Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1935-06-13
CoNsERvANCY DISTRICT NEWS

All revised amendments to the
Official Plan of the Muskingum
Watershed Conservancy District
were approved at New Philadel-
phia Saturday by II of the 16
judges comprising the Conservancy
Court. Two of the judges we're
absent and the vote to approve tFe
amendments was IL to 3.
The courts action followed an
all-day session during which the
report of the board of directors on
recommendations made by the
court two weeks ago was given.
The directors revised the original
amendment in one particular, SUBJ
stituting a smaller levee for the
larger protective works at Sandy
vile, and the entire report was ac-
cepted by the court.
The courts action means that
the gigantic Bolivar dam on Sandy
Creek near Bolivar in Tuscarawas
county will be built; that the Free
port dam in Harrison county will
not be built, and that protective
works in the form of a levee will
be constructed to protect the viii
lage of Magnolia in Stark and Car
roll counties from backwaters Of
the Bolivar dam in times of severe
floods.
i The court two weeks ago had
recommended that the Freeport
dam be reinstated and that the pro-
posed Sandyville and Magnolia
levees be eliminated. They also
had recommended study of chan
mel Improvement of Killtuck Creek
in Holmes and Coshocton counties,
but did not include it in their final
decision Saturday.
J The revised amendments ap-
proved by the judges provide for
protection of the Sandyville school
house and other property in the
eastern part of the village by con-
struction of a small levee, and re-
moval to higher ground of other
property below the maximum flood
level. The directors, in their re-
port to the court, said: "Other
property, aside from that protected
by the small levee, can be relocated
at a cost less than the cost of the
protective works as originally pro-
posed"
The suggested channel improve
ment of Killbuck Greek would have
no effect in flood control along the
Walhonding and Muskingum riv-
ers, and the estimated total of ben
efts that could be assessed on local
property would be less than the es-
timated cost Of the Improvement,
the directors said in their report
to the court.
Work will soon be under way on
10 of the IA reservoirs in the Mus
kingum Watershed Conservancy
District. Orders to proceed with
construction Of the Dover dam,
only concrete structure in the prof.
ect. were given during the week
by U. s. Engineers to Bates and
Rogers, Of Chicago, the contracting
firm.
The Chicago concern for some
time has been unloading equipment
at the site, and actual work is ey-
pected to begin this week. Bids
on three of the dams are yet to be
opened-Pleasant Hill, Atwood and
Bolivar. All will be under con-
tract before July I.
Construction will start soon on
the Leesville dam, with the Cul-
bertson Company, of Cleveland, in
charge. Bids were opened two
weeks ago.
Smallest part of the cost Of the
Dover dam is represented in con-
struction Of the structure. Relo-
cations of the Wheeling and Lake
Erie, the Pennsylvania and the
Baltimore and Ohio railroads will
cost approximately S2,000,000. Gas
and power line relocations and
building Of levee to protect the
village Of Zoar are other huge
items of cost. Bates and Rogers
bid S957,262 for construction of
the dam. Total cost of the dam
and reservoir exceeds S5,000,000.
M. D. Bell has been assigned as
U. S. resident engineer at the Lees
Vile dam and will assume his du-
ties at the site before construction
begins. Mr.. Bell has been chief
of the survey section of tho Corps
IF Engineers at GAINESVILLE. r. F.
Olds has succeeded G. NJ fa2pley
as resident engineer at Mohican-
Vile reservoir. Mr.. Tappley was
transferred to Birmingham, Ala
oama.
A caravan carrying 1000 West
Virginia farmers will visit Mus
xingum county June 10 and 20 to
inspect soil erosion control projects
1nder way in the southern part Of
he Conservancy District. The
group will then visit Marietta and
st. Clairsville.
PIantSville