The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-06-29

blk all the citizens Of Fayette-
Vile are aware that h United states
government is doing some sort OF can
.alization work on the Upper cape
Fear river. Much has been said
it in the papers in the past.
and occasional reference is made to 1t
now. Without doubt a large proper
ton of our citizens are ignorant as TO
lust what is being done, the magnl-
tude of the work and it's great n
f~ar-reaching benefits to our city. Ger
tainly the writer had a very
idea Of the work. and a visit to the
first lock and dam al Kings Bluff
soon convinced him that his d was
not only very small, but also very In
correct. The following notes are a
layman's impressions of a gigantic en-
gineering feat, and are not intended
to thoroughly familariZe n with
VIA mas been done, and how.
To get an idea Of the size of this
work it must be remembered that
Kings Bluff is just about at the head
Of tideWater in the river; that the
river at that point is 800 feet wioe,
On the eastern bank Of the river is an
enormous abutment. This is Of solid
concrete. is about 60xx70 feet on top
and about 80 feet high above the wa
ter. It extends back into the bank
and is anchored to the bank by means
of steel cables attached to steel piles
driven far back on the side of the riv-
er hill. This abutment extends out
into the water about Is feet. 1t is de-
signed to protect the dam from being
injured during high water.
The dam, which extends from this
abutment on the eastern bank to the
lock on the western side, is built in
three sections of about SO feet each.
These sections are constructed OF
L 49,
shape Of cribs. Each crib is complet-
ed and placed in it's proper position.
It is theme filled with thousands of
tons of granite, which cause it to sink
down into the river bed. To protect
the bottom of the dam from water
seeping through, a fence of solid ton
gued and grooved piling is driven just
upstream about three feet in front Of
the dam. This piling is driven Is
feet below the bed of the river, and
comes up to the surface of the river
at low water. Just Is feet downstream
from the dam 9, similar fence Of pi-
ling is driven to protect the dam from
water which may come through un-
der the dam at any place which may
not be perfectly sealed.
The lock which is on the western
side Of the river, is of reinforced con
crete construction. The inside meas
urements are 40 feet wide by 200 feet
j, long. The foundations of the locF
walls are Is feet below the bed of the
= : river, and each wall is 25 feet wide
: at the rivers bed. The walls are grad
uated to the top, where the width O.
, the wall is seven feet and the OUTSIDE
six feet. The, walls stand 80 feet higI
above low water. To get the founda
!, lions for the lock it was necessary t.
= surround the entire location with
water-tight cofferdam. This was
difficult undertaking, owing to tn.
presence Of quick-sand Interlockin;
steel piling was used for this Golfer
dam. It is a principle Of this pilin!
that when the pressure is decrease
within, and consequently increase
without. the piles lock with each 9th
er and form a water-tight dam. Whel
y the water was pumped out Of the are.
for the lock it was then possible t
lay the by sealing up tn
quicksand beds with concrete. Befor
N the concrete foundations of the loo
d were laid hundreds of 15-inch Dir pi
tx llngs were driven to a depth of 3
lie feet. These pilings were cut off eve
ut with the bed Of the river. Then tn
concrete foundations were laid on to
OF the pilings. This gives a basi
It, which is absolutely permanent.
I'd The appearance Of the lock is thu
n Of a great rectangular box. At eac
Us end are the lock gates, each gate be
as ing 70 feet wide n weighing sewers
tons. They are made of steel. tt
VI gates work and fit into each otht
=, very much the same as III doub.
door on a large bank safe The.
n gates can only be operated on slac
water. An illustration will make tn:
clearer. When a vessel is going u,
cd stream 1T enters the lock with IL
lie upper gates closed. The water is tht
CO at the same stage in the lock as it
es below the lock. When the vessel is
h the lower gates are closed. Thf
valves are opened in the upper gate
Whlcn raises the water in the lock
the level of the water above the dar
Then the upper gate is opened a,
the vessel moves out in perfectly st
water. IL a vessel is going dow
ar stream 1T enters the lock with Il
lower gate closed. The water is IN
at the level of the dam. The upp