The Worcester spy., 1899-07-31
A GIGANTIC TASK.
Work On the Big,
Dam atClinton is
Progressing.
mr.. DOUTNEY TALKED PLAINLY.
Had No Use For Political
Temperance Walsh
Goes to Boston.
MR.. DOUTNEY TALKED PLAINLY.

| Clinton, July 30.-One of the busiest
places in the reservoir district is where
the metropolitan water board and
Busch Bros. are working in the shadow
of the temporary dam on a quadruple
enterprise necessary to be performed
before the big dam can be started on
| its 140-foot trip into the air.
There used to be only one channel by
which water flowed in the bed of the
Nashua. Now there are three. By far
the largest part Of the flow, of course.
is taken to Boston by the acqueduct.
The overflow goes down the river
through the flune.
Now men are at work on a new chan
mel, which is supplied from the east
side of the flume. This channel is
The bottom is covered with stone, so
that the water will flow easily. The
sides are planked and covered with rip
rap.
A second job consists in an extern
sion of the flume which will be length
ened some 700 yards. This will bring
the outlet of the overflow north of the
spot where the foundation of the big
dam is to be put in. The extension of
ticn. 1t will be built on piles. Very
heavy timber will be used. The dimen-
sions will be the same as those of the
old hume. The outlet from the east
side of the aume communicating with
the east channel, is designed to take
the overflow in times of freshet or when
there is an extra amount of water in
the river.
Gangs of men are in the water, above
1,,&t,
under the extension of the lume. Rock
drills are in use, driven by steam, and
also several hand drills.
A third gang of men are digging a
trench to receive the pipe that supplies
the Lancaster mills with water. The
pipe will be laid some feet to the west
of its present locality, and will be car
ried along the base of the hills that
guard the west bank of the channel.
A fourth set of men are preparing to
put in so much of the foundation of
the dam as will lie beneath the extern
sion Of the fume. This work will in
clude the laying of about 1000 cubic
yards of masonry.
| When these things are completed all
will be in readiness for work upon the
big DAM which is to begin in earnest
next year.
| The metropolitan engineering depart
tIleIlI Is not dt all uIlWHllnS TO get GOWN
to business with this gigantic structure.
Department Engineer Thomas F.
Richardson will doubtless personally
supervise the erection of the great bull
wark against the waters. The dam will
Ibe known from one end of the country
| to the other, and the name of the en-
gineer connected with it will be on the
! lips of all his brothers in the profess
| sion.
Thomas L. Walsh has entered the
law office of Charles F. Choate of Bos-
ton, as secretary to Mr.. Choate. Mr..
Choate is one of the leading practi-
tioneTs of Boston, and orN>of the ablest
lawyers in the commons I'D alth, as well
as attorney for the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad.
Mr.. Walsh has one more year in law
school before his term is completed
| Mr.. Walsh is a member of a family of
lawyers. He is a nephew of Hon.
| John w. Corcoran, formerly judge of
| the superior court. He is a brother of
| John Walsh, now dead, who is remem-
| bered by the people of Fitchburg as
an attorney of unusual ability and an