The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-07-18
WORK ON THE DAM BEGINS
The BIG Reservoir. Which Means
So Much to Redwood Falls,
A Sure Thing.
The Dam Is to haYe a Base Of
Thirty Feet and Eight Feet
Wide at the Top.
Work on the dam has commenced.

up road to the head of the pro-
posed reservoir, and arrangements
are now being made tor the founda-
ton of huge derrick, which is to
swing the rock into place.
The agreement to commence work
Monday was reached at meeting
of the committee held last Thursday
evening, at which time Messrs.
Geo. L. Evans and J. 9. Robinson
and other members of the syndicate
owning the land wanted for the
west side abuttment, and also a
small strip wanted for park purpos-
es' volunteered deed for as much
of their laud as would be wanted for
the dam, at once, the deed to carry
with-it the right of overfowage for
the remainder, and also to give a
deed to the city for the small strip
wanted for park purposes, at such
time as the entire property should
be decided over to the city. Messrs.
Burmeister, Evans and Bowers
were appointed a committee to get
the measurements and have the
deed properly prepared. Mr.. Bur-
meister announced that work would
commence Monday morning, and
that there would be no delay in
pushing the interests of the city
that is, completing the dam, he do
ing this work first, and taking his
own time for piping the power to
The electric light plant and mill.
The committee also instructed its
attorneys, Messrs, Pierce 4 Hag-
riott, to draw up the papers for con.
demning the tract just south of Mr..
Werder's property, known as the
Henze tract, and which is owned oy
Mrs. Louisa Reese, formerly Miss
Louisa Henze. The latter is resid-
ing in San Diego, California, at the
present time, and it has been inn
possible for the committee TO get
into direct communication with her.
The property was offered for sale at
a reasonable price some time ago,
but since the proposition to 60
ahead with the reservoir has been
under consideration, it is said that
the price has advanced. The entire
tract of 2. So acres is wanted, nearly
all of it for overfowage, and the
balance for shore line. The fact
that it is located at the foot of Sec
ond and Third streets. and along
Minnesota avenue between those
two streets, will probably make it
the headquarters for boating, bath
ing, etc. 1t was necessary to hurry
the proceedings in this matter, ow-
ing to possible damage resulting
from oyerfowage while the work OF
constructing the lower portion of
the dam is in progress, a work that
will require the next month or two.
The trees. shrubbery, underbrush,
etc, will all have to be removed,
and the committee is anxious to let
the contract for this as soon as pos
sible.
The site of the dam has been
changed slightly, and instead of it
extending from point a few feet
south of the west pier of the Red
wood bridge, across to the point
just west of the north line of Mr..
Werders residence, it will be To-
Gated about 80 feet still further
south. This change was made on
account of the danger to the bridge
pier in case Of spring freshets and
ice gorglng at that point. The fact,
also, that the water in the river is
about ID feet deep at the place
where the dam would be placed h
case the old site was adhered to,
assisted in causing the change.
The Dase of the dam is to have a
width Of 80 feet, and it is to slant
gradually to the crest Of the stone
portion, a distance Of 26 feet, and
this crest is to have width OF
eight feet. On top Of the stone
crest there is to be lan additional
four feet Of wooden work, making
the height Of the dam 30 feet. To