The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-06-12
LOCK RLiHlIB.
500 Men Will be Employed This
Summer.


walk or drive up to Lock IL these
pleasant summer days. Il is about
two miles up there and person is
RECALLED by the pure mountain breeze
that all the time floats adown the
Valley of the Great Kanawha, and
besides the beauty of the river and
the valley, the lofty hills clothed in
verdure that line the lower side, is
interesting and pleasing to the mind
and restful to the eye. The hills
there they stand Immediately back
and up from the river like bold
sentinels in the nighttime, keeping
watch over the interests of the den
liens of the surrouR country.
However, to the point: 1t is here
Lock II is being buiIded by the
Government
The great work was begun about
two years ago of locking and dam
ing the river at this place, and SO
rapidly as the work is being pushed
forward, it will require at least two
years more, all conditions favorable,
to complete it.
The firm of Smyth & Munford are
the contractors doing the work, and
since the decease OF Mr. Smyth, a
year ago, the work has been carried
on by Col. Munford in the old firm
name.
We were up there yesterday and.
were met by the Colonel with
warm hearty shake of the hand, in
that genial, good hearted way of
his, out on the works, aud who
kindly showed US about. The first
thing he did was to delight us with
a trip over the river on the cable
which spans the river, and by which
stone, ETC., is transferred from one
side of the river to the other. This
cable is wonderful to look at, and is
the largest of its kind in the world
To build lock and dam like this,
the largest on the Great Kanawha,
is a gigantic undertaking. While
there we counted eighteen derricks
and as many steam engines, all at
work. There are two dredge boats,
Kanawha Nos. 1 and 2, the latter of
which is just being completed at a
cost of $4,000. Two new dump
scows are being finished, making
fourteen, all in use.
The work of building the lock is
marvellous to look upon; the stone
is of superior quality, every piece
carefully inspected and dressed
smoothly, as plank floor almost,
and made to fit by workmen, ma
sons, laborers in the quarries, on
the Point Pleasant side, and
passed over on the cable to the
other side and lowered to the
lock, where every stone is found
to be perfect fit in its proper
place. AT present there is about
four hundred men employed at this
work, and Col. Munford says he
expects by the middle of next week
to complete the lock walls, SO that
he can turn the water into the lock
and then begin the building of the
dam across the river.
We were very much interested in
the power house, whore ponder
GUS engine, with humming wheels
of industry, supplies electric light
for the entire works and whereby
they are enabled to push on their
business at night.
We must say something, too, in
behalf of the stone cutters and ma
sons, superintendent by Mr.. Schott
the finest work of the class we have
ever seen. They know their bust
ness and the sound of music, of chisel
and mallet, as they forge along is
pleasing to the ear, more SO to them
than the sweet song of birds or bees
for with it comes the almighty dol
lar that brings support, sunshine
comfort and happiness to their
homes. The civil and mechanical
engineering work is superintendent
} by Mr.. S. II. Reynolds, professor
in this line and skilled in his work
They have commissary in charge
of Mr.. Blackwood, that supplies all
things, groceries, ETC., to those who
wish to buy. Mr.. Yielding keeps
all the books of the firm, an expert
book keeper, too, he is. Col Nun
ford has his family here with him
which is great source of joy and
comfort and encouragement to him
in his great undertaking.
We spent a very pleasant hour
with them at their cozy, beautiful
home overlooking the Lock. 1t is
tastefully arranged, indeed, with
water works and heated by steam
lighted by electricity and surround