The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-02

of his life and made the best of the
situation. He turned away from a
gang of farm hands he had been boss
ing, crossed his legs, rubbed his right
hand over his rugged. sunburned face,
and then reached down behind the
seat of his buggy and pulled up fad
ed blue serge sack coat. Diving down
into the pocket he pulled out two Ha-
vana perfectos. AS he passed one out
he held his hand so his wonderful dia-
mond rings could be seen. There were
several immense stones in each.
WELL" he said, about this squatter
talk, all have to say is this: I've
been in this valley for fifty years. My
father and my grandfather were here
before me. I'm farmer for all there
is in it. Before the city took the best
two-thirds of my land from me 1 was
making from $4,000 to $4,000 a year.
Every farm had was run right up to
the handle.
'Now, the city has left me nothing
but few hills back of the water line
of the proposed reservoir. If anybody
down in the city thinks I'm getting the
best of the deal I just tell you what
I'll do. Pll give the city back it's $780,
900, which l received only about two
weeks ago, by the way. and I'll give
the city a bonus of $4,000 to go away
and leave me alone. That's how feel
and where I'm getting any bouquets
from the city I fail to see. And all
the rest of these so-called squatters in
this valley feel about as do"
Nelson says he will keep his cows
off the city land as soon as the city
fences in it's reservoir. He says he
has paid the city now for all the grass
and apples which he has taken from
Its land. He was asked who got the
money, and he said he didn't know
anything about that further than that
he paid the city.
The old village of Katonan, which Is
about fourteen miles back of the new
dam, has been deserted. The houses
were sold at auction and removed and
new Katonah. a pretty little place,
has sprung up on the Harlem division
Of the Central road. about three-quar-
tiers Of mile back of the old town
Not Nearly Completed.
The farmers may not be disturbed for
some time to come. The new dam is
not nearly completed. "A crack is sup
posed to have been found in the south
ern end. People about Croton say there
wasn't any crack-only a scheme to
get more work to get more money out
of the city.
The original contract was let Aug. "a,
1892 to James s. Coleman. Probably
provided no more cracks are found.
Work was to be completed in seven
years, but it Is now going on eleven
years and fully two more years will be
required.
When it is finished. however, it will
be the largest dam in the world. 1t will
drain 1884. 900 acres of watershed About
5000, 900 cubic yards of granite will be
Used In the masonry From end to end
it will be 1900 feet 305 feet high and
ZIG feet thick at the base.
Water will never run over the top.
being let out at one end through flood
gate. Engineers estimate that the
great valley behind the dam will be
three years filing UP. Every tree,
house bridge, dam and other structure
will be removed from the valley before
it begins to fill up When the water
has reached the top the valley of the
Croton will be transformed into lake
fifteen miles long and at some points
nearly two miles wide. The old dam
will be thirty-five feet below the sur
face Of the new water. Small noun
tains will be completely surrounded by
water and turned into beautiful islands
Along the edges there will be wide
road. About a third of the new road
is already completed. When it is all
done and the deep rayines are bridged
there will be drive Of more than forty
miles around the reservoir and crossing
over the great dam at the Hudson river
end. Many fine hills stand back from
the proposed water line, and undoubt-
eddy cottages and hotels will be built
on most of them. thus making the new
reservoir summer resort of great
value to the crowded city.