Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-05-11
PIPE UP STICKNEY BROOK
LINE FROM PLEASANT VALLEY
NEARLY COMPLETED.
Some Idea Of What the Undertaking
Has Meant to Sunset Lake Water
company-Two Miles of Pipe Laid
Around q Mountain.

AA"o puoaht W ouiisct LAKE water
company-Two Miles of Pipe Laid
Around a Mountain.
1t is worth while to see what the
Sunset Lake Water company is doing
to bring the waters of Stickney brook
into Pleasant valley and thence to the
village of Brattleboro. Whether one
believes in this system or an independ.
ent one, in municipal or private owner.
ship, tramp over the line of pipe
which has been laid from the head of
Pleasant valley around the mountain
to the point where the dam is to be
constructed will give him some idea of
the obstacles that have strewn the path
of the undertaking, which is now well
toward completion. The trip will also
afford an opportunity to see some of the
widest and toughest country within a
few miles of Brattleboro, and to get
plenty of fresh air and very consid.
cradle amount of exercise.
The old Hescock place, a short dis
lance north of the Oliver Carpenter
farm, is the point from which the trip
over the pipe line should begin. just
below this place is the spot where the
Ipipe will spill its contents into the up
per part of Pleasant valley whence the
water will flow southwark something
over a mile to the point where the 10
inch main will bring it to this village.
From the head of Pleasant valley to the
site of the dam on Stickney brook is
only few feet short of two miles if
one follows the pipe line. The total
fall in this distance is 65 feet and the
grade is so regular, with the exception
of the one low place in the rear of the
Hescock place, that a bucket of water
poured into the upper end of the pipe
would quickly find its way to the other
end
After passing through the dooryard
of the Hescock farm the line continues
almost north for short distance and
then swings westward around the
mountain which makes the south side
of the Stickney brook ravine. Several
hundred feet above the brook bed at
first, the line gradually converges to.
ward the level of the stream until the
two meet at the point where the dam
will be constructed. As the line con
tinues up the valley along the mountain
side one gets good idea of the dlffi,
culties which the contractors have had
to overcome. At short intervals deep
Icuts through solid rock have been made
to preserve the grade, and in most IN
stances the discovery of rock was en-
tirely unexpected. At other places,
where the grade made it necessary TO
lay the pipe on the surface, landslides
have taken the earth away and required
much filling. One cut as deep as -
feet had to be made and several Others
of % feet. Is feet and l6 feet were
necessary in addition to numerous
smaller ones. To make these cuts
through rock four tons of dynamite
were used. Where rock was not en-
countered the excavations were fire.
ouently filed by slides and delay caused
in that way.
Half way up the pipe line is a deep
rayiue down which small stream flows
To get the pipe across this ravine with
ont changing the grade it has been
necessary to erect an iron bridge 10
feet long and 65 feet above the brook
At the lower end of this bridge a SIX
inch pipe will take the water from the
small stream into the main line. a
short distance beyond the big bridge
is another smaller one, 40 feet II
: length. This crosses another Stlckney
brook tributary which will help fill the
main pipe by means OF spur Oh SIX
inch pipe. Four other bridges will Dc
necessary. one of 80 feet, two or q
feet and one of Is feet All of these
bridges are of iron and will be set or
concrete abutments.
The spot which has been chosen fol-
the dam across Stickney brook is about
two miles below Sunset lake. The dan
will be 100 feet wide and 10 feet high
II will be constructed of stone ant
concrete Work on it will be begun
nromptlv the first of next week. Al
soon as all the pipe has been LAID nan
of fine workmen viii begin filling TN
cnts and covering the pipe where II Il
laid on the surface, working backward
from the upper to the lower end OF Tn,
line The pipe used on this line is Il
;nob sniral steel riveted pipe, guaran
teed as to strength and durapliity' !
T is thoroughly coated inside ana gu
with asphalt to prevent It rustihg'
! is put together with bolted JOINT son
nections, rubber packing being usea q
the end of each sleeve to MAKE w
, Joints absolutely water tight. 10 X
This pipe to points where it could D.
handled most conveniently part Oh
had to be drawn from West hummer
sion to the Hescock place ana tnel
oyor an old wood road which runs par
|. allel 70 the line, although some distanc
: above It. The pipe for the upper Por
ions had to be drawn up the bed o
Stickney brook about two mics 1l. an an,
the travelling was 50 difficult that onli
t tna lengths at time could be hauled
Work on the pipe line from fleasa l,
GALLEY TO the site of the Stickney proo'
dam has been going on steadily Sc sl nj,
about Feb. !, and the most dliiicu a
nart of the undertaking has been sue
ppessfully accomplished. NO douDt -
man with muck-rake could find iiawS
hit TO the ordinary observer, VINO uoe
u uot pretend to be an expert IN sue
)" m atters. the work looks as II IL ha
n been done thoroughly and cGnscl .h
IL t; e and there is no doubt that Tn
1t system will furnish an abundance = .
= nure water as long as the streams "hie
furnish it continue to fiow