The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-08-27
The ArrOwrOck Dam

Times man, with several others
from Meridian, made trip to the
great Arrowrock dam last Saturday.
This mammoth work should be seen
to be appreciated. and after four years
Of work by an army OF men,it is prac-.
fieally finished, and this season is
holding back several thousand acre
feet of water, to be gradually let out
for use of the farmers of this and
neighboring localities All Boise valley
after the river passes Arrowrock is
under the big storage reservoir pro-
vided by the dam, and 100000 acres
of land will be given the late season
water supply.
Starting from Boise on the Short
Line, one is Immediately impressed
with the important operations of the
Barber Lumber Company, with big
mills located about five miles above
the capital city. Instead of the prim-
tive lumber mill usually found here
i is a big group of buildings, with a
X huge power plant, and with an ar
rangement for burning the saw dust
and slab wood. A model little village
with group of neat houses for work.
ingmen, set back in attractive lawns,
is noticed at Barberton.
On A Government Railroad.
Here one changes to the govern
ment railroad, one of few in the Uni
ted States. A ride of five miles more
brings one to the big diversion dam
Here good portion of the water of
the Boise river is diverted to the New
York canal, and comes down to sup
ply the big Deer Flat reservoir and
the big government irrigation sys-
tenn. At the diversion dam Is also
located the big power plant, of 5000
horse power. This plant furnished
the power for the Arrowrock dam, for
all the operations. including electric
lighting, etc. This will be used per-
manently as the electric light plant,
and it will be quite while in the fu-
ture before the Arrowrock dam prop
er will be fitted up for the manufac-
ture OF electric power.
Tue construction camp at Arrow
rock, of ESQ bunkhouses, cottages and
other buildings, is the first to greet
the eye before the train rounds a
curve, then the beautiful, massive
lines of the big dam, with wall OF
white concrete, meets the view.
Highest i'm the World.
The dam is 351 feet high, the high
est in the world, and $500 carloads
of cement was used, and enough
crushed stone to make column ten
feet square 27 miles high, II placed
on end. On the top of the dam, 16
feet wide, is roadway which can be
used as bridge for vehicles and
autos. No water will flow over this
crest but will reach within ten feet
of the top.
The gates, regulating the outlet OF
the water, are all worked from the
Inside of the dam, and an elaborate
system of corridors extend through
the big wall A visitor can,by climb
ing a hundred or more steps, secure
good idea OF the interior of the
structure.
Eighty Feet Under Ground.
While the dam is / 6 feet wide at the
top it is 240 feet wide at the bottom
and the bottom of this concrete wal
lis 80 feet below the river bed. These
figures give faint conception of the
enormous strength of the structure
which is expected to hold back Lake
covering the disance between th'
hills on both sides of the Boise rivel
extending back about twenty-five
miles.
It Cant Move the Hills
Eugene -Thrailkill, one of the time
keepers, SAYS the rock will harder
with age, and as every bit has beei
tested, there is a very small chanc'
for any defective concrete or eemen
getting into the work. Besides al
the dam was built in sections, at diff
ferent times, the action of the temper
ature would only effect one part an'
this could be repaired without affect
ing an adjoining wall.
He said the curvature of the dan
up stream means that to push the Dil
dam out entirely would mean tha
the mountains of granite of which tn
hills are composed on both sides o
the river would need be moved back
This is of course an impossibility bu
~ IL an element of strength, and wa
not figured in the estimate made b
the government engineers.
Work Practically Finished.
The dam is now practically com
pleted, and the diversion channel
which carried the waters of the rive
along the hillside while the construt
ton work was going on, is now file
llI3. d. w. McFadden, pioneer miner
superintended the force of men q
work In this tunnel. and much OF tn
work was by blasting through graz
tie rock.
Arrowrock is rapidly dwindlin
from city of thousand workins
men to fraction of that number.A
the work is done. the employees al
leaving on every train. Mrs. DIV
McFadden. the postmistress, WIN
Went from Meridian to Arrowroc
&. four years ago. says there are about
I ~ hundred people in camp. While tn
office is third class ne,with a goo
salary, a few months will dwindl
the receipts to nominal figure.
The big dam was built at cost
e1SOC lO0. a million less than wt