The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-30
CONSTRUCTION WAS
UNDER WAY A YEAR
Mr.. Mitchell Said to Be Well Pleased
at Progress of Work Here.
President Washburn Is Ex-
pected Here Today
BY CLYDE w. ENNIS


this city. The closing of the gates Of
the dam on the Coosa river stops the
flow of that stream until lake 20
miles long is formed. The stream be-
low the dam is without water and was
so 80 minutes after the big gates
swung into place Sunday afternoon.
Mr.. Mitchell, former president of the
Alabama Power company, whose work
has recently been turned over to Frank
Washburn of Nashville, is the financial
agent of Sperling & Co, of London
who financed the water power develop
ments in this state. When he saw the
gates of Lock IL closed in the pres
ence of less than a score of employees
tion of the last big item in the ex-
penditure of 100000. That Is the
present estimated cost of the lock on
the Coosa river.
The practical completion of Lock IL
is an epoch in the history of water
power development OF this state The
belief is general that many cities in
this state Will use water made power,
which 1t Is said can be sold more
cheaply than steam generated power.
Construction Under Way a Year
The construction of the dam at
ocampo has been under way more than
one year. Cofferdams were constructed
to stem the tide of the Coosa and a
remarkably interesting feat of en- gineer-
ing began. The foundation for the
dam went under the bed of the river
which was pumped dry in the Golfer
dams, and through solid rocks were
bored the foundation holes. 1t is con-
sidered work requiring unusual en-
gineering skill and a dam that will en-
dure for ages Arrangements have
been made to release the water at flood
seasons or at any time desired by the
owners.
When the dam was closed Sunday
there was begun the creation of lake
20 miles long. The Coosa river will
be backed up stream to that extent.
There is being created by that stoppage
of water a lake which will submerge
10000 acres of land or more. All OF
that land was acquired by the Ala
bama Power company, for which far
mers. it is said, received very liberal
prices.
In the construction of the lake dam
| there has been broken many records for
material handling. For instance, more
cement was placed in the dam in one
day by a certain gang than was ever
in like period. Also more concrete
was placed by one gang than was ever
before placed in any such construction.
In that dam was placed 100000 bags
of cement to the present point of COM
pletion, while tons and tons OF stone
and filler were used.
In order to reach the site of construc-
tion the Alabama Power company was
compelled to build a railroad 20 miles
long and rebuild 81 bridges. At places
the line rivals in curves tho Moffet
route in Colorado. The dam is 20 miles
from Ocampo, which is the second sta
tion south of Calera, on the Louisville
and Nashville railroad
Mitchell Well Pleased
The work of the Alabama Power
company in this state has not been
confined to this plant, but has reached
from Montgomery to Gadsden. Mr..
Mitchell will inspect the remainder of
the work while in this section. The
company has caused the construction
of a steam power plant at Gadsden.
involving the expenditure of a large
amount of money. That plant will
generate considerable power, and will
be held in readiness for use in case of
any emergency that might arise at the
plant at Ocampo. The company is en-
gagged in building transmission lines
from Montgomery to Gadsden, as well
as to other points which will be com
pleted within short time.
1t is stated that Mr.. Mitchell is
unusually we'll pleased and gratified
over the progress of the work here
and will have an optimistic report to
make to Sperling e. Co.'S clients about
the prospects in this section when he
returns again to London. He will, II
is believed, confer with George Bull
lock of the United Gas and Electric and
President Washburn in New York dur
ing the next few weeks about the Bir.
mingham Railway. Light and Power
company contract, which is to be ex-
ecuted for local power. Mr.. Mitchell
was not accompanied to Ocampo Sun
day by President Washburn.
The latter official is expected here
this morning.
The company officials yesterday in
the absence of President Wash burn de-
clined to give out any information
about the event at Ocampo Sunday
when the gates at Lock IL We're closed