The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-02-21


every rerson living in the Allegheny
valley between Warren and Pittsburgh is
interested, as follows;
- NEBRASKA, PA, Feb. IA, 1912.
Yin regard to the great dam proposed to
be built on the Tionesta Creek near its
mouth, the writer thought the public
should be informed as to the immense
possibilities that may follow.
This case is very important one not
only from the individual standpoint of
the property owners here, but because of
the effect it woSAd have upon the citizens
of the county OF Forest, and also tho citi-
zens and property owners IN the valley of
the Allegheny River from Tionesta to
Pittsburgh, a distance Of 100 miles.
OF what does the present and the future
of this Tionesta valley consist? The
timber. 1t is solid mass of tim Der from
one end to the other. An area OF timber
not excelled by any similar area in the
state. Some OF these lands have been cut
over three times, nevertheless there are
large areas of original timber uncut, also
second growth timber that Is not OF suf-
ticient size to cut, and other coming on.
The owners of the balance of the land
are contemplating and have already laid
out large sums of money to replant,
which will make this valley one of, If
not the richest valley in the country.
Some oi the water power has been used
for mills for over 100 years, and there is
still timber enough left to run them for
years TO come.
This valley is rich in the production of
oil and gas, and large area of it is still
undeveloped, which demonstrates the
fact that the future ofthis valley is still
great.
Again, experts have examined our sand
rock and find it very fine, quality for
glass, which of itself will make a great
industry.
When the writer settled in Forest coun-
ty fiity'eight years ago he found iron
plants successfully manufacturing pig
metal from iron ore found in this valley
and on each side. These plants were
superseded by Lake Superior ore but we
believe the time is ripe now for renewing
this iron industry, inssmuch as we have
railroad facilities, iron ore, also the coal
and the lime to convert this ore INTO pig
metal in our immediate vicinity.
This proposed dam on the Tionesta
Creek would cause to be submerged this
valley with all its resources, but can a
dam OF this height be built in our hills
with the formation as it is and be safe?
The writer was talking with Mr.. r. g.
Lam mbertoD, Frank lin, Pa. u town about
thirty miles below Tionests, man who
Is president of one of the strongest banks
of Western Pennsylvania, a man who
ranks in judgment and ability among the
highest, a man Of unbounded experience
and integrity. He states that the forma-
ton of our hills is such that dam of this
magnitude cannot be built aud be safe
This loose formation of soil and stone will
not hold water. TO prove this a party
came to Mr.. Lamberton asking him to
take stock in reservoir plant to supply
franklin with water. He stated: "Gsn-
tiemen, you cannot do this for the forma-
tion of our hills will not hold water"
Nevertheless they built it at an expense
of '$75 900 90 and tested it, but it proved a
failure and the money was gone. Since
this is the result of the experience of u
little thing, what would be tho result of
greater? 1t could only be question of
time when it would break.
Our state has already had two great
water calamitles the Johnstown and the
Austin floods. These disasters we're not
one one-hundredth part what this would
be, taking the trees out by the roots and
all timber even down to the brush; taking
houses, barns, fences, rocks, aaa-every
movable thing within its path, thus form
ing rolling dam taking everything be-
fore il. Nothing could live in its track.
The experience of the Johnstown food is
that when the water left lie dam it took
Rry thing before it, rolling over and over
az the valley sweeping trees out by the
roots, rocks which lay in its path and build
ings from their foundation, forming roll
ing torrent, keeping its height at forty feet.
This flood caused the loss of 1900 lives and
$4,000, 100000 worth of property. Could
the feeble, the aged, the children escape?
No, they must be left to be destroyed, and
even the able bodied were unable-to escape
the terrific power coming down upon them
If little dam forty feet high could cause
such destruction and loss of life, what
would dam 300 feet high do? 1t would
extend from Tionesta to Pttsburg, taking
in Oil City, Franklin, Emlenton, land in
fact everything on the Allegheny river in
Guiding Pittsburg, destroying thousands of
lives and billions of dollars worth of proper
ty. 1t would not even stop at Pittsburg
but would wipe out Pittsburg and continue
its destruction down the Ohio. The bu
man mind is not able to conceive the awful
destruction which this might cause, nor
can the human tongue use words which
might describe 1t.
One of the most vital questions Isl:
Should these waters be taken from the AL
legheny river what would be the health
cond ton when the water was low? Oll
City's supply of water is furnished b, Tio-
nasta craek The water works of Oil Citv
are. situated ON the left bank of the Allie
gheny river the water from Tionesta creek
also comes in on the left of the Allegheny
river. At the mouth of Tionesta creek
there is string of islands which divides
the water of Tiouesta creek from the upper
Allegheny waters, leaving the water of