The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-06-15
THE BUBBLE BURST.
ALL THE FOOLISH CRY OF TERRIBLE
LOSS NOTHING BUT WIND.
Engineer Tanning Estimates the Entire Cost
Of Putting the Extension Of the Dam in
Better Condition Than Before at
Less Than $50 900.

couple ut days after the accident at
the east end of the headgate masonry
and that while all the press
correspondents in their papers stated
the case fairly it remained for the
evening paper in a highly sensational
article to estimate the damage done
at from $500, 900 to $25O,OOO.
The morning after the accident of
TIE leak TIE STATESMAN estimated
the damages and cost of full repair at
$4,000 This estimate it repeated the
next morning in face OF the wild talk
to the contrary. That its estimate
was fair aud even liberal is borne out
by Mr.. Fanning's report to the board
of public works and his estimates
thereon given yesterday afternoon.
The board met at 3 o'clock and the
reading of the report was the first
business. 1t is as follows:
AUSTIN, June 10.
The Hon. Board of Public Works of Austin:
GENTLEMEN-Iu accordance with
your request / have examined the
break in the bank near the easterly
end OF the headgates of your new dam.
1 find evidence that the stream of
water flowing from the pond through
the Ureak had become quite large be-
fore it was stopped by u Golfer dam,
which extends from the easterly end
of the main dam TO the bank, at a
point abUut $50 feet above the easterly
end OF the headgates. The position
of the Golfer dam was well chosen for
its purpose and the Golfer dam is now
holding the water in the pond, while
the river is flowing over the crest OF
the dam.
The crevice through which the
water commenced to escape is in
stratum below that on which the
headgate masonry rests. The direc.
tion of the crevice is not quite parallel
with the river canyon but di-
verts easterly about 30 degrees,
receeding from the river, and
passes easterly of the end of the head
gates. On the down stream side OF
the head gates the crevice meets a
seam in the rock nearly at right
angles to it, This seam extends di-
agonally in the direction of the power
house.
In an early stage CT the construction
of your works an excavation was
made for the head of the proposed
canal and tho location of the head
gates. This excavation commenced
about one hundred feet up stream from
the site OF the head gates and the end
of the dam, and it forms level bench
twelve feet lower than the crest of the
dam. The extreme upper end of the
excavation came very near tothe crew
ice above described. rne leak appar-
emily commenced by water entering
the crevice near the extreme upper
end of the excavation, so or 80 fee t
up stream from the head gates. The
water then followed the crevice
through low stratum and enlarged
the crevice, so that before the flow was
stopped long section of the east bank
settled, and the easterly end of the
head gate masonry settled with the
bank.
The flowing water was in the mean
time escaping at the site of the power
house
The easterly side of the crack made
in the bank by the settlement is about
25 feet easterly from the east end of
the headgate masonry. The escaping
water has evidently made wide ex-
cavation in low, soft stratum of the
rock. The extent of the underwriting
cannot be determined until trench
has been cut down into and across it,
The Golfer dam, if maintained, will
permit the proper trenching for ex-
animation of the undertaking and
the same trenching will also be re
quired for putting in a masonry wall
for a cutoff across the crevice. This
cutoff wall should extend frcm the
return wall of the dam, easterly be-
yond the crevice and into the east
bank as far as shall be found advisa-
BILE, after examination of the mat terial
cut into. For the present, l de.
sire to repeat the advice re-
lating to this oreak given to your hon
Orable board verbally on the day OF
my first inspection of the break; viz:
that the coffer-dam be made broader
at its inside toe and be carried up
higher so az to protect the excavation !
against the ordinary flood flow of the !
river, say eight feet depth of water on !
the crest OF the dam, and that this |
raising and strengthening of the cuf- |
fer dam be done as eXpeditiously as
possible, because the season has |
arrived when the probability of 8 flood |
s greater than at any other season;
ana also that the trenching for the .
examination Of the scour in the crew
ice and strata of the rock be made at .
)nce SO that the suggested cut off wall .
nay be built at an early day. and
nay remark that this cutoff wall .
will not be difficult to construct be
hind the Golfer dam.
Advice as above was also given TO
he engineer in charge for his imme-
iiate guidance while awaiting your
urther instructions and he has go far
directed the work in accordance
herewith.
Very respectfully submitted,
j. T. TANNING,
Consulting Engineer.
Mr.. Tanning supplemented his re-
bort with verbal statements and of.
cred a drawing of his plans for the
complete removal of the present diff
iculty. He declared there was no de-
ect in the masonry work that had al