Colliery Dam Built On Bedrock

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The following article was transcribed from archived records of the Nanaimo Free Press, dated November 10, 1910. It provides an eye witness account of the site and the construction method used in building the dam. There are many significant facts revealed in this account,not the least of which is how well built the structure was in the first place.
This finished work is the product of two involved citizens, one who researched the files, and another who produced the finished work copying from a photo copy of the original newspaper page.

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The Nanaimo Free Press
Nanaimo, British Columbia. Thursday November 10, 1910

Western Fuel and City Building Dams

So much improved work has been going on in the city of late that enterprises of this character have almost lost their news value to local readers. Still the dam that is being built by the city at the No.1 reservoir, and the waterworks system which the Western Fuel Company are busy with are worthy of mention. A Free Press representative made a tour of inspection the other day, and found work busily progressing at both places.

The location of the dam being constructed by the city is as everyone knows at No.1 reservoir. The old dam of logs and cement had begun to look badly, and presented a very dilapidated appearance. However, its appearance belied its real condition. It was found when the work of demolition was begun that the timbers were sound enough, and it may be that had the reservoir been emptied of water before the construction of the new dam had been decided on, the old one could have been repaired and made to last several years yet.

However a concrete dam would have been necessary sometime, and it might as well go in soon as late. Once it is in the question of repairs, which with the old dam would have been more or less present all the time, will be practically disposed of for all time.

When the Free Press representative paid his visit the work of blasting the rock for the foundation was proceeding. Evidently there had been some change of plan here. A foundation had been prepared some feet back of the old dam; but this had been abandoned and another one almost on the site of the old dam was being prepared. What reason there was for making this change which, of course involved an extra outlay, the writer did not learn, but the change was being made. The dam is being built higher than the old one, and all the materials are on the ground, so that when once the actual work of building commences, the structure will be rapidly completed.

Advantage is being taken of the emptied reservoir to clean it out. The mud and decayed logs are all being taken from the bottom of the reservoir, and as the water will reach a higher level than formerly, the brush and trees along the side right up to No.2 dam are being dug up, or cut down, and the whole burnt up. The removal of the decaying vegetable matter will do much to purify the water, and from what the writer could see of the condition of No. 2 reservoir the same thing badly needs to be done to it. The water from the South Forks canyon is emptying into this reservoir, and not twenty feet away a thick mossy scum can be seen covering the water.

If as yet it is impossible to lead this water direct into the city mains without storing it in a reservoir, at least let the reservoir be made as clean as possible.

WESTERN FUEL CO. 

The western Fuel Company are putting in a dam about a mile below that of the city. The location is close to that of the southwest corner of the Five Acre Lots, and there the company has obtained a fine natural basin which will store all the water necessary for their purposes. The writer of course knows nothing as to how the water is to be obtained, nor how the people below on Chase river will get along after the company’s works are completed and in operation. That is the company’s business and the writer’s present business is simply and merely to tell what he saw. 

In the first place then, and it is the first thing that strikes the visitor, the company have found and excellent location for their dam. Running out of a large and wide basin, with gently sloping sides and a level bottom, the creek passes through a deep and narrow cleft and here is a reservoir ready made which will hold an immense quantity of water. 

All the same the stopping up of this cleft which must have appeared an easy enough matter, has not proved such an easy thing actually to accomplish, and much more expensive than was anticipated. The rock itself was not as it might have been and made the work of getting an insert for the dam something of a difficulty. The bed of the creek, or in other words the cut into the rock made by the creek was deeper than was anticipated, and as a consequence there was more excavating than was expected to get to solid rock. All these things have added to the magnitude of the task, and made it all the more interesting to visit.

The company, as might be expected are proceeding with all their usual thoroughness. In the first place a spur line was laid from the Harewood track to the location of the mine. This provides cheap transport for all their material. The actual work of excavation is being carried out with steam power. A special portable engine was purchased for the purpose, and while the burleys are driven with compressed air generated by the engine the material blasted out of the cut is hoisted by means of a steam winch. Altogether it is a much bigger job than the city has on hand and the water has yet to be piped from the dam to the mine.

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Note: Bold type highlights eyewitness allusions.
Underline refers to eyewitness accounts of topography and pertinent data.
Underline plus bold references the all important statement get to solid rock.