The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-11

Ever since the writer has been in | this district, which dates from 1SS6
 he has heard 1t said that nothing
 could retard the development of this
 district if 1t only had the advantage | of cheap water transportation at it's
 doors. Several years ago, a distin-
 guished citizen originated a scheme
 to canalize one of the principal water courses of this district, but he
 did not carry 1t out quite far enough It had the fatal defect of a lack of
 water supply. In this article the
 writer will endeavor to submit some
 data that would help to complete the
 scheme. Whether or not it will ever | be done, only God (and the raiIroads)
 can say. The caption of this article | is intended to convey that Idea. The proposition, as it exists at present, | Is in an extremely nebulous condi- | ton, and may never assume definite
 shape or form.
 1 The only adequate and availa ble
 source of large and constant sup
 ply of water by gravity Gas far as
 this district is concerned) is the | Tennessee river, and the shortest dis
 tance to the river is a straight line
 about 6S miles long, between this city and Guntersville. The elevation or the river bank at Guntersvule is
 500, and as the 600 contour is very I close to the shore line it indicates that the elevation of the water sur
 face in the vicinity of Guntersville
 Is less than 500 feet above sea level. l The writer suggests that a dam (with lock) be built across the river
 near Guntersviile with a crest ele- vation of $50. The exact location l of this dam, whether above or below the town, would have to be decided
 after complete and detailed studies | Of this vicinity had been made. but | the object of this dam would be to
 back the water up big Spring Creek to an elevation of $50, which would bring 1t almost up to the small vil-
 lage of Big Spring. which is situated
 about l2 miles southwest of Gunters- vile. In Big Spring valley.
 The next step in the scheme would l be to get the water to flow by gravf- ty from Big Spring valley into Mur- | phree's valley. To do that circular reinforced concrete tunnel would have l to be built. under Raccoon mountain. Start this tunnel near Big Spring, | with diameter (for the sake of 1 argument) somewhere between 12 | and 20 feet. and with the invert (ort bottom) at elevation GAO. Run this
 tunnel in southeasterly direction, | and on straight line towards the | village of Walnut Grove in Mur- | phree's valley a distance of about 12 l miles from the intake.
 Having now reached a point under 1 Murphree's valley with our tunnel, | or aqueduct, turn in a southwesterly direction and follow down the valley | for about 20 miles, to a point between Chepultepec and Swansea (stations on l the Birmingham Mineral railroad). | which point is at elevation 600. This brings the fo Q | porarily) because the ground is 5) feet lower here than -the crest of the | dam,l and we would be able to use an open cut for while, and. there l fore reduce the cost of construction as much as possible. Run this open l cut canal for about three miles par aliel with the Birmingham Mineral railroad, to a point just before Rem lap in reached. At this point the ground begins to rise rapidly and we would have to begin our concrete tun- mel again, which would bc continued | for about 10 miles to a point between Palmer and Mt. Pinson.
 At this point the ground and tho tunnel would have about the same elevation, and as tbe ground for the remainder of the distance to Birming-
 ham is practically level, the water
 could be carried in an open cut cana, TOT dDOul io iuiicSs WIiCh Wouiu Just about reach Tenth avenue, north. The water could then be carried through and across the city either in an open cut canal, or a concrete tun- mel (same as large sewer) until tho large loading and turning basin would be reached. At this point our aoueduct ceases to function as such, and becomes locked canal It would l make . junction with the proposed | IL l.. i the Warrior river system of locks to | tide water at the port of Mobile.
 The writer is not familiar with the details of the proposed Valley Creek canal: hut It Ia [ matter of common
 knowledge that the U. 8. engineers