Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-06-14
NO NEED FOR FEAR
AS DAM IS SAFE
Huge Structure in Somerset In
spected by Expert
Governor and Party Made Trip by Au-
tomoblle Tuesday-Dnner and Speak
ing In Engineers Shack.

DESTROYS Of allaying the fears of the |
residents of the Deerfield River valley |
and adjacent territory, Governor John A.
Mead of Vermont and Alfred r. Noble.
the eminent engineer of New York city,
inspected the huge earth dam being built
by the New England Power company
on the east branch of the Deerfield river
Tuesday, and after careful examind-
ton Mr. Noble stated that he thought
the people need have no fear that the
dam would not stand up to it's test and
hold back the enormous supply of water
behind it. Every facility was afforded for
the governor and his party to inspect the
dam. Mr.. Mobiles announcement was not
official as he will probably make a re-
port to the Governor in a short time.
but from his remarks 1t is more than
probable that he will report that the dam
is safe. The visit of inspection was made
by the Governor after receiving many
letters from persons in the valley and
surrounding territory, in order to make
sure that the dam would be sufficiently
strong so that 1t never would break
through and flood the valley below.
In the party were 80 men interested In
the New England Power company and IN
the power projects along the Deerfeld
and Connecticut rivers, residents of
Windham and Bennington counties and
newspapermen. Every part of the scene
VI OperdtlOIS was BOHe oNel anu tSSt9
of the earth used in the construction
were made at several points
Governor Mead, in company with w.
f. Burdett, Fred r. Patch and Newman
X. Chaffee of Rutland came by auto
mobile to Brattleboro Monday afternoon
and visited the Austine institution and
the historical pageant. That evening, ac-
companied by c. c. Fits and H. G. Bar
Der. attorneys for the New England
Power company other residents of this
town and newspaper men, they went TO
Wilmington, where men interested in the
power projects already had assembled.
They remained there over night in the
Chids Tavern and at $50 o'clock Tuesday
morning went by special train on the
Hoosac Tunnel 6, Wilmington railroad to
Mountain Mills, where they were switch
ed to the narrow gauge track of the
Deerfield River railroad. After more than
| an hours ride up the heavy grade of the
| circuitous log road the party was greet
| ed at 1917 with the blowing of whistles
on the tiny locomotives at the dam, the
| cheers of the Italians and the waving
| of handkerchiefs by the women. From
| then until about / o'clock close exam
| nation was made of the dam upon
which work has been in progress since
| Nov. l. Earth has been thrown across
| the south end of Chase Lower pond,
| damming the flow which has been di-
| VeTteu through cement CONDUIT on une
| east side of the river The dam is directly
at the foot of Mount Pisgah and on the
site of Chase's mill, and although a
| large amount Of work has been done
| the project is far from completion. The
| experts in charge of the work expect to
begin to develop power Nov. /, 1913 The
| Governor and the engineer were con-
| Quoted during their examination by j
| N. H. Cornell, general manager of the
| Power Construction
building the dam for the New England
| Power company.
The huge dam is being constructed by
the use of hydraulics. The bed of the
east branch of the Deerfield river mas
been stripped" that is, all vegetable
matter and earth have been removed
down to bed rock. This has taken away
everything that might terminate vege-
table or animal life and work havoc
with the dam. Cars loaded with dir
dump their loads on the outer edges OF
the dam and then stream of water Of
100 pounds pressure at the nozzle |:
played upon it. This converts the sof
material into a solid mass of mud, which
hardens, making a natural cement, anC
brings to the outer surface stones tina
are mixed with the earth. BY the con
slant playing of the water on the dir
the soft gravel is forced to the centr,
to form a core while the stones remaii
outside to protect it. Engineers CLAIM
that the structure will be absolutely i'm
pervious to water. The dam will b
about 22O2 feet long when completed, TO-
feet in height, 600 feet through at tn
base, and 100 feet at the top with
2O-foot driveway across 1t. Drawing
were shown of various dams of thi
construction throughout the world man,
of which are much larger than tn
structure in Somerset
One end of the Somerset dam is O.
a hillside and the dam follows a Sigh
curve to about the centre, from whic
point 1t runs in a straight line to tn
other supporting bank at the foot O
, Pisgah. Previous to the beginning G
active work deep test pits were dug a
i | regular distances and tests were made I
a depth of so feet to discover weaknesse
in the earth that might involve tn
safety of the undertaking. Hard, soil
earth was found and no trace of waite
discovered five feet below the surfac,
except in the lower pits in the mountain
The upper side of the dam will slop
at a ratio of one foot to every thre
feet of rise. and the lower side wi
slope at ratio of one foot to ever
two and one half feet of rise. The pom
formed will come within 10 feet of tn
top, the water will flood about 1000 acre
making lake averaging 35 feet
depth, and 2,4O0, OO0O 900 cubic feet of watt
will be held in check.
1t is expected that the power plar
will generate 5000 to 10000 horse powt
for 10 hours, and its capacity probabl
will be increased The dam affords
storage not only for the proposed pow'
station. but for other power projec
farther south on the Deerfield river.
care for the overflow of the east brano
a spilway, admirably formed by natul
so that man can take advantage of 4
position at the west end OF the dam ar
utilize 1t. will be built and will be
feet wide. A. A. Congor, hydraulic ell
gineer for the Power Construction con
pany. said that this spillway was sufi
cient to take all the flow that will con
from the 80 square miles of watersht
of the river even in times of create
food At the east end of the dam c.
ment conduit, horse shoe in shape al
about 10 feet In diameter, has bee
built At present the river is howir
through this. but II is intended to carl
two 4S-inch pipes which will slope dow
ward toward the lower side and throui
these the water will rush to turn Il
wheels which will generate the power
the station.
Gates will be built at the upper ell
and where at present the waters a
surging through at a tremendous pa
men will be able to walk. A bulkhes
will be constructed at the southern Ell
of the conduit to hold the water