Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-11-16
CONNECTICUT RIVER DAM.
Boston Herald Says Corporation Inter
ested In Project Has Been Formed Re-
Gently In That City.

ested In Project Has Been Formed Re-
Gently In That city
A corporation has been formed in Bos-
ton for the purpose of carrying out and
with sufficient capital to finance a project
which has been before the people of Brat
tleboro for several years-that of dam
ming the Connecticut river and making
a large lake near here Every man who
has the advancement OF the town at
heart is anxious to see the project put
into execution 1t would mean an In
flux of inhabitants the like of which has
never been since the town was settled
At present the population OF the town Is
1928, according to the census taken under
the auspices of the town board of trade
within the last month
What sort of work the projectors OF
the scheme intend to embark on has not
been made public. During July and
August a steam drill was used to sink
n number of shafts to determine whether
there was n rock foundation under the
bed of the river. After sinking over rs
shafts II was stated that there was no
rock foundation on which to build the
dam. However an earth foundation was
| found at an average depth OF about 20
| feet on which dam might be built with
out an enormous outlay. and as stable
as It would be, were the foundation oil
| rock.
The idea that no solid rock was struck
| is secuted by a large number Of men
whose experience has qualified them to
have views on the subject. On the east
| side of the river is Mount Wantastiquet,
| 1894 feet in height, composed mostly Of
| shaly lodges OF a kind OF soft granite
which contains a large percentage Of
| graphite. In one place ledge comes
down to the waters edge and apparently
extends out under the river bed. on
| the opposite side of the river Is n ledge
81 81, flnv for r nn
It Is NOT unlikely that the two lodges
Join one another under the river bed.
Samples OF the dirt encountered last
summer by the drilling crew were taken
at intervals of few feet each to de-
termine the quality OF the strata OF earth
below the river bed These carefully
bottled and labelled. have been retained
in the hands OF one of the men of this
town who is interested in the project now
believed to be under way. 1t is confident
ly expected by many that as soon az
spring comes n large force Of men will be
put to work 60 build the dam to harness
the whole river that has flowed past Brat
tleboro without being called on TO ait
in the least any Of its industries
II the dam Is built the river viii 1ov
back and inundate several large farms o.
the finest tillable land that there Is II
New England. The farm belonging to thu
Retreat, a short distance above the town
will be overlooked the year round. Thi
farm consists of 100 acres of rich, alluvia
land and is worth several thousand dol
lars Once overlooked. 1t can never b.
reclaimed This is the most valuable
piece of property that win be destroyed
, Most OF the way between here and Bel
lows Falls the river banks are compose'
of high cliffs, with occasional gaps
through which may be seen fertile farm
and comfortable farmhouses. The large
, part OF these farms are on too hig
, ground to be reached by the damme
waters. but the lowlands along both bank
OF the river viii suffer. The water OF tn
lake formed by the dam will reach ap
proximately the same height at this tow
I that II attains at the time OF the annua
spring freshets. but farther up the rive
p II will be much lower. The nearest dar
| above here is at Bellows Falls. "a mile
distant.
z A gorge 100 yards wide is the pro
Y jected site for the new dam. II is figure
n that between 1900 and 5000 horse powe
0 will be developed constantly, and 1t ca
e easily be seen that % head of water 2
miles long and as deep as the lake to b
menduous power
A Another thing that would add great
. to the attractiveness OF the. town as
4 place OF residence would be the sheet {
, water thus made almost at the doors
I the house. Today the nearest lake-Spoi
n ford lake in New Hampshire, 10 mile
8 away-is the watering place Of Brattle
q boro, and Is largely patronized by the res
. idenJs OF this town in SUMNER Bosto
Sunday Herald.