Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-06
GREAT ENGINEERING.
Job NEARLY ENDED.
Mammoth Dam at ConkIing-
vile, N. Y, Will Be Ready
January /.
gp.c,a1 Disp.teh 10 Tn. star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CONKLINGVILLE, N. Y, December
S.-Saratoga County's great engineer
ing feat is nearly completed. Of1cials at
work on the mammoth dam in Conk-
lingville, which will impound 224,000,-
100000 gallons of water and completely
wipe out the hamlets Of Osborn Bridge,
Day and West Day, are confident that
In few weeks the task of pouring earth
into the gigantic structure will be nm
ished and that before January / the
waters of the Sacandaga River will be-
gin to rise behind the dam.
It has been announced that the resi-
dents of the three hamlets and others
in parts OF Conklingville, Batchellef-
vile. North Hampton, Benedict, Edin-
burg, Munsonville, Mayfield, Sacandaga
Park and Hope Valley, more than 1900
persons, have received final warning to
quit their homes at once.
Two shifts of $50 men each are work
ing in 1o-hour periods that the waters
Of the Sacandaga may be harnessed
before another Spring flood comes to
tnundate the lower stretches OF the
Hudson River, of which the Sacandaga
10 one of the great tributaries.
Harnesses a Torrent.
At night thousands of electric lights
dot the scene of operations. A stone
crusher and concrete mixer are perched
25o feet above the dam.
More than 100000 cubic yards of
earth have been poured into the struc-
ture. which will be entirely an earth
constructed dam, and the total Of
10000 yards will be reached before
the dam is completed. The work is
going forward at the rate of more than
175,000 cubic yards a month.
nf
$50 feet wide, has been completed. and
the outer edges have risen to height
Of more than IS Of the 100 feet 1t Is
approximately 1900 feet long from
shore to shore.
Many Homes Abandoned.
The core, or center third, Of the dam
Is Of the semi-hydraulic fill type. The
nature of the earth of the dam on the
Conklingville side of the river deter
mined its type, ofhcials said.
The abandonment of the old homes
Is now completed, and in most cases the
little dwellings are mass of ruins,
burned as the easiest way of getting rid
of them The valley residents may take
their dead with them. Graves in 10
burying grounds and IL smaller plots
have been moved and relocated.
Eight miles Of the Fonda, Johnstowr
d Gloversville Railroad must be relo-
Gated and SO miles of highway must be
abandoned. Hundreds of acres of scrut
timber have been cleared. The lake
which will be impounded by the dam
will food $1,000 acres, or about a
square miles. The release Of the water
during the low-water period in the
Summer will increase the average flow
In the Hudson at given point to 1900
cubic feet a second and make possible
the continuous operation for IL month.
Of the year Of the plants dependent
upon water-power.
The power companies will bear 90 pei
cent of the cost of the dam. Saratogs
County will receive the lions share Of
the investments which will be made
along the reservoir, according to Ranul1
Compton, former secretary Of the regu-
lAting board. who. in an address to the
Saratoga Springs Rotary Club or
March 3, 1927, estimated that In II
years the investments will total morl
than $4,000, 000. 900.
Employees are working day and nigh
constructing q new power house tina
will utilize the power Of the water which
will pour through the spillway.
When completed, the reservoir itsel
will represent the expenditure Of ap
proximately $4,000, 900.