The Taney County republican., 1911-12-28
A Walk To The Dam.

Reese and JOhn Hart, TOOK a IItue Walk .
Of about two miles up the river to
where the Ambursen Hydraulic Con
siruction Co., is rapidly getting things .
shaped up for the actual construction /!
work Of the White River Dam. OF .
course the weather was fine for such a
trip, as most Of the winter weather in
this part Of the world is and it was very !
much enjoyed by all the party. The
route took US out across the suspension /
bridge over Swan Creek west of town
and then up through the fine farms Of
]. G. Root and Sam Wheeler TO the |
dam site,
On arriving there We were met by
Mr., r. 7. Bailey Of the engineering
department; who took US about over the
works. They now have something
like fifteen or sixteen houses up and
most Of them occupied by the employ
ees Of the company and their families
A Erac -5y store is in operation and a
fine big dining hall for the hands, and
We also took d lock into the fine, clean
Kitchen, where the cooks were at that
time preparing several large turkeys
for the Christmas dinner the next day.
Down along the river there was a
little nor. excitement and hustle, as
four oi the biz buees had been land
ed that morning from Branson each
carrying a big load Of the tools and
machinery to be used in the work.
These barses made the trip from Bran
son to the landing, something like
sixteen miles, depending altogether on
the current Of the river, in three hours
and ten minutes, the boats hauling the
heavy engines, boilers etc, to be used
in hosting The heavy material mixing
the concrete, and furnishing power for
various other things.
Master Mechanic McLain was busy
getting the boats lined up where they
could be unloaded, and Mr.. Greene
was directing a force Of men in build
ing skidways on which to slide the
engines and boilers from the boats up
over the bank. Each Of the barSes IS
abont ten by thirty ieet, and are built
of heavy two and hall inch planks so
that they are capable Of carrying heavy
load. When loaded the boats will draw
something like eighteen inches 10 two
feet of water, and will be brought down
the river, loaded, by the current and
when unloaded will be yoked up in
pairs and attached to one Of the power
boats which will pull them back to the
railroad Tor another load. II is esti'
mated that it will require about seven
hundred and fifty car loads Of cement
in the construction and that item in it.
self would be no small thing to trans
port from the railroad.
Superintendent Maxson is working
hard to get things in shape to get at
the real work Of the job and under his
efficient management and the assist
ance Of his able licutenants that part CT
the country which a few months ago
was Just farm, is now taking on the
appearance Of a prosperous town. We
are informed that in a short time there
will be two forces Of men at work for
twelve hours at a stretch, and then
each twenty !our hours will show some.
thing done.
When the construction company gets
into full swing !, will be the biggest
thing that has ever been in operation
in this part OF the state, and will make
the building of a railroad look like play.
/ All the old timers here know what the
/ river can do when she gets her back
up, and these men are just as confident
that they can control the river at any
stage. A force Of men are now en-
gagged in cutting timber 10 be used Tor
Golfer dams, and another force is still
engaged in building more houses. The
new office building is just about COM
pleted and will be occupied some time
within few days.
! Christmas night the inhabitants Of
Camp Ozark, as they call the new city,
planned 10 give a dance in the new
dining hall. Several Of the town people