The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-10

which the east branch of the Deerfeld
river flowed until stopped by this
great artificial barrier. To the north.
far below them, stretched the lake
which the dam has formed. This lake
is now only a miniature of what il
will be when the reservoir has filled,
as the water will then set back seven
miles No artificial embankments will
be necessary, however, as the valley
furnished by nature is ample to pre-
vent an overflow.
just when this reservoir viii be fill +
ed it is hard to say. All depends upon
the amount Of rainfall and the amount
of snowfall the coming months. a /
concrete spillway at the west end of
the dam will let the water down into
1.-The old channel when it has reached
a point - feet below the crest. When
| it has reached that point the area OF
I the water surface in the basin will be
/ 800 acres. It will then contain %.
! 600, 100000 gallons Of water, which is
beyond the power of the human mind
to comprehend. 1t will be fed by
drainage area of 30 square miles, or
more than 10000 acres, largely Of
wooded territory.
70 construct the big dam has requir-
ed the moving of approximately 1000
Imen are now employed on the Job,
(which is a somewhat smaller number
than were employed a few months ago
Some of them were filling and dump
ling the dirt cars, while others We're
making the slope on the upper side.
This is done by means of hydraulic
pressure. A steam pump forces water
through a hose at pressure of 100
pounds to square inch and this
stream when aimed down the slope
moves everything before it, including
; large and heavy pieces of rock. In this
way the desired grade is established
3 and the rocks and stones which the
-, streams have exposed form rip-rap
o (which win protect the dam from wash
: ing.
Running through the dam lenethwise
: is core, or section of earth more
= compact than the rest, to prevent the
: water from seeping through. This core
: is 400 feet thick ut the base and is
- practically as compact and rs nearly
. solid a. Portland cement The process,
+ Icy which this core is made is interest
. ing. The clay and gravel mixture i
Il dumped along the upper and lowe
} edges. leaving a channel through tn,
i, middle. and stream of water is up
! piled, which converts the material in
y to n thick, pasty mass which settle
in the channel, the surplus water run
(, ming off through a pipe. When th
# hardcns and dries it is almost mpreo
nabie.
- At the southeast corner of the reser
# VOir' is n cement outlet tower. connect
= ed with n 12-foot conduit which run
e through the dam at the base. In thi
70 condut will he laid two 4-foot stec
81.
!. lower ends. These pipes will be con
y nected with the power plant and tn
n gates will be operated by a gasolin
- engine.
10 Next wear it is planned to erect
+, power plant which will generate abou
5000 horse power. The great probler
+ connected with the electrical develop
20 ment OF the Deertield liver has bee
ii the creation of this storage reservoi
,e to tide over the low water season
n which lasts from one to three month
n in the summer This reservoir will al
m 5000 primary horse power to the pr
\ mary development of the other plant
j, which is much more valuable than $,
to condary power.
,e Work on the big dam was begun !
August, 1911. 1t will be completed neA
in month. The problem immediately b.
NJ lore the company IS to move out. III
If equipment which will have to be move
4 is valued at $ls5,000, including 81
or miles of railroad.
he The houses for the workmcn and III
Y. 20 families in the camp make a lare
n village. They are, of course, tempori
ld ry structures, covered with heavy blac
n paper, but they are comfortable an
cs serviceable. The camp and houses al
It. lighted by electricity generated by
Temporary electric Lighting plant ne.
he the dam.
of The automobiles which carried tt
he party were owned by the followir
he named men, although not all the ow
* ers went: Major c. Houghton. O.
is Benson, F. l.. Burnett, l.. r. IIolde
en- Mai f. w Chids, f. G. Chase, De
Sc rison Cowles, c. Il. Crosby, c. c. Fit
i'll 20. L. French, II. l.. Emerson, w.
On Haskell. G. \. Harris, F. y. I.arro'
he John b. Manley, C. A. Poland of Pu
IF ney. Leslie Smith, w. II. ProctC
he George L. Pearson A. w. Sweeton,
or p. Simonds, J.. u. Taylor, {.
he Thomas, H. L. Waterman, r. l.. Hong
ton, Hayes Bigelow, J. +. Mann, ,Iol
90 H. Rocss and DR.. George B. Hunter.
. Those in the party, rs shown by t
,ct secretary : list. weAn NJ. Austin IT.,