Norwich bulletin., 1911-07-07


cry and Engineer S. B. Palmer, made
their second visit of inspection to the
Stony brook reservoir on Thursday,
and expressed themselves as well
pleased with the progress made since
the previous visit
The basin, where the reservoir will
tbe, has been entirely cleared of trees
and brush to the f1owage line on all
sides, so that a good idea of the ex-
tent of the pond when full can be OBJ
tanned. A telephone line has been es-
tablished to the reservoir, which will
probably be permanent thing. The
poles for this were cut from the land
and Were set by the contractor. They
are set from the Salem turnpike at
Geers Corner up the highway past the
Palmer place to the Reservoir. 1t is
this highway which is to be changed,
but work has not been started on it
as yet. new road will be built be-
low the grist mill on the Palmer road.
Grabbing and Cleaning.
Contractor Petrossi now has his men
at work grubbing and cleaning the
basin of the reservoir, and for a dis
lance of $50 to 200 feet from the point
where the dam will be built the top
soil and roots have been taken off to
the depth of six or eight inches. This
is carried off by team and by the -four
cars of the steam operated tramway,
which dumps the waste at a point be-
Course of Brook Changed.
The course of the brook has been
changed, a ditch four to five feet deep
having been dug which conducts the
stream into the waste pipe of the res
ervoir. There is a good sized stream
for this dry spell running through the
basin and out through the waste pipe,
which empties into the brook at d
point about 500 feet from the dam. The
concrete work for the gate to this pipe
has been put in, and about four feet
above this pipe is the "a inch pipe
which will take the water into the
city. This is already in position for a
distance of 1000 feet or over from the
point in the reservoir out aSng the
pipeline. As soon as this section is
tested there will be cement collars
placed about the pipe, inside the point
where the dam will be.
Erecting Galloway.
But little work is being done on the
excavation for the corewalI at the
present time, as the setting up of the
galloway has not been completed. The
towers on each side of the basin have
been erected, and the cable has been
placed across the basin, but has not
been drawn into position. The concrete
mixer has been put up and the engine
for operating the cable is ready for
use.
The galloway will not only take out
the material as excavated, but will
also drop the concrete directly from
the mixer at the point it is desired,
thus minimizing the handling of ma
teriaL
On the east bank of the basin men
are at work digging out for the core
wall and are encountering large boul-
ders or ledge. A we'll has been dug
along the line of the dam and very
hard gravel has been encountered This
when thrown up in the sun becomes
almost like rock and is extremely hard
digging. There is found fine bottom
for the reservoir. it being of ha2%
clay and gravel.
At various points about the basin
the brush has been burned and a few
days ago the force of men were called
on to fight a big fire on the west side
in charge of it. After a long time it
was checked, but a dozen or more large
trees show the result of it.
State Engineer Approves.
T. H. McKensie of the state board OF
civil engineers has been here to in
spect the site and the work on the res
eryoir. He examined thoroughly the
dam site and the conditions found and
expressed himself as well pleased with
the conditions. He considered that the
place selected was an excellent one and
approved in every way what was being
done and the way it is progressing. He
had no unfavorable criticisms 10 make
concerning the work
Second Small Dam.
The dam will be 80 feet in height and
500 feet long across the lower end of
the basin, while there will be another
dam about 200 feet long and Is feet
at the maximum height to the east of
the main dam, and this will contain
the spillway. The water from this
spillway will go into Stony brook
again at a point below, which simply
changes the course of the brook for
short distance.
Near the point where this second
dam will be built, bnt on which no
work has as vet been done, is located
the stone crusher, which is in daily
operation as needed. A barn is also
of this.
There was only small portion of
the. land which will be used for the
reservoir which had been cultivated,
most of it being a meadow and wood
land. the Palmer house being at the
north end of the basin. The pond
when filled will be round. with an even
bottom and on all sides are woods.
Pipe Line Half Done.
The pipe line TO the reservoir. it is
considered. is hailf-laid. Contractor
Torrance has about 5000 feet of pipe
laid, and there is about a similar
amount under ground on Contractor
Dood's contract. while the water de-
partment has laid about $500 feet,
which makes one-half of the job done.
A visit was made by the party to
the cut which Contractor Torrance is
making in the hill to get to the neces-
sary grade for the pipe line. From the
back road to the southwest of Letting
we'll he has laid pipe to a point on the
hillside, while from there to near the
top the trench is dug. He now has
his men at work cutting through the
ledge, steam drills. engines and der
ricks being busy there from morning
until night. Blasts are made in the