The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-04-12
THE DAM.
THE LAST GAP IN THE GREAT WALL
BEING RAPIDLY CLOSED
Already is the Wall in the Opening Three
Courses of Granite Above the Water
Level Of the Lake-The Headgate
Masonry Also About Completed.

AS the days go by and the summer
months come on apace block after
block OF granite, and piece after pieceo
ruble masonry finds its way Into the
great dam, causing the wall to grow
higher and higher, and at the same
rate are the hopes and ambitions Of
the citizens of Austin growing and de-
veloping. AS the great structure
nears completion one is almost com
PEELED to wonder where our peo'
pie obtained the nerve and
pluck to inaugurate such a stu
pendous undertaking and then to sue
cessfully carry it through. That they
have done so the work up the river
bears ample evidence. Every foot OF
progress has been watched with un.
firing interest. From the day when
ground was first broken; as the
shOvels, spades and serapers kept dig
ging and going deeper and deeper
into the bowels of Mother Earth; from
the day when the first block of gran.
lite was brought down from Burnett
and placed in position at the very
bottom of the foundation wall, aud
from then on to the present hour,
when the work has assumed its pres
ent mammoth proportions, has the
dam-the pride and darling of Aus.
tin-the basis of her future prospects,
been talked about, written ABOUT and
thought about.
In the days when the raging floods
poured their torrents and dashed
their loads of DRIFT against its adam
antine front, how fondly did our peO-
pie watch it and when they saw it
stand as firm and solid as the very
Rock of Gibralta hurting back with
scorn and derision, as it were, the
forces which seemed bent on destroy
ing it, how happy and jubilant did
they feel. Day after day they watch.
ed, but still it stood the same, not 4
crack or break anywhere apparent,
Soon will The STATESMAN be able ia
join in with the populace in the shout
of Eureka" sing glad paens of joy
and give thanks for the good thing
accomplished in the completion Of the
work.
Already does the day draw near, in
fact the beginning of the end is now
at hand. For three days has Con,
tractor Corrigan been laboring on
the last gap ana today
are the marks of his handiWork ap.
parent. Not a drop of water is now
passing from the lake except that
which finds egress through the three
big pipes at the west bank where il
rOars and bOils with the sound of q
miniature Niagara. At the gap itself
where the men are still at work the
present base of the gap is three courses
of granite higher than the level of the
water in the lake and rapidly is it
being carried up to its final height
AS soon as the gap is completed all
that then will remain to be done to
the dam proper will be to cap off the
wall for a short distance bet WeeD tn At
point and the west bank, so that under
favorable conditions Mr.. Corrigan will
be able to complete his contract by
the let of May.
Contractor Walerson is also doing
splendid work. All of the penstocks
have bee placed in position and have
been encased in solid granite, the
latter being on top OF them to the
depth of four courses and the work
still going on. Excellent progress il.
also being made with the power
house, for which quite large amount
of machinery has already been re.
ceived.
Among the boats all is activity,
The Reynolds Bros. have theirs prac.
tically completed, all the machinery
being in position. They are now put.
ting on the finishing touches and will
launch her in few days. Captain
Paggi yesterday afternoon launched
neat and trim little iron clad pro.
peller, which he has named the
"Belle of AUSTIN and which he has
just received from thenorth. Alderman
Glass is also engaged in building a
good size sail boat which will shortly
be completed.
Under the direction of Mayor Nc
Donald a gang OF men yesterday be.
gan the erection of wharf which will
begin short distance above the dam
and run up the lake front a distance
of 600 feet.