The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-26
a pAM roo FxEr MON
Details or . Great Feat OF EnAineeriag Con-
terminated In the Geaesee Valley.

Mt. NORRIS. N. Y. Jan. 25.-Since the excite
ment OF election has subsidized and the voters
OF this region have relieved themselves cred
itably Of the task OF having the Republican
plurality In Livingston county the principal
subject OF general interest and discussion
hereabout Is tho plan to build a huge storage
reservoir in the denesee River. near this place.
Tho proposition is to construct a solid stone
dam sixty. seventy. eighty. or even one hun
bred feet high. with a gateway at the bottom
for regulating the flow. and thus assuring TO
the Erie Canal feeder at Rochester an nipple
supply OF water throughout the summer. This
use Of the dam has won for 1t the attention
OF the State. which caused the ground
to DO surveyed and tho estimates con-
corning rainfall. capacity, Sc., to be
made recently under the supervision of Sta te
Engineer John Bogart. Rochester people are
Interested in the plan because their manifold
industries are dependent largely upon water
power from tho Genesee. and because some
thing must he done soon toward cleaning
away in summer the great masses OF sewage
which collect in the half-dried bed OF the river
and breed diphtheria and fevers. The people
of the small villages in the Genesee Valley are
ton depends The deveSpmens q their ffSur
Tie uniqneness OF tile und ertaking in aues.
acquainted with the remarkable, course Of the
Gcnesee. between Portage and Mt. Morris.
of take bntao s"ecessiSe s' Strata rata Under
meath IT until now 1t flows for many miles
through gorge with sheer gray stone sides
gorge are Tho three fails, 80. 50. and Ito feet
h!iEh. Of which pouchot wrote 100 years ago:
d FEss sns 'SrsS i ws 'aSFs
ris. this gorge sinks into the black earth
flats, where ninety, years ago, horses
was its growth. At the mouth Of the gorge is
sauakie HIN, once q fayorte place Of council
down stream stood until recently tho stump Of
tho famous Big Tree. under which Chief Red
ot Of saas M Viii Wf s ssse tie M The
Wo,nan.s Spring. at which Mary Jemson and
her baby boy 1u,enched their thirst while hid
About half mile above this historic spot It
Is proposed to erect the dam. Solid rock en-
81 ss to Ts sGn s f
surface. Solid rock is found two or three feet
beneath the surface of the disintegrated faces
the sides deep trenches would he blasted. and
into these trenches would h, be set the masonry
stand for all time. The face OF the dam would
the stons Work Wp%ld be sIqped 50 that a cross
we ana nae snx ffSs s %$als eSSS
1885 w Strss hn sS ssx s s4 E9n saGe
feet. One with face loo feet high. most IA.
the ground. by tho Rochester, Chamber OF
Valley, would cove. o.Ga6, acres and contain
44;7s7.o23.s4: cubic fee. OF water, The
dam Will a face 1870 feet high would
cover 1850 acres and would contain 1881
$3.50. 7Sl cubic feet Of water. The building OF
a dam about 100 feet high and some 900 or
200 feet wide. it is said b. ensi neers: wouli
require two or three years: and would cost
about $2.OOO.O00. which. it is planned. would
be raised by the state. the peoplc. of Rochester
and tho mil ers and salt men OF the Gennsea
Valley, dam about sixty feet high. however
OF solid masonry aud ono eighth OF mil
wide at rock bottom was most favored by
State Engineer BoGart. who estimated its cost
at about Sl.UO.0OO.
The State has shown its interest in the plan
by giving several thousand dollars forthe sur
vry Of the ground. and bot'l tho Assemhlyman
and Senator for the region including Living
ston county have been pledged to support the
plan: in fact. the plan was the principal issue
in their nomination and election. The Roch-
ester Chamber of Commerce has standing
people in this vicinity feel that they are to
have their hg dam that schemes for a summer
hotel. an excursion steamboat. and similar
enterprises are maturing.