The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1911-11-29
REVIEW OF MONTHS DOIhGS
On the Big Dam Project by the
Reclamation People---Good
Showing Made.

The Reclamation Record gives the
Following review of the past months
developments ON the big dam project:
At Lahontan dam the principal work
of the month was on the construction
of the hydro-electric power plant, and
work was carried on simultaneously on
the building of the concrete power
house and the installation of the hy-
dralic and electrical apparatus. The
power house was practically completed
with the exception of the roof and the
windows. The two Pelton Francis
turbines, each of 500 horse power ca
pacity, were installed, together with
the gates, governors, and other con-
trolling apparatus. The electric gener-
ators mounted on the turbine shafts
were also put in place, together with
the main parts of the switchboard and
controlling devices. The details of
connections on this installation remain
to be completed. The 72-inch steel
penstock, 500 feet long, for supplying
water to the power plant, was also
completed except for few small de-
tails of connections to the turbines.
1t is anticipated that the plant will be
ready for the delivery of power early
in December. Actual construction of
the dam consisted mainly Of excava-
tion on the two spillways, by means of
steam shovels. Good progress was
made on the excavation of the. left
spillway with steam shovel loading
into Scar trains drawn by locomotives
to the waste dump 2200 feet distant.
Excavation in the right spillway was
made more difficult, owing to the large
masses of embedded rock In the tough
clay formation. Fair progress was
made in this feature of excavation.
Team and scraper work work was car
ried on in the excavation of a portion
in the cutoff channel in the left abut-
ment of the dam. The installation of
the 1900 foot-span travelling galloway
was completed early in the month and
it will be in operation as soon as cleo
tric power is available.
The work of installing large belt
conveyor system for hauling concrete
and embankment materials was COM
menced during the month and good
progress made thereon. Various addi-
tions to construction equipment ar
rived, notably bank of electric trans
formers, a 2-yard concrete mixer, sew
eral carloads of steel rails, a stock of
power line poles, transmission wire,
and electrical apparatus. An average
of about 200 men and Sc head of stock
was employed at Lahontan during the
month. The irrigation season ended
October 10, since which date only small
quantities OF water were delivered for
watering stock in pasture and for use
in connection with the late seedlings of
alfalfa. The water supply, while
short for week or two in
was adequate for the needs
of the farmers. The maintenance
force will soon commence the annual
repairs to the distribution system.
Serious frosts occurred with consider
able regularity during the latter part
of the month, and consequently yields
from the late cuttings of alfalfa were
not as large as usual. To great ex-
tent, the farmers were ,pasturing
their late growth of alfalfa, and large
numbers of cattle and sheep were be-
ing fed on the project at the close of
the month. On the whole, the crop
yields were fairly satisfactory, except
in the case of sugar beets, which were
practically failure. Business IN the
town of Fallon was active at the close
of the month. Considerable shipments
of hay, grain, potatoes, onions, honey
and other farm products were made.
The general sentiment continues to be
wholesome and hopeful.