Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-06-07
PUSHING
LOCK AND DAM
Rapid Work Being Done at
Hale's Bar.
BIG C0FFERDAM
NEARLY COMPLETED
Excavation for Power Plant
Progressing Trying It.
allan Laborers.

Mr.. j. c. Guild, engineer /, in chief
and in charge of the construction of
the big enterprise gives out the follow
ing details of the progress of construct
ion of lock and dam at Hale's Bar,
from which it will be seen that vast
amount of work is under way and in
contemplation. ''The work heretofore
has been work of preparation, princi-
pally. We have been getting together
hoisting engines, derricks cranes, rock
crushers and other necessary equip
ment, and we now have things in good
shape for the work The season of the
year has come, too, when we have lit
tie to fear from sudden river floods
FAs to the work which has already
been accomplished, we have the Golfer
dam around the lock rapidly nearing
completion This cofferdam is being
constructed of inter-locking steel sheet
ing The lock will cover an area of
150x600 feet ON the west bank of the
river and layer of gravel varying
from six to ten feet in thickness covers
the rock lying under this area. In a
few days the pumping will begin, and
as soon as the water is taken from the
cofferdam the work of removing the
gravel will be instituted. Some of the
rock will be taken up also in order to
secure foundation for the concrete
work which will follow, that will be
absolutely secure.
'On the east side of the river we are
excavating for the power house. The
foundations for this structure will ex-
tend downward approximately forty
five feet into the earth and twenty-one
feet into the solid rock which will give
us a depth of twenty seven feet below
the water mark. An immense levee is
now being constructed from the eastern
end of the~power house to the noun
tain, distance of 800 feet. 1t will be
forty-seven feet in height and $50 feet
wide at the base when completed.
The object of this levee is to prevent
the water from escaping through the
valley which intervenes between the
power house site and the mountain.
The water will be raised many feet
above the level of this valley when the
dam is completed.
"Active preparations are being made
for the handling of materials in the
construction of the dam. We hav,
!. completed the work of building two
towers each of which is 125 feet il
height above the banks. These towers
stand on either bank Of the river op
posite the eastern and western ends o
the dam, and three wire cables, eacl
having a diameter of three inches, ar
stretched across the river from tower t.
tower This equipment is so arranged
| n Cr
tons can be picked up on either BAN
and conveyed to any point in the dam
, then lowered and placed in position. ,
Mr.. Guild stated that buildings ha
: been erected for the accommodation
of 400 men, In speaking of labor con
ditions he stated that the contractor
now have seventy-five Italians employ
e ed They began work only few day
A ago, and the experience is bein!
0 closely watched
+ When asked what percentage Of tn
Sc, 900 horsepower which is to be gen
Grated would be lost in transmission
t he said: THE loss will be small.
h will not amount to over per cent. 9
? the most. The problem of preventin
loss in transmission has been solved t
. a great extent The practice now is I
use volt transformers and to ''set up
Q the voltage to high degree at til
n power house and to step it down agal
V by the same means at the distributin
# point We will step our voltage u
to 23, 600 at the dam, which will agai
be stepped down in Chattanoog;
i thereby reducing the loss of power
h transmission to minimum.