The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-10-18
MODERN DAM COMPLETED.
Built for Trow & Holden, Machine and
Tool Manufacturers.

Over the spillway Of the new $1,000
Trow q Holden dam, the pent up waters
of the Stephens branch viii rush Mon
day for the first time. 1t will not be
the first time that storage water at
that point along the branch has been
| let loose over a dam, for over 100 years;
| ago starch maker first shut the crude
gates that sent the back waters rolling
over wooden structure, the foundation
of which is just few feet above the
new dam. The functions of that first
rough structure are being replaced to-
day by q cement dam which Contractor
Alexander Mckenzie of Boston, Mass,
has already turned over to Trow &
Holden.
If the ghost of that ancient starch
maker could stalk along the banks of
the branch to-day it is difficult to imag
inc Just what his sensations would be
as he surveyed the solid concrete span
that the engineers have pitched on rock
bed just IL inches below the wooden
affair which he erected back in the early
years of the last century, when steam
was almost unknown and when star
manufacturers, men of standing in the
community those days, were compelled
to rely wholly upon water for their
power. Where once barrier of earth
and logs supplied power for the starch
works and later for a fork shop, mod
ern dam extends from bank to bank of
the branch, distance of l3l feet.
Contractor Mckenzie and his builders
started work on the structure in the
early days OF August. The upper part
Of the old dam had nearly collapsed,
a prey to the spring floods of 30 years,
for it was in the early '70's that the
second level section OF the structure
was rebuilt The foundation remained
the same, however, and it has been left
in the river bed while the upper part
was razed.
One foot below the wooden wall that
held the water back, the contractor
started excayating for its coSgsete sue
cessor. The dam is IL feet high, with
width at the bottom of ii feet, which
gradually tapers to a breadth of four
feet at the top. All is firmly estab-
lished on solid rock. The upstream
side of the dam rises perpendicularly,
while the front has slope of six inches
to the foot A less decided slope has
been provided for the last layer of the
upstream side and much OF the noise
arising from water falling over the crest
of the dam viii be eliminated through
this consummation Seven hundred bar
rels of cement and 500 tons of broken
stone were dumped into the forms be-
fore the water line of the millpond was
reached. Along the top of the dam
pipes which will form the sockets for
fash boards if such are needed during
dry weather.
The new bulk head, itself solid mass
of masonry, is constructed along the
lines Of the old one. The gate en-
trance has dimensions of six by four
feet and the gate, three by three feet.
From the top of the bull1head to the
surface Of the dam distance Of near
ly six feet. Securely anchored on one
side BY the bulkhead and on the other
by stone wall which has lately been
extended down the stream a distance of
several feet, the dam has a spillway Of
100 feet. While the alterations have
been in progress, Trow & Holden have
derived their power from 80 h. p.
motor supplied by the Consolidated
Lighting Co. A gas engine with ca
pacity for developing more than 80 h. p.
is always ready for emergencies, and
this win be retained.
The Trow & Holden dam is the first
contract in Barre undertak-
en- wholly by Contractor Mckenzie.
With his partner. Joseph Long, Mr.. Me-
Kenzie helped TO carry the river. bed
project through to successful finish.