The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-03-29
copyright, by ]. B. Lippincott Coz

years WOrk, was nearly complete.
Floods, unexpected delay from short
age of material, and trouble with la
Dor had retarded the construction so
that the time specified in the contract
for its completion expired at noon of
this bright April day.
The contract not only specified that
a forfeit should be paid by the con-
tractor If the head of water in the
wheel-pits should not be of sufficient
volume to run all the turbines in
stalled, but it also provided that
premium Of equal amount should be
awarded were the conditions carried
out within the time named.
The dam itself measured so feet
from its crest to the bed of the river
below. 1t was built in the form
OF a curve, with its convexity up
stream; so that as the pressure be-
came greater, the weight of the water
by the principle of the arch-was
carried on the rocky shoulders of the
mountains on either side, where the
shore ends joined the cliffs.
Ordinarily the surplus water in the
reservoir created by the dam would
pour over the top in a semicircular
sheet. About 10 feet below the crest
collar or abutment ran around the
face of the dam, projecting a foot,
perhaps, from the curved wall AS
the water fell, instead of falling its
full weight into the chasm, it struck
this collar at a slant, thus relieving
the blow on the foundations of the
DAM
The night before one of the stones
about ten feet below the breast of
the dam had suddenly blown out I'M
der the pressure, as If an immense
punch had been driven in, leaving an
oblong opening about three feet by
two. A stream from the reservoir
now shot through this opening, clear
ing the collar and laundering down
into the gorge, The gate of the spill
way on the side had been closed, so
that the dam cumulated water as fast
as it was completed. Urged on
by the conditions of the contract, the
builders had allowed the river to
rise above the ,ctene. hafosasathsa-Go-
ment hardened, and 1t had given way.
The scow on the surface of the reser-
voir was guyed back to either shore
by long steel cables. A heavy mat
tress of timber and brush had been
hastily prepared and was being low
cred so as to stop the leak temporar-
lily until permanent stone could be
fitted into the hole on the lower side
OF the dam, a corresponding stone
above to be inserted later.
Bill Bevins and John Dakus were
the divers employed, and Bevins had
just been lowered into the water
where he worked, guiding and direct
ing the movements of the mattress as
it came down towards the hole.
No one could tell just how it hap
pened-'twas done so quickly. A stir
under the sruface-the lifeline parted
suddenly, the rope which held the
diver, became taut, tighter and tighter,
parted with snap, and the poor fell
lof was gone, sucked through the hole
and hurled out into the air, and with
in the next second lay a shapeless
crushed mass so feet down on the
rock-strewn floor of the chasm. The
working crew stood with pallid faces,
paralyzed with the sudden horror of
it, while some of the men scrambled
hastily down the embankment, hop
ing to recover the body.
Standing little apart on the deck
of the scow, watching the operations
with intent eyes, stood group of
three. The general contractor of the
work, G. ]. Bolivar, man of middle
age, short, keen, with light-gray eyes,
and quick, nervous manner that in
dicated in part the wonderful virility,
promptness and energy which had
made him a millionaire. J. G. Gould
tall and lean, with rugged features,
a man of great resource and ability,
who had by his own efforts accumu-
lated fortune of probably half a
million dollars-was the originator Of
this great project and had been ap-
pointed engineer in charge. The
United States engineer stood near to
see that the conditions under which
the government had granted the fran
chise should be carried out. Bolli-
var was the first to recover from the
stupor which held every one; he
sprang with one hand uplifted,
shouting:
Steady, boys, stedy; we can't help
poor Bevins, the boys down there will
get him; l will see after his widow.
Into your suit, Dakus, get down there
quick and tell US how we can shift
that mattress so as to cover the
hole"
The men stood alert, instinctively
responsive to the quick, sharp, cleo
trio words OF command, and the dom
mating personal magnetism of the
man.
All eyes were turned on Dakus as
he deliberately began the work of
incasing himself in the diving-suit.
When he was ready to screw on the
round copper helmet with its great
glass google eyes, not unlike some
huge fish, the diver put up one hand,
turned to Mr.. Bolivar. his face white
under its tan, and said, slowly:
It's almost certain death I'm going
l. 80. .-.--@s,---- ----f --------s----.