breeze from
the gulf till late in the season when the
breeze becomes fitful and irregular The
nights are always cool enough to sleep
well. In fall and winter the climate is
usually delightful, an uninterrupted sue
cession of cloudless days often occurring
for month at time. At the present