The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1911-12-06
A VISIT TO CAMP LAROKThH
Scene of Government Activities
A Busy Place----Amazinp
Results VIII Ensue

Il
round numbers sufficient of the season
al flow of the Carson river to irrigat,
100, 900 acres. It's completion will meal
that the Truckee-Carson project is t,
wear new visage, a new complexion
1t will mean the beginning of the sec
ond stage Of this projects develop
ment, with all consequent things of fai
greater magnitude than we have beer
used to thinking about during the pas
seven years, which are necessariI,
termed years of preliminary develop
ment with its consequent hardship fol
the individual and for the government
In the figuring of hardship the govern.
ment must not be overlooked, for from
the outset it has carried on its account
ing books an eyer-increasing debt that,
when its officials speak frankly, tel
you can only be wiped out when the
fertile areas that will come under cultl
walton with the completion of the dan
are contributing their annual quote Of
wealth to civilization.
ln other words, it was probably tao.
tical error TO include among the True
kee-Carson project preliminary work
certain Of the project adjuncts already
built, for their unimportance has been
demonstrated, though their cost was
considerable. But the completion of
the great dam at Lahontan will change
all this. Silently and subtly this great
structure will each year conserve the
seasons flow Of flood water, to distrib-
ute il later for use op the arid lands OF
the valley. This water now goes into
the lakes and sinks, creating
drainage problems that will disap-
pear IN large part when the dam is
finally put in use. Its completion will
probably mean the drying up Of the
bodies of water that are the last YES
tige of the great ancient lake, Lahon-
tan, named after its diseoyerer, that
once covered an area that is now an
empire. And with its drying up the
projected scheme of placing lands now
sebmerged under cultivation will be
taken up by the government authori-
ties.
The privilege of viewing the great
works at Lahontan was one that was
accorded representative of this paper
last Friday through the courtesy of
Project Engineer D. W. Cole, who ex-
planned the governments plan of build
ing ana the relation the dam will occu-
py to the project upon completion.
Having found the dam essential to
complete the scope of the project, the
government set about TO perform the
task, and the manner of building is
characteristic of all government work.
Il is being done with a thoroughness
that is pleasing, and the rate Of work is
as rapid as is commensurate with thor
oughness of detail.
The proposed structure when compile
ted will be unique in government dam
building, because it is being built chief
ly of earth and of cumbersome size,
for underlying its great weight the
ledges of rock are of uncertain thick
ness and OF a yielding character. The
rock itself is of character generally
described as sedimentary, in this in
stance mudstone, and while it will serve
a strengthening purpose in the dam
when completed, the extent and char
acter did not warrant the installation
of the usual concrete structure. But
the presence of this sedimentary rock
is all that saved the Lahontan dam site
for the governments use. Otherwise
the erosions that created the valleys
above and below the dam site would
have obliterated it.
Camp Lahontan, from where all dam
operations are directed, is model Of
cleanliness and sanitation, and though
but few months old could give Fallon
many points about convenience and
modernism. 1t is the home of more
th an 200 workers, and numerous fami-
lies in addition probably swell the total
number of inhabitants to about 800. Its
altitude is ALSO, more than 200 feet high
err than Fallon, and fine view is af-
forded of the basin that will in two
years more be vast lake and of the
one that is to receive the waters of this
lake for agricultural exploitation. The
Offices. residences, cook houses and DOR
mitories are models of convenience.
The workingmen are afforded quarters
for the nominal sum of 25 cents per
week that compare favorably with the
barracks Of our most favored army
posts, The kitchens are clean, dining
rooms we'll provided for, and the store
houses and commisssries are well
stocked with the things that make life
worth while. The camp as it stands
today was built within the space OF a
few months, ground breaking occurring
last February without any great ado OF
blowing of horns. If the same accom-
plishments had been brought about un-
der private auspices we would have
heard of it countrywide.
When the government set about or
the dam Building task there was little
ado. d. w. Cole, who had just com
pleted an intricate dam-building task il