The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-03-10
OVER THE:.DAM.
ON INDEPENDENCE DAY THE RIVER
FIRST RUNS OVER THE DAM.
The Colorado is Bridled at Last and a
Beautiful Broad Lake Ten Feet
Deep is Now Created Above
the Dam.

Austin will in future have special
reason to remember gratefully the I'd
of March, for yesterday the Golfer
dam across the Colorado was tempo
rarily finished and the water turned
back in it's course. 1t was day to
mark the beginning of the end. We
have had our hopes and hearts fixed
on the time when we really should
completely bridge the river, and yes
terday was the day. The Golfer dam
had been run out pretty far from the
terminus of work running from the
east; then it was stopped and work
was begun from the western bank of
the river. Slowly, for several days it
had been creeping out into the
current, shortening and making still
smaller the distance between the ap-
preaching walls of rock.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
learning that yesterday was the time
when it was expected the gap would
be closed went out to the dam. All day
long was a stream of visitors,
and very many spent the whole after
noon there, keenly interested in the
novel and important work. 1t was a
struggle intensely exciting as it drew
toa close. The Colorado seeming to
realize its prehistoric and inalienable
right TO flow along in that channel
was about to be abridged, put forth
it's mightiest efforts in opposition.
Great stones, with difficulty rolled by
ri of aIxITn 1,f q
edge of the Golfer dam, were caught
by the rushing waters and tumbled
over and over and hurled from the
places they were expected to fill. 1t
took exceedingly nice and careful
work to find proper lodgment for
the great stones. But it was a
battle between mans skill
and rebellious nature and
man conquered, but only after long
and desperate struggle.
SLOWLY BUT SURELY
the gap grew smaller, but as it grew
smaller the current became swifter
and the difficulty of keeping the
stones in their places greater. Mr..
Corrigan superintendent the work in
person-no difficulty daunts him, and
he succeeded as matter of course.
At last at 400 huge stone was got
ten into position that closed the gap
and the Golfer dam was across. Doc
Day, an enthusiastic observer, was the
first to leap across and congratulate
Mr.. Corrigan. The work Of filing in
with big and small stones continued
the rest of the days working hours
THE WATER OF COURSE
pours through the crevices of the
rocks, and Mr. COrrigan estimates that
it will take the rest of the week 20 get
a thorouo hly compact and water tight
Golfer dam. But by Monday OF Tues
day he expects to get the pumps at
work and begin to lay rock on the last
175 foot span of the dam that will carry
it all the way across the river.
THE LAKE.
The Golfer dam, even in its present
"porous" condition, has created
beautiful lake above the dam. The
water has raised about six feet and
covers completely the whole sand bar,
with water as far as the eye can reach.
AS soon as the Golfer dam is made
tight the water will rise couple of
feet more. Already it is on level
with the top of the gap left in the dam
masonry for it and is slightly
OVERLOOKING it. BY the last
Of the week it will be flowing over
that part of the dam two feet deep,
and the lake in its deepest part will
be - or Is feet deep.
NOTES.
Some persons yesterday compared
the rush of the waters through the de-
creasing Golfer dam gap, and the roar
and dashing of the spray to the rapids
below Niagara. 1t was not on so large
q scale, but more beautiful to us and
more important to Austin.
The whole crowd who watched
every stone rolled into place yester-
day, were keenly interested in the
work; they watched the work
and specialized on it as they
would a dog fight. AS the
big stones neared the edge of
the Golfer dam, speculations were
heard on all slice "That is big fell
low; [ wonder will he stick?" and
when he did: "Ah! that is good, the
water is rising, the gap is growing
SLubllSI. " Hull " otOuO was p"OPo
away by the current the crowd seemed
even sorrier than Mr.. Corrigan.
Work has been begun again on the
extreme east ern end of the dam and
three new layers of stone have been
laid for about forty feet there.
If the freshets only keep away un-
til the middle of April they can come
on as hard as they please.
Yesterday was a great day and
A nctirn q nd oil her Innnla are hannV