The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-11-20
MIGHTIEST EAST OF NIAGARA.
Interesting Account of Connecticut
River Dam by Magazine Writer.

The December number of the Technica
World contains the following interestin.
description by Livingston Wright of the
Connecticut River Power company's new
dam:
Across the Connecticut river, neal
Brattleboro, VI, there is being construct
ed dam which is more mighty in it,
possibilities than any power plant east OF
Niagara Falls, and means enough energy
to supply every mill in Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts,
The completion OF this giant breakwater
will turn New England greatest river
into her principal source of power.
The great wall OF concrete which is now
creeping out into Che river will have ii
high-water length Of 1000 feet Day and
night nearly 800 men are occupied in the
construction of the huge wall and the
work has attracted thousands of sight
seers.
When finished the dam will represent a
storage capacity of 2O0OO0,0O0 cubic feet.
1t will completely control the flow of the
Connecticut and will have drainage area
OF $40 square miles.
PROJECTED at point about five miles
south OF Brattleboro, where the towns of
Vernon, VT, and Hinsdale, n H., face
each other, the structure is beginning
to rise well out into the river and the
downrush of the waters has already
gouged huge slice from one of the en-
croaching banks,
In connection with. the enterprise lines
Tor conveying the power have already
been laid for so miles south in the drec-
ton of Fitchburg, which is to be one of
the most important distributing centers.
from here the energies of the Connecticut,
stored by the great dam, will be conveyed
to Manchester, Nashua, Lewiston. Me-,
and various manufacturing centers. With.
In the radius of the towns and cities of
Adams, North Adams, Pittsfeld, Spring
held, Worcester and Lewiston, it is esti-
mated that at the present time 10000
horse power are in constant use The pro-
jectors and builders of this breakwater be.
lleve that in the future the bulk of this
energy will be drawn from the storage res
ervoir on the Connecticut.
The new wall is known among engi-
neers as the "Ogee" type, the upstream
wall being exactly perpendicular. The
foundation from shore to shore will be of
solld granite and at the lowest, widest
section will be 68 feet high and about 60
Hampshire side the dam will extend in.
ward about 300 feet and one of the head |
lands Of the shore is now being sucked
away by hydraulic action, while on the |
opposite shore of the river another great |
section of the bank will be taken away to
make room for the extension of the dam
foundations. In the middle of the dam
will be thirty-foot opening to furnish
egress for the annual run of logs in the
spring. The downstream face of the dam
will be sloping and through the center of
the wall when finished there will be a
huge subterranean tunnel in which will be
established the machinery for operating
the gates. This tunnel will be large
enough for man to walk through and
over it the water will flow with six feet
Of concrete between it and the surface of
the tube within. Ten gates, seven by ten
feet square, will accommodate the down
rush of the river and if all are left open
1t once the full flow of the river can pass
through
When completed the dam will form
pond varying from 500 to 5000 feet in
width and some miles in length, and will
,reate for Brattleboro, Hinsdale and the
territory one of the finest and
most picturesque of lakes for pleasure
esort
The dam itself will develop a fall of
wenty-six feet in the Connecticut and t
viii raise the river so far back that the Q
hastings rapids, two miles up. will be- a
ONE still water At the extreme lengths t
4 the dam there are being constructed the t
spillways," over which the surplus flow ! fl