Catoctin clarion., 1911-03-23

which has just been completed. The
preliminary location having been ap-
proved, work upon road was begun
to make the site accessible. This
highway in itself is work OF more
than ordinary interest. Nearly Az
miles of it were blasted from the solid
walls of rock. In scenic beauty and
artistic coloring no highway in the
West compares with it. In places 1t
skirts dark chasms, swinging around
perpendicular cliffs a thousand feet
high. 1t cost nearly 500, 600 to build
it. In the desert and through the
mountains the government put down
wells to supply the wants OF the
future caravans which must travel
the new road. A half dozen camps
were established along the route,
where beds, feed and forage were pro-
vided. All this work was necessary
before a stone could be laid in the
dam. The main camp at the dam
site called for lumber for buildings,
food for men. and power for the con-
tractor. In the forest 30 miles away
two saw mills were set up and cut
several million feet of lumber. Dis
tant springs were piped to the reser-
voir at the camp. Two farms were
operated and furnished meat, vege-
tables and forage.
Nineteen miles above the site OF
the big dan another dam of concrete
was laid across the river, diverting a
part of the stream into a large canal
lined for several miles with cement
and bringing the water to point just
above the Roosevelt site, where il was
dropped 22O feet on turbines and gem
Grated 1000 horse power. This
power was used by the contractor; 1t
provided lights for the town, pumped
water to the homes, and operated the
machinery of the camp. Owing to
the inaccessibility of the site, the
government was forced to make its
own cement. A large mill with a
daily capacity of 500 barrels was
erected and operated with power from
the government plant. 1t turned out
$40, 900 barrels of first t-class cement
at saving of more than $500, 900
over the lowest bid offered.
A question of securing lahorcrS for
the preliminary work furnished Il
most perplcxing problem. The work
was unattractive to white iaborrrS.
The climate in summer was opprrsS-
lively hot, the site was far from habit
alton, and amusrmrnts and diversions
were few. As one facctiouS engineer
remarked, 'White men won't stay
on the job because they cannot spend
their money fast enough. "
Finally, in desperation and as Il
last resort, the engineer turnrd to the
Indians who have long dwclt in this
part of the territory. 1t will surprise
most people to learn that they proved
to be good laborcrs and for several
years served the government faith
fully and well. In the work rcqur-
ing unskillcd labor they We're as
effective as the white man and drew
the same pay for their services. 1t is
pleasing to note that the habits of in
dustry acquired here are not being
lost, as these same Indians are con-
tracing their services to railroads
and other enterprises now being de
veloped elsewhere in the territory.
In the maintenance and repair of the
mountain roads, Indian forrmen with
gangs of their own people are in full
charge.
Most of these problems were en-
countercd and solved before actual
construction of the dam began. Each
was anticipated and taken up in such
manner that the wo,k proceeded
without delay or friction. The cement
mill, rock cruSher and mixing plants
were all located .advMtagnou>ly.
Material for the cement was found in
large outcrop of fine limestone above
the dam. The rock for the structure
itself came from the canyon walls of
sandstone in which the dam is built.
This rock which is very hard and
finely grained, is distinctly stratificd
and dips up stream at an angle of 20
degrees, practically at right angles to
the dam. The dam is of gravity Sec
ton, but is also arched up stream.
At its base it covers about an acre of
ground. At the bottom its thickness
is 16S feet, and on top it is crossed
by roadway l6 feet wide and / ,OSO