The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-09-29
Great Reclamation Project Now
Is Completed.
BORE is SIX MILES LONG
Wild Rejoicing at Montrose, COL, az
Waters of Mountain River Flow
Into the Uncompahgre
Valley.

pletion of the GunnisOn river tunnel
project on which the government has
been at work for four and a half
years. President William H. Taft
honored the occasion with his pres
ence and it was his hand that opened
the gates at the west portal and adj
mitted into the beautiful but semi
arid Uncompahgre valley the waters
of the Gunnison river brought six
miles through the immense tunnel
that has been driven through granite
mountain range.
The day of the opening of the tun-
mel was made the chief day of the
Western Slope fair, now being held
here. All the morning special trains
kept coming in, from various parts
Of the state, and at 1890 there was
parade of the visitors. Early in the
afternoon the explosion of a bomb
told the people that the special train
bearing President Taft and other gov
eminent officials had entered the city
limits. A second bomb announced his
debarkation at the station, and third
was sent up as the distinguished
guest, escorted by a great procession,
started for Elks' park.
President Taft Welcomed.
At the park, after Introductory re-
marks by F. D. Catlin, chairman of
the Gunnison tunnel opening commit
tee, Mayor J. @. Allen turned the key
of the city over to the guests. Then
John G. Bell delivered the formal adj
dress of welcome, to which Presi-
dent Taft responded briefly and hap.
PLY. The exercises here concluded
with remarks by Senator Charles j.
Hughes and Gov. John Shafroth. At
four o'clock trains started for the
west portal of the tunnel, where Presi'
dent Taft opened the gates, and
speeches were made by I. w. McCon.
nell, consulting engineer of the recla-
nation service, and Senator Horace T.
belong of Grand Junction.
Story of the Great Tunnel.
First of the big government recla'
nation projects to be undertaken, the
Gunnison river tunnel has been one OF
the most difficult to carry through
The ample waters of the Gunnison
flow through narrow valleys unsuited
to agriculture or through Deep rocky
canyons, while only few miles to the
west the lovely Uncompahgre valley
has been suffering for water. The
Gunnison, descending in ever deepen
ing gorges, finally plunges into the
Black canyon, one of the most mag
| nificent mountain gorges in the world
This unprOmising spot was selected
as the starting point of the tunnel
Brave engineers lowered themselve:
into the Black canyon at points where
| the granite walls rise almost perpen
dicularly hundreds of feet, and aftel
their surveys were completed activ.
work was started on the immense
project.
| At great expense and under enor
nous difficulties, wagon road wal
built to the east portal of the tun
mel. 1t is Is miles long, and, climb
ing the granite ridge between tn
canyon and the Uncompahgre valley
descends the rocky wall on shelf-work
Bore Built for All Time.
simultaneously work was begun a
each end of the tunnel and at poin
several thousand feet from the ives
end, where shaft was sunk. AS fas
as the tunnel was driven through tn,
shale and solid rock, it was timbered
and then the heavy timbers wer
covered with impervious cement. Thi
gives tunnel of solid concrete bull
to withstand the wear of ages. Al
the fumes, culverts, division gates
drops and other work along the line
of the main canals are built of stee
and concrete.
There is no dam across the Blac,
canyon at the point where the river
turned into the tunnel. Instead G
this, the tunnel itself taps the rive
from beneath it's granite bed. B
this plan neither floods nor slack WE
ter can prevent the tunnel takin
from the river all the water needed.
Has Immense Capacity.
A few statistics of this tremendou
project are worth setting forth. TIL
tunnel is $4,000 feet long, and II b
- feet inside measurement. The mai
canal is 80 feet wide at the bottor
and 81 feet wide at the top, and tn
average depth of the river is te
feet. The capacity is 1900 cubic fee
of water a second. After the waite
leaves the west portal of the tunne
it is conducted through ~ miles G
canal to the Uncompahgre. There /
a drop of 81 feet in this distance. an
this great fall will be utilized for Gre
ating power. A series of concret
drops has been constructed and tn
immense body of water rushing owe
them is capable Of generating at leas
10000 horse power, which will be uti
lied in lighting the entire Uncompal
gre valley by electricity.
The cost of the tunnel and distrit
-