New-York tribune., 1905-04-10
DANGER AT OLD DAM.
CROTON YALLEY FEARFUL.
Men at Work in Eight Hour Shifts
Strengthening Embankment.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBuNE.l

PeekskI N. Y. April 9-The high water III
the Croton watershed. which but couple OF
weeks ago threatened to cause a lot of trouble
at the new $5,GO0OOO Croton Dam, by rising to
a dangerous height at the unfinished south end
Of the big structure. is again causing alarm
The scene of threatened danger row lies at the
old Croton Lake Reservoir. ten miles above the
new dam. There is more water in the lake at
present than It ever held before in it's history.
solid mass of water five feet one and one
quarter inches deep is pouring over the spill
way tonight, and the water is backed up in the
reservoir to a higher point than it has ever be-
fore reached. The dangerous spot is at the
northwest side of this dam The embankment
here is what is known as riprap work and the
high water has seriously undermined it during
the last few days. If it should create small
leak here, nothing could save the entire dam
from utter destruction.
A big force OF men and teams is at work re-
inforcing and snoring up the weak points. The
necessity for quick action so urgent that
the men worked all day to-day and are work
ing tonight. The force is divided into eight
hour shifts. An immense wall of stone is being
laid in front Of the riprap work, ard it is hoped
by this means to save the dam
The unusually high water in the present water
shed this year is accounted for by the fact that
all the storage reservoirs above these two big
QaIQS nave Deen ullSQ 10 OFGTUOWluS all WlLLlSI
and spring. 1t has not been found necessary TO
draw upon this supply; consequently, when the
snow melted and the spring rains fell. all the
water from miles and miles Of valleys came
tumbling into the Old Croton dam. This. being
unable to hold any more. emptied into the new
reservoir the dam Of which in a very much
unfinished condition, and not prepared to hold
so much water.
Since the latter part Of March, when the
water in the new reservoir rose to a threaten
ing height, work on the south end Of the big
dam has been rushed with all possible speed,
and the danger to this structure has en-
tirely passed. Tonight there is III feet Of water
pressing against this enormous pile Of masonry.
1t has risen to within five inches of the spill
way. A little over month ago. when the gates
Of the big dam were closed. the engineers esti-
mated that it would take from two to three
years for the reservoir to fill; it filled in two OF
three weeks instead
Men have been busy in the last two weeks
repairing the damage already caused by high
water. The Croton Aqueduct passes down the
Croton Valley from the old dam and the water
in the new dam completely suDmerges it. When
the new reservoir began to fill rapidly. 1t was
reared that the weight OF water in 1t would
crush the aquedUct and TO avoid this water was
turned into the aqueduct full head.
No arrangement has been completed by which
the aqueduCt gate at the new dam could be
raised to relieve the pressure therefore there is
no vent or escape for the air. The water rushed
in, and the pressure of air blew out two man
holes and tore the floor out of the gatehOuse
at the upper dam The water rushed out of the
great manhOle into the lake, and the big
dam had to care for this, in addition to the i'm
mense volume Of water that poured over the
spillway of the old dam. Thus the water rose
quickly to n danger point the unfinished part
of the new dam.
Finally the derrick and tackle necessary to
operate the gate to the aqueduct which is To-
Gated down in the interior of the new DAM were
installed, and the gate opened. Even with this
relief, the reservoir has steadily continued ia
fill, and IL is believed that within twenty-fOur
hours water will be pouring over the spiIlway
of the new dam. The contractors say they will
have this immense structure which has been
in course Of construction for ten years. entirely
finished in October.