Ellsworth American., 1922-12-13

was to be so constructed as to be a
public highway, thus relieving the
city of Ellsworth of it's responsi
bility Of maintaining Brimmers s
bridge, wooden structure with two
| difficult approaches
July Is, 1922, the actual construc-
| tion commenced. Brimmer's bridge
is about two and one-half miles north
| or the power station at Ellsworth
North of this bridge, on either side
OF the Union river, are thousands of
| acres of comparatively barren land
which will be completely overf1owed
The artificial lake created by this
ffowage will be thirteen miles long
and of varying widths, containing an
| area OF approximately $4,000 acres.
In commemoration of John R. Gra-
ham and as memorial to his genius
and foresight it will receive the
name, Graham lake.
The Foundation Co. of New York
has the contract for the work and
when its duties are completed there
VIII be a SO per cent. increase in
available power, at the station in
Ellsworth; an increase of seven and
one-half million kilowatt hours for
the year; development of water
power OF 700 second feet, or 700 Gu
Die feet every second; reserve
water supply against drouth, con-
tingency which must be guarded
against particularly through the dry
seasons of July, August and Septem-
Der, and reservoir containing eight
billion, one hundred and fiftv mill
lion, cubic feet of water, or an in
crease of six billion cubic feet of
water, or an increase of six billion
cubic feet capacity, for storage. This
will all be accomplished without the
employment of any labor in addition
to what is now needed at the Ellis
worth plant, or the installation of
supplementary machinery.
1t frequently happens in the con-
structlon of reservoir of these pro-
portions, that property and land
come within the flowage. Graham's s
lake will cover in the main, nothing
but waste and barren land, the value
of which is principally in it's adapta-
bility to the purposes for which it is
being used. A very unusual feature
in connection with the location of
this dam is the availability of it's
stored waters for the power station
at Ellsworth. The actual time re-
CURED for the water to pass through
the gates to the station itself will be
two hours. When it is considered
that in many projects Of a similar
character, the time elapsing from the
norin6 Nf Onnniy1U tho n hot
in which the waters are actually
available, is from ten to fifteen
hours, it is apparent that the loca-
tion is extraordinary, indeed. 1t
may therefore, be said that this ad-
ditional water supply, is practically
Immediately available.
The dam will contain a filling of
$4,000 cubic yards of gravel and
clay, the same being hauled from a
nearby bank on cars, which run on a
narrow gauge track and are trans
ported to and fro by the use of a
small engine. The core wall and
gate portion of the dam together.
will contain approximately, 5000
yards of concrete. The materials,
gravel and clay, for construction
WOIh VI IuiS CudidCIci nave oOoH
found to be not only equal to con-
crete in many respects, but much
less expensive. The dam will, how
ever, be supported at it's foundation
by 10000 square feet of steel sheet
piling, making it more substantial
and preventing any possible leakage
as the piling is to be driven to solfd
rock by the use of pile drivers.
For the purpose Of releasing the
water within the reservoir, thre'
fainter. or food gates. weighing