The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1899-10-27
DAM IN THE PAYET IL.
Plan of Construction Devised by
Engineer Wiley.
STEEL TO BE LARGELY USED.
An Original Design by Which
Great Strength Will. Be Secured
at Minimum Cost.

al MINIMUM OOSi.
A. J. Wiley, the well known engineer,
has fled with State Engineer Ross The
plans and specifications for the proposed
dam in the Payette, ivc miles above En-
nett. This is the dam which Mr. White
proposes 10 construct for power purpos-
es, power being generated for the propos
ed Payetie railway as well as other uses
The dam which Mr.. Wiley has design
ed sof an entirely new design, steel being
used in the work extensively.
AT the place whore it is. proposed to
construct the dam the river is l76 feet
wide. A series of soundings have dis
closed the fact that the greatest depth of
water at the dam site is l6 feet below low
water though short distance below
there is hole so feet deep
The plan is to level up the floor Of the
stream with broken rovll to plane seven
feet below low water line. On top of the
loose rock will be laid crib of wood
reaching to the surface of the water at
the low stage. This cribbi ne will extend
up and down the river 100 feet The
cribbing will eventually be filed with
rock and gravel While the work of con-
structiou Is in progress the water will be
permitted to pass through the loose rock
and untitled cribs, int when the gravel is
put IN the underworld will become water
tight.
On the up river half Of this foundation
the dam will be reared. The lower half
will be covered with wood and will con
stitute an apron leading the water so feet
below the lower edge Of the dam. This
apron will be bolted to steel girders
which in turn will be boIted TO the wood
cribbing beloS.
The frame of the dam will be OF steel.
: Trusses will be erected 2 feet apart across
the stream. These viii be firmly anchor
I'd to the crib beneath and Will be bound
together by wooden beams laid solidly
over The front, back and top. The truss
cs will be 20 feet high and about so feet
wide at the bottom. After the trusses
have been knit together by a system OF
braces in addition TO the timbcring on
The faces, the entire space will be filled
} with stone aud gravel. weighting it down
AT either end the rock walls will bs
cut back to form perfect abutment'
against which the structure will rest.
The dam Will be built with a curve vi
stream and, braced against the solid rock
. abutments. it will be immoyable, and n,
@ possible force can break il; The resist
i ance Of the dam has been calculated oI
4 Il basis of its being straight, aud the con
q vexiiy is thrown in as an additional ele
). meut of strength.
= All the steel will be thoroughly treated
4 with asphaltum before it is put in place
Part Of the woodwork will be permanent
~ submerged, being thus rendered SC
cure from decay and all the rest can b
easily replaced. The back filling on tn
F" upper side of the dam will be gravel.
The work of constructing the improve
mcnt will have to be done at low watc
and will probably be pushed throug
: during the coming winter.
There are many obstacles in the wa
Of the construction of a dam OF soil
masonry. Among these are the unce
e tain character Of the underlying formi
% tion and great swiitncss of the waite
Il would be highly difficult to bull
" Golfer dams IN which to operate in Il
-e construction of masonry dam, while Il
1t bottom would be likely to be found VI
il suitable for d structure Of that characte
hence Mr.. Wiley devised the structul
!, herein described, which combines gre
- resistance with practicaIbilily of Co
/ structiOn.
Mr.. Wiley estimates the cost Of such
TO dam as he has designed at S3s, ,Sg3.
10 Statesman.