The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-04-13
MAKING FRACTION
OF NORMAL POWER
High Water Cuts Down
Output from 10000 to
400 Horsepower
BUT LITTLE FALL
AT VERNON PLANT
Peak of Freshet Reached Last Night
and Connecticut River Dropping
Slowly-ROadwork on Island Carried
On Until Midnight.

Since = o'clock this morning the depth
of water flowing over the dam of the
Connecticut River Power Co. at Vernon
has been diminishing, very slightly un-
til IL o'clock and a little over an inch
between II and u o'clock At noon the
height at the crest of the dam was H.
35 feet, which is practically the same as
at noon yesterday. From now on the
drop probably will be more marked.
Officials of the Power Co. were here
yesterday investigating freshet condi-
tions, and last evening from data OBJ
tanned from points farther north they
predicted that the peak of the freshet
here would be reached about midnight
which proved correct.
One of the unusual conditions, which
the public does not see and therefore
does not realize, is that the high water
below the dam practically prevents the
generation of electric power The nor
NAL output Of power at the Vernon plant
is 10000 horsepower, but because of the
high water the plant is generating only
about one per cent of that amount or 400
horsepower. The reason is that there is
but little difference in the height of wa
ter above and below the dam, therefore
but little fall is secured.
The company has auxiliary steam
plants in various places and is able also
to take power from other stations, so it
is able to supply power TO its customers.
From 1870 to 11.30 last night the
street lights were off, a tree near the
pumping station on the West River road
having fallen and taken down the power
q l. -. @
tric Co.'S plant in West Dummerston.
Some telephone wires also We're pulled
down.
Road Commissioner Charles ]. Dube
and force of men and teams worked
on the Island Park road until about
midnight last night, putting in riprap
and iareyenting the high water from cut
ting channel through the road near
Little River bridge. The top of the road
has been badly washed. The principal
damage in this locality has been at that
point
Rural Mail Carrier Ray Rand of Bel
lows Falls had a narrow escape between
that place and Walpole yesterday morn
ing. Understanding the depth of wa
ter in the road, he was forced to swim
his horses some distance, his buggy float
ing. On the meadows to the north on
the Vermont side several farm buildings
are surrounded and water is several feet
deep IN the hrSt stories. Inc owners are
living in the second stories and using
boats to get about James B. Albee,
owner of the first farm north, has lost
several pigs and other stock.
At 10 o'clock Wednesday night the
water was about II inches below the
railroad in Bellows Falls. Several times
since the railroad was built in 1850 a
dam across the upper end of the tunnel
has been necessary The highest water
was ApriI 10 1862 when the flood
poured through the tunnel, causing much
damage.
The dam was put in that year for the
FIRST time. but the water worked around
the east side and undermined the street
So that large section of ''the square"
fell in few days later. The water was
six feet higher than the rails for a few
wears The tunnel is always considered
menace. as if the water should get
through it sufficiently to wash away the
soft dirt. the entire business section of
the village and mills would be destroyed