The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-12-04
NEW DAM FINISHED
AT BELLOWS FALLS
Concrete Structure Built to Replace
Wooden Dam Completed at Cost of
About ,O0O-Total Length
Over $50 Feet

The most important work of construc-
tion done in the vicinity of Bellows Falls
during the present year came to success
full close last week when the final stage IN
the building of the new concrete dam
across the Connecticut river between that
town and North Walpole was reached.
! On Saturday the dam received its last
touches and during the last week the cof-
fer-dams were dynamited and the debris
removed as was also the temporary frame
work along the dam. The new dam is
built Just below the old log dam, is of
the same height as the old and is so con-
structed that every pound of water in the
river may be utilized for power.
For the past few years, the old dam
gave much trouble and leaked in many
places to such an extent that the Bellows
Falls Canal company decided to erect
new dam. The loss occasioned by the
leaks amounted to about 1000 horse pow
er. Charles r. Main. millwright and con.
structing engineer of Boston, was secured
to furnish design for new dam. Mr..
Mains plans were accepted by the Canal
company and the contract for the con-
struction of the dam was given to the
Aberthaw company of Boston. A. p.
Hoover and J. r. Baldwin of Boston, un-
der the direction of Engineer Main, en-
gineered and supervised the construction
OF Cne uaU, HpuIeu tHe lilies anu tiehu
along which the new dam was to be run,
inspected the material placed in position
and decided the many questions in rela-
ton to its construction.
The Aberthaw company furnished the
mechanical equipment, material and per
formed the real work of building and had
charge of the carpenters, mechanics, la
borers and other workers on the dam:
Until few weeks ago F. G. Latham of
Pawtucket, R. L.. was superintendent and
his assistant, John Henderson, who, sue
The temporary work was in full charge
of the Aberthaw company, while all per
manent work was supervised by Engineer
Hoover and Baldwin, and Chief Inspector
Leland j. Royce, superintendent of the
Bellows Falls Canal company.
The Aberthaw company began opera.
tions July II on temporary work and
the first concrete for the new dam was
nlaced in position on Aug. on the North
Walpole side where the construction COM
menced On Oct. 80, in day of 90 hours,
the maximum concrete laid was IT'S cubic
Yards, while the ordinary amount, in a
Law of 10 hours. was ITO cubic yards. The
5otal amount of concrete used was about
5000 cubic yards and the material for
which consisted of 5000 tons of gravel,
'l6O tons of sand and 720 tons or 10000
Bags of Lehigh cement. The number OF
men employed on the dam averaged about
100 a day; during the first month the
mallest number, so, were at work, while :
Turing October the largest number were ,
consisting of two shifts, 80 in !
he day gang under Latham and so in the ,
light gang under Henderson.
The new dam is built in five sections of
-aried directions, the longest arm ex-
ending from the North Walpole shore to
he middle pier of the B. & M. bridge. c
he total length of the dam is 563.2 lineal r
eet, and, beginning from the North Wal
ole side, the ''breaks" are of the fol- !;
wing lengths: 24S.52 feet, 1922 feet, !.
| 80 feet. 1925 feet and the arm extend =
ng to this side, 17705 feet.
The shape of the dam starts off with
urve whose radius is Is feet, 81 inches, 7
rops down feet, ~ inches and then r
nns tangent to the curve at a 45-degree a
ngle, so that the width of the dam is the
lme number of feet down at the ledge e
r base rock of the river. I
At the crest of the new dam and Is h