The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-18
.MEHERRiN RIVER
WE'LL HARNESSED
Electric Power to Run All the
Machinery Now in the Place,
and Much More That May
come-An Object Lesson
for Other Live
y~,rrH
BY FRANK $. wOoDsoN,
Industrial Editor.


Industrial Editor.
Emporia, the capital OF, Greenes-
Vile county, and one OF the livest and
most wideawake towns in the state,
is to have great celebration next
Tuesday. 1t will not be such a big
affair, for there will probably be no
brass bands End 10 immense outpour-
ing of people, but 1t will be great in
that whatever Is done besides getting
away with big dinner will be the cele-
bration of the realization of a long
drawn-out dream or the enthusiastic
and strictly business people OF that
game little city. The opening OF the
plant OF the Emporia Hydro-E Electric
Power Corporation on Meherrin River
Is the realization OF that dream, and
the occasion for Tuesdays blowout and
big dInnersand doubtless much speech
making.
The Meherrin River, which rises ur
In Lunenburg county. runs through
Brunswick and Greenesville and gath
ers more and more water from various
smaller streams emptying into IT.. until
when II reaches Emporia, the water
power is something immense. The de-
velopment and the Harvesting OF this
power has been the sweet dream of
the town for loSthese many years. and
the final realization of 1t is the thing
that is TO be celebrated day after to-
morrow. Surely 1t. is to be a great
day for the spunkyt little city.
Veny Ancient Water Power.
Long before the British army under
Lord Cornwallis visited and devastated
the site water power on the banks OF
the Meherrin. near Hicks Ford. the
old-ttme name for Emporia, was in
operation as the successor to the
laborious grinding of corn by tht
methods or the Inulans.
Nearly century later the same
power was kept busy grinding corr
and wheat to feed the Confederate SOL
diers. Still forty years later the prim-
ittve methods of the white man Were
yet in vogue, until one day great
freshet rushed down the river. washed
around the abutments of the then In
ferior dam and entirely destroyed ti,s
usefulness of the river anu put an end
to the primitive methods.
C. P. E. Burgwyn. the civil engineer
who bossed the Job, the completion OF
which Is so soon to be ceiebrated. and
who will probably be the happiest
man at the Tuesday blowout. expresses
the opinion that this freshet was
blessing in disguise. in that 1t spurred
the projectors of the present enterprise
up to their final masterful effort. In a
short talk with Colonel Burswyn J
have learned all about this gigantic
enterprise. and as 1t is an object
lesson we'll worthy the study of other
localities in Virginia where vast water
powers are going to waste I want to-
tell about 1t In the Industrial Section
even bfs:ore the Emporla folks cele-
brate the completion of their big dam,
power-house. etc.
Gigantic Undertaking.
It has been k.5own that Will,
the autumn flow nf fha {rN
River is generally comparatively
small, yet the spring, summer az.
winter flows We're quite large. After
observations taken over many years
had demonstrated what was the COM
parative amount of these flows, tna
members of the present corporation
undertook the colossal work CT con-
serving the small flow SO that 1t could
be utilized to the best advantage.
IT Will be evident to the merest
tyro that the construction of high
dam. which would form a lake of con-
siderable size, was the only means Of
doing this. Therefore. about i've
years ago careful lines of level we're
run along both sides of the river. and
denominations We're made OF the
various points to which the water
would rise. The height OF the dam
was calculated with a view Of utiliz-
1nE the slope or,the river to the great
est possible advantage, without injury
IN any way by back water upon the
wheels OF the water power above. At
ter this work of survey was thorough
~ done the next step was to secure
the right to the overflow of the land
IT is needless to say that this was a
long and tedious operation. but ), wa
nnally overcome. owing largely to the
liberal Views which the landowner.
took of the situation, and to the spirit
OF fairness with. which the corporation
met their Views.
Financial Problem Solved.
rhe last and final step was to raise
the "sinews OF war Il is only after
one sees the work actually constructed,
the Wheels running and knows that
terrific power Is being carried broad
cast over the country through the
seemingly tiny wires, thathe can form
the renlotest idea ofHwkat the task
was to provide FUNDS for such pur-
pose So far something over 100000
have been expended,
The greatest engineer OF ancient
days cried out for fulcrum and
promised to move a world. The mod
ern engineer asks for money. and he
promises in return 'to rob the lights
ming OF Its terror and harness the
thunderbolts of Jove.'' That tho
tinanciers of the corporation were able
~ lliS't sldsS Is ltiilS us
great an achievement as that OF En-
glneer Burgwyn to design the plant.
and that OF Stamper, Ragland & Co..
of Richmond contractors, to execute
the work. The names OF the tinanciers
who accomplished this task are In -
grated on the metal of the solid wall
of the power-house Credit Is due TO
them fully as much as to the able
designer and the successful builders. s.
Physical Conditions, g
The dam Itself, which ponds back the
water for seven miles. covering about
500 acres, Is 700 feet long. and at the
.reet thick at the bottom. The length
OF the spiliway is $50 feet, andgi cap-
able of id.scharging the greatest flood
of which there Is any known rccord
py a rise on the crest OF the dam ot I