Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-09-13
MORE TIME a CANAL WORK.
Plans Being Made So Contract May Be
Awarded During Coming Winter.

~WdTuSu OuFInS looming Wtnter.
The contractors on what is known
as the south side feeder canal Of the
great Belle Fourche irrigation project,
upon which the United States govern
ment is expanding the sum of more
than 100000, have been granted an
extension Of forty-five days in which to
complete the work This will give
them until Oct. Is to complete the
work on the canal from the reservoir
dam at Owl creek to the drop near
the Belle Fourche river in the vicinity
of what is known as the w. S. Hamil-
ton ranch
The construction work on the
south side canal is in charge Of Engi-
neer j. l.. Mann, assisted by A. w.
Walker, with headquarters at Vale.
For the last month they have been en-
gagged in laying out the work for that
part of the canal running south of the
Belle Fourche river so that a contract
may be awarded during the coming
winter.
When completed the south side canal
will be forty-tive miles long, eight
miles of which, between the big dam
and the river, will be completed by
Oct. Is next. In carrying on the work
of construction along the canal some
of the most difficult engineering work
on the whole project is encountered,
as it crosses many large draws and
creeks, where concrete culverts must
be built to take care Of storm waters.
To Have Big siphon.
In the next section, for the construc-
ton of which the contract will be
awarded next winter, there will be
forty-foot drop, where considerable
power can be produced should there
be need of it, which there eventually
will be. There will be also a concrete
reinforced steel inverted sipbon about
six feet in diameter and eight hundred
feet long to carry the water across the
Belle Fourche river.
This siphon is one of the most inter-
esting parts of the entire project, and
will be constructed of concrete rein
forced by steel frame work of bands
and rods, these to be covered with a
thick coating of concrete. The siphon
will be run under the river about five
to eight feet below the bed Of the
stream, this being less expensive and
just as satisfactory as if it passed
over the river on steel spans. In put
ting in the siphon the water will be di-
verified to one side Of the river until a
section of the work is completed,
when the flow of water may be
changed and the balance of the siphon
put in place. The first four miles be-
low the siphon is steep hillside work
and will be expensive
Must Go Through Tunnel.
At one place the canal runs into
cut bank which is about 100 feet high
and is perpendicular from the river
up. Here the canal must go through
tunnel in this backbone The tunnel
will be about six by eight feet and be-
tween 1900 and 1000 feet long. This
tunnel will be built in shale with
concrete lining to protect the shale
from the action of water and air.
Sinking Water and Whitewood creeks
will have to be crossed with long con
crete culverts under the canal. After
Butte Hall is reached the problem is
comparatively simple, as the land lies
so that the canal can be rapidly and
cheaply constructed.
Work on other portions of the great
irrigation project is progr 5sing rap
idly and satisfactorily, and big show
ing will be made before cold weather
sets in this fall Engineer Walter has
moved his offices from the division
dam to Belle Fourche, and now is
comfortably located with Messrs. Sci
dermann & Dolphin, disbursing agents,
in four rooms in local business
block.
This will make it much more con-
venient, as before great many trips
had to be made to Belle Fourche each
day. In any event, it would have
been necessary to move to town be-
fore winter sets in, as a great deal of
Office work will have to be done dur
ing the winter