Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-05-20

srcarlgy on while the proposed structure Is III
course Of erection. But mature Is ready 10 'ei''
help which would make the execution OF SUI" "
project far easier than one might imagine vi
The walls Of The gorge ahoye Fosters fl"'s ,'o'
sheer several hundred feet from the uae"h!' pu'
contiguous TO the Flats the gorge IS cohs'uer"us
wider and on the Canadian side especially, the
bank slopes al comparatively easy gradient
terminating near the river in a fairly expansive
loW-lyns area. At the same time, the river PAIN
Is considerably narrower at that stretch OF us
run owing to this state of affairs the Flats pre-
sent strategic base of operations from when 10
start the rearing Of dam That is to say. some
thing Ike % per cent of the contemplated struc-
ture can be completed on dry land before any OF
the work treSpaSSes upon the present course OF
the Niagara at that point. Let US be more spe'
cfc.
As designed, the dam he's spread In cross sec
ton OF about $50 feet at the base, and 30 feet or
more Of this lower portion will reach below the
line Of the rivcrbed and have its footing on the
underlying solid rock With a total height of lao
feet tn dam will be Of an extremely massive char
acter The bottom section of the dam-at least
that half of ii that Will rise from Fosters Flats
VIII b. pierced by large temporary openings of
culvertS and channels will be dug to them on the
upstream side to serve rs sideways for the en-
tire volume Of the Niagara when II becomes neceS-
sary 10 divert the river in order TO bare the nor.
nal bed for building purposes along the line OF
the contemplated barrier. With this done. ii will
then BE n relatively easy engineering task to dam
the usual or natural water course TO facilitate
cXcayafng the rock ana erecting that portion of
the dam that viii terminate on the American
shore When the dam is finished, then the Sluce-
WAYS will be sealed ana the waters impounded
until they accumulate ana carry the surface level
back from the crest of the dam to the very foot
Of the Falls.
As most everyone knows, great quantities of ice
are carried over the Falls and down the river dur
inc the winter and the breakup of that rigorous
season, and the impact and the pressure of these
does must be wthstood by any rigid obstruction
rising in their path Therefore, 1t is essential
that these stresses be minlmized and that the
currents be free to carry the Ice onward with a
minimum of opposition while the bulk of the water
IS held In check. To this end, the dam will be
fashioned with long slopes on the up and the
downstream sides.
The dam Will serve the double purpose of I'M
pounding the waters of the Niagara for distance
of nearly five miles and of housing the great turbo-
generators that will transform the force of those
waters into 100000 horsepower of electrical en-
ergy According to the estimates, this undertake
ing would involve total outlay of approximately
$lO00oO,OOO; and from start to finish would take
something like three years. On the basis of coal
consumption previously cited for the development
of horsepower year, /, e., TONS this scheme
would be tantamOunt to saving 100000 tons of
that fuel annually. At SO a ton this would repre-
sent an economy of SlG000O0OO every twelve
month But quite apart from these considerations,
there would be that inestimable gain in the mat.
ter of electrical energy that could be utilized for
nnumerable industrial purposes. Not only that
motive impulse al moderate cost would be
available for domestic services of many sorts.
We have led the world in the varied character
and the magnitude of our electrochemlcal indus
tries, and we can maintain our position In this
respect only by continuing to provide great blocks
of ow-priced current to meet the increasing de-
mands for the commodities now manufactured al
or near Niagara Falls. Finally, let It be recalled
that the two projects might prove exceedingly val
liable sources of energy for that great superpower
zone which Is to embrace a far-fung section OF
the states of our northeastern seaboard Isn't II
worth our while to have at our disposal 3,50O0OC
horsepower without burning single pound Of
coal? Can we be Indifferent to undertakings
that will enable US to increase vastly our produc
tveness while cutting the fuel bill by hundred.
of millions of dollars yearly?