The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-05-25
NATIVE SONS WORK
ON INDUSTRIOUS DAM
Shown HERE INF|CM
$50 Persons See "Abitibi
Canyon, Picture At Local
Theater Wednesday

One hundred fifty Bismarck persons
saw and heard talking picture des-
cription at the Paramount theater
Wednesday evening Of native sons
operations in Harvesting the Abitibi
river in northern Canada through
construction Of . $4,000 900 dam and
power structure. one of the greatest
engineering feats on the North Am.
erican continent.
In the audience were many long
time residents Of the Capital City or
relatives Of the "star'-F1arry Falcoi1-
er McLean-and who could remember
him as boy here In his prankish &C.
tivity as well as his periods Of sober
reflection and study.
Among the old-timers were Mr.. and
Mrs. w. A. Falconer, uncle and aunt
of the Observation-Disclosures engineer
and contractor, and Duncan j. Nc
Gillis, who. as Mclean said in q re-
cent letter to his uncle here, used to
chase us up to the roof and give us
the d., but do not remember that
he ever struck one Of U.S." Mclean, In
that letter, referred to some Of his
pranks as q boy when the Dakota
Territorial legislature was in session.
In Charge Of Operations
Mclean, vice president Of the Do
minion Construction company, was II,
charge OF operations In the Abitibi
canyon and had the picture taken
during construction.
The film first showed the dam site
before any work was done, with In
dams padding their canoes up and
down the torrential stream.
Then came the mushroom growth
of q community at the construction
site, with 1900 workmen and their
families moving in almost over night.
Before actual construction Of the
dam began, the Abitibi was diverted
from its regular channel through two
tunnels dug through sides of the
rock canyon, leaving the construc-
ton site dry. A huge steel bridge
also was erected. spanning the can
yon above the dam site, on which
trains were to bring material to and
from the project. Huge cranes were
operated from this trestle and ma
terials were dumped through chutes
leading to the base Of operations $50
feet below.
Rock cleared from the site for the
base Of the dam was used, after be-
ing crushed in the rock crushing
plant, In materials for the dam. More
than 5000 carloads Of concrete were
used In construction Of the dam
which. when completed last June
was $50 feet high.
Much Dynamite Used
More than q million pounds Of dy-
Mantle were used In excavation work
The film showed the progress Of
construction in steps with graphic
shots" at building operations Of
various descriptions.
Much Of the construction work was
done In sub-zero temperature, neces-
stating elaborate preparations by
the contractor for the comfort Of his
community"
The huge dam, when completed
backed up the Abitibi for miles, Gre
ating q large lake, which generated
almost unlimited power as 1t flowed
through five gigantic spillways and
put giant turbines into operation
The two tunnels In the canyon were
plugged with rock and concrete ia
turn the river back to It's original
course.
McLean's appearances in the movie
brought considerable applause, most
Of the audience recognizing him In
stantly.
The picture was shown following
the showing Of the feature picture
at the second show.