Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-11-02
IS THERE DANGER?
General Discussion Of the High Water
Question-What Engineer Rollins

SS" Dseuss'oh OF the nlgh water
| Queston-What Engineer Rollins
| Says.
| Whether the building of the new Fitch
burg railroad bridge is going to increase
the danger from high water has been much
discussed by the citizens of Bellows Falls
during the past week, and there are about
as many different opinions as there are in
dividuals. Some think the arches of the
bridge abundautly adequate to take care of
all the water that has ever been known to
flow in the Connecticut while others are
positive that if the flood of 1895 is ever re-
peated Bellows Fall, will be wiped from
the map.
| LOWEST ARCHES IN THE COUNTRY
The work of building the bridge is being
pushed very rapidly, and before the discus
sion is over, will be completed. 1t i.
thought trains will be passing over the
arches on trestle work before the middle
OF the month, and this means that the en-
tire Job will be completed by December.
The arches are each 140 feet at the base
with spring of 20 feet. Tbi, is said to be
the --LATEST railroad arch in the United
States, and there is only one with less
spring in the world and that is in Franc
with base of 100 feet and spring of 10
feet. The new bridge will be constructed
solidly enough to hold half the Connecticut,
so no harm to the bridge from high water
need be anticipated.
VILLAGE WILL TAKE NO ACTION.
DR.. o. M. George of the board of bail
ifs was asked if the bailiffs considered
property in Bellows Falls sufficiently in
danger to warrant any action on the part
of the bailiffs. He said he had received
several letters and several had spoken to
him about the matter and that he had con-
ferred with F. A. Bodies, the corporation
attorney. After talking the matter over it
was decided that the circumstances did no t
warrant the bailiffs in going ahead and in
curing expense. If enough are interested
to have special corporation meeting called
the case is different.
WHAT ENGINEER ROLLINS SAYS.
Engineer Rollins, who has the construc-
ton of the new bridge in charge, was seen
and asked whether he considered the
arches large enough to accommodate high
water. He said that it is true that the new
bridge occupies considerable space on the
rocks on the sides which has been known
to be occupied by high water, yet he is de-
cidedly of the opinion that there will never
be any trouble from the bridge. He said ::
"Our bridge does not span the narrowest
part of the channel by any means; it is
much narrower, for instance under the toll
bridge. The point, however, which chokes
the river and raises the water on the top of
the dam is about 200 feet north of the
Fitchburg tool house and several hundred
feet from the new bridge. Here the chan
mel is SO contracted by projecting rock that
it has less dlscharging capacity than the
arches Of the bridge will have. There is
the real danger,if any" Mr.. Rollins also
added that the Fitchburg people intended
to do some blasting above the eastern arch,
but did not know how much.
THE SITUATION.
The B. & M. iron bridge near the dam
is 602 feet wide and the river channel is
probably about $50; at two or three places
in the gorge below it is not over 800 feet.
This means, of course, big choking in
times high of water In 1895 water stood 10
feet, inches on the top of the dam. We
are told the arches of the new bridge are
one foot above the top of the dam. 1t seems
to be conceded that the bridge will occupy
about 1900 feet of space which has been
8 known to be occupied by water. N. S..
Brockway says he can remember when a
channel ran from the tool house to point
between the railroad bridge and the toll
bridge. This was filed in by the Rutland
and Burlington road when the Cheshire
crossed the river. He thinks the first eff ect
of high water would be to wash out the old
channel and incidentally carry away few
coal sheds.
Query: Would not adequate gates at
the head Of the canal greatly lessen what
element of danger there is?
: Attic Party.
A large number of young people made
merry Halloween at the Methodist parson-