The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-20
Water Company Has Begun lis Gigantic
Undertaking.
AT HEADwATERs OF MILL CREEK
Storage Reservoirs will BE of Im-
mense Size and Cnpacity--The Ma
sonry aud Extensive Enrthworks
Requiring the Labor OF Hundreds OF
Men.-The Dam Nearing Completion G


The reservoir will be one of the great
est in the country, and an immense
amount of work is required to get 1t
in shape. The worl, has been in pro-
gress since early last spring. At pre-
sent some 800 men are employed on
both stone and earth work, and the
scene presented is one of the greatest
activity-quite a contrast, indeed, with
the surrounding mountainous country,
where but few people are to be found
and where the characteristic uu!etness
of the virgin forest prevails. The val
ley through which flow the headwaters
of Mill Creek is, however, far from un-
interesting, and that particular portion
in which the water company's opera
tions are located-lying, as it does, at
thu foot of noble Bald Mount, on the
east side, and which on the west side
mount from which PlttstCn can he
plainly seen affords most delightful
prospect, and one which at the present
time is thoroughly enjoyable, the par-
feet autumn weather adding to the va
ried natural charms of the spot.
MOUNTAINOUS REGION.
Quite a number of Pittston people are
employed on the reservoir, and they
make their way out by a rather rough
road which passes through Yatesville,
joining the main road at the entrance
to the big stone culverts of the Lehigh
Valleys mountain cutoff. The most
desirable road for teams, however, lies
through Miners Mills, from which the
dam is about four miles distant and
this is the one used by the water COM
panys teams for the transportation of
1T n c
along this road, midway between
Miners Mills and the cutoff Culverts,
that Red Nosed Mike" and his gang
murdered young Paymaster Mcclure
and Mr.. Flanagan while the cutoff was
being built, and a heap of rough stones
at the side of the road marks the spot
where the first victim was found. The
road is in splendid condition at this
season and no difficulty is experienced
in getting along rapidly until after the
Kresgeville school house is reached.
Here the road branches, that to the
dam leading past the Fisher farm, and
the way is rather rough.
Oscar Lance, of Plymouth, general
manager of the Spring Brook Water
Supply company's operations, has gen.
eral charge of the operations, while his
and William Davies, of Wyoming, di-
rectly supervise the work.
Worden's creek runs through the val
ley in which the dam is being built, this
being one of the two main creeks which
join a short distance below to form
Mill creek, the other being known as
Gardners. 1t is mere rill at the pre-
sent, but the water is of the purest and
the company officials say that the wat
ershed is so extensive-being seven
miles long and four miles wide-that
| during the wet season the creek quick
ly rises to large proportions, so that
they do not anticipate any lack OF
water, even for the large territory to
| be supplied. That portion of the valley
| which is intended to be used for
| storage purposes covers an area
! of about 100 acres and con-
| trasting it's bare aspect with the sur
rounding mountainous country fur
nishes some idea of the immense
amount of work which has been re-
| quired to complete the transformation
Naturally the land was covered with a
stunted tree growth. besides hundreds
of thousands of dead roots. All OF
these have not been removed the roots
not being burned, but actually grubbed
out by machine and hand. All of TIN
leaf mould has also been removed
| leaving the 100 acres in a most deSir.
able and healthful condition for use
as a storage reservoir. So far as Sc.
curing healthful conditions is concern
ed the company is leaving nothing un'
| done.
MASSIVE MASONRY,
| oScixr Of \.
tracts attention. The main dam-tha
upon which the pressure of water vii
ocme direct, is in the centre of the val
ley For thrca months, we are told, {
large corps Of men were at work pre-
pairing for the foundation, which II
laid in the solid natural rock bed Up
on this the dam is now being built
and, looking at 1t from above, 1t ha,
the appearance of work that no bod!
of water however vast, could over
com=. The masonry is first class rub
bic work, pea conglomerate of fin
quality found on the ground being us
ed. Up to a week or two ago the ston
was quarried from the mountain sid
a few hundred feet from the dam. TIL
supply recently ran out, however, ant
it was necessary to open quarry OF
the mountain side about a mile dOwI
the valley, the stone being brought t,
the dam by means of cars, which, pull
ed up to the quarry empty by horses
run back loaded by gravity. TIL,
railroad, Superintendent Lance said
was built in an emergency, being laic
out and constructed all within a week
time,
The entire length Of the stone worl
is 1900 feet. The main dam wall 1
300 feet in length, and the width run
from fifty faet at the bottom to eigh
feet at the top. The wall has a pitcl
of eight inches from the foot to within
twcnty-fOur feet of the TOP theme
gradually changing until the las
eight feet of the wall Is perpendicular
The work on the main dam is abou
twO-thirds finished, but is being push
ed as rapidly as possible and II Is hopet
to complete 1t before winter sets i'm il
earnest Three steam derricks AM
three seperate corps of men are a
work on the main wall. Two othe
steam dcHicks are in operation on 9th
er portions Of the work, and the siXtl
will be placed in position IN a few
days
Extending from the main dam, oi
each side. are what are known as cor
walls These are walls with earth EN-
bankmcnts protecting each side. Spec
ial pains are being taken in construct
ing the embaakment on the inside O
the core wall Pure earth is used, al
roots and stones being picked out
and each layer OF twelve inches is roll
ed with a three-ton roller. The cor
will be further protected by wing wall
on each side. The embankment reach
es TO within three feet of the top of tn
core wall which will be the maximum