The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-27
Worcester County Society Mem
bers and Friends the Guests Of
Engineers in the Metropolitan
Water Basin
ALL DETAILS OF THE BIG
JOB WERE INSPECTED
The Operation Of Trains and the
Special Machinery For Doing
the Work of Transferring Big
Loads Watched With Interest
Statistics of the Contract

Members of Worcester County Socie-
ty of Engineers and their friends, MAX
ing a party of 3d. passed thoroughly
enjoyable day yesterday as guests OF
the engineers in charge of work on the
Metropolitan water basin.
Every detail of the big undertaking
was pointed out and explained to the
visitors by their hosts and to those
who had never visited the big reservoir
the day will long be remembered. 1t
was the fourth visit of the society Of
engineers, but there was plenty to in
terest the men who had been over the
basin before. In fact the comparison
of conditions existing on different oc-
casions made the trip fully as inter
esting to the Worcester engineers as
to those who had never been over the
locality.
The weather was perfect and every
detail of the day moved according to
schedule. There was nothing to mar
the pleasure of the occasion. The par
ty left Worcester at 1882 o'clock yes
terday morning and returned shortly
before 6 o'clock last night. The return
trip was made in two special electric
cars over the Clinton line of the Con-
solidated.
The dinner, which was a thoroughly
enjoyable feature of the day. was serv-
ed at 1 o'clock in the contractors shan
ty at Clinton. The seven mile ride in
barges and tramp of three or four
miles along the bikes had whetted the
appetites of the party and full JUS
tice was done to the substantial repast
supplied by l.. H. Ross and his assis-
tants.
After dinner the party visited the
quarries where stone is taken out for
use in constructing the dam. Then
came visit to the site Of the dam it.
self where details of the proposition
were thoroughly explained by Depart
ment Engineer T. +. Richardson. The
party had an opportunity of seeing
how the big task is being done and a
great majority followed the winding
stairways and paths down into
the excavation where the foundation
of the big dam Is being laid.
The bottom of the big hole is a
busy spot. A half dozen steam der
ricks putting and snorting as they
swung big blocks Of stone about, the
incessant pounding and hiss of COM
pressed air drills burrowing into the
ledge and the shrll whistles and calls
of the foremen as they moved about
giving directions to hurrying workmen
/ combined to form an impression that
| is lasting.
Nearly 200 feet above the bottom OF
| the hole scores of workmen are busy
about the site Of the dam shovelline
gravel into wagons or wheelbarrowt
and depositing 1t where 1t is needed IL
the great plan of construction. High
| overhead, spanning the ravine, are two
Lidgerwood cableways, each having q
span Of 1150 feet and a carrying capac-
ity of eight tons. Carloads of rock and
other material for the dam are run out
along the cable with the regularity OF
clock work. Arriving over the spot
where the material is wanted, the OPP
orator sets the machinery in motion
| and down goes a load Weighing tons
without more ado than a child dang
ling a toy basket over a well curb.
There was some hesitation among
certain members Of the party about GO
ing down to the bottom but most OF
them overcame whatever scruples they
may have had and saw 1t all. Mr.
Richardson's admonition as the party
went down was for everyone to keep
eyes open, as in case anything dropped
on a man it was liable to hurt. The re-
mark came home with special force to
a person who looked up suddenly from
an inspection of the masonry to observe
big car containing several tons Of
stone almost directly over him, sup
ported only by what looked like 4
threadlike cable and swooping earth
ward like some great bird of prey.
The party also took peep into the
big aqueduct through which millions Of
gallons Of water are flowing daily to
supply the needs of the Boston district
The water in the tunnel was about four
feet deep and flows underground until
it reaches a point in Southboro, a dis
tance Of about eight miles. The capac-
ity Of the aqueduct Is about 10000, 900
gallons per day.
After leaving the dam, the party was
photographed, and was conveyed to the
point where cars were taken for home.
Rev. DR.. Willard Scott and Rev. Ar
thur L, Weatherly made few remarks
expressing their pleasure with the trip,
and the Worcester men gave their