Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-03-27
BIG CONCRETE DAN
IS WASHED OUT.
IN THE TWINkLINC OF AN EYE GREAT PROJECT
WHICH MEANT MUCH FOR DEBORAH IS WRECKED.
While the Water Shut Off and the Lake Filled
Might
and Causing Damage.

der the foundation of the power
house, that is, under the north cor
ner of the east wall, and when the
water once began to seep through un-
der this wall, it went with rush.
and soon undermined the power house
and dam. Tons and tons of gravel
were carried from beneath the dam
and power house hundred yards and
more down the river, making pile
which extends above the water four
feet high, and digging hole under
the dam thirty feet deep. There is
no question as to the perfect construc-
tion Of the dam proper and the apron
below it. A thorough examination
was made and the final work done on
this apron at 6 90 p. m. the day before
the accident, and it was found to be
in the best of condition.
1t is difficult, of course, to estimate
the extent of the loss at this time, but
it is conservatively placed at $50, 600
to $25, 600. The loss consists of the
time, money expended for labor, and
the concrete. We understand that
4, 600 barrels of cement were used in
the concrete work. The east end of
the dam, and the concrete wall on the
west side, covered with earth on both
sides, $50 feet long, are in good con.
dition. Also the machinery, worth
about $4,000 and the pole line from
Decorah to the dam, worth about
81, 000 1t is estimated that it will
take $25, 600 to $780, to reconstruct
the dam. Whether this will be done
or not is at this time a matter of con-
lecture, but we hope that it will.
Neither the Upper Iowa Power Co.
nor the people OF Decorah can afford
the loss of such great enterprise.
The successful completion of this dam
promised to be of inestimable value
to Decorah and the territory through
which the pole line extended, not
only in the furnishing of electric
lights, but in the surplus power
which it developed. Already the
business men of Decorah had taken
steps toward the securing OF factories
here, and unless we have some other
form of power except that obtained
from coal, there is little use to at
tempt to get anything in the line of
manufactures to locate here. On the
other hand, the reconstruction of the
dam means only loss of that which
has been destroyed. To abandon the
enterprise as it now stands would
double the loss. We sincerely hope
that an arrangement may be made for
the completion of the work.
Since the catastrophe hundreds of
people have visited the dam, every
available team in Decorah being put
into use on Sunday afternoon. All
express their great sorrow that such a
calamity has befallen the enterprise
just as it seemed to be completed, and
their sincere sympathy is extended to
Messrs. Burtis e. Howard, who have
struggled through so many obstacles
since the inception of the project.
That it still may be completed and
be the means of reimbursing them
for all their loss and more is the
earnest wish of all public spirited
citizens.
The primary election law as it
passed the legislature provides that
to nominate candidate must have
30 per cent of the total vote cast.
otherwise the convention shall deter
mine the nomination; and it also
exempts judges from the operation of
the law, on the theory that the Judge.
ship should be made distinct as far as
possible, as an office holding class.
Otherwise the bill passed substan-
TALLY as given in these columns in
recent issue.
We saw a young lady playing the
piano one evening with nothing
around her shoulders or neck but the
shadow of the chandelier. and cal
low youth played the violin who wore
coat with tails ON it three feet long.
We wanted TO cut them off and wind
them around that girls neck. but we
actually believe both of them would
have demurred although both would
have been far more comfortable. Why
Is this?-Britt Tribune.
Boards of Supervisors now get an
increase of salary for committee work
from SO. 80 to s3. 90 per day. and are
allowed 90 days in session work in
stead of 40 as before. 1t will add
ahont Sl00 To thair salary The lnu,