by Laurel | January 5th, 2012
05 January 1900
Last Stone Laid Yesterday — Cost Said to be About $1,000,000
The new dam of the Holyoke Water-Power Company over the Connecticut River at Holyoke was completed this afternoon about 3 o’clock, the last the 10,996 pieces of stone being placed in position. There was no ceremony connected with it, the officials of the Holyoke Water-Power Company and a few spectators only being present. The total cost of the new dam is not given, but it is said to be about $1,000,000. Preparations were begun in 1892 for the new dam, but it was not until February 1895, that the contract was let to the Fruin-Bambrick Company of St. Louis for something over half a million dollars. The last of 1897, the St. Louis company assigned the work to A. McMillan of New York City, under whose direction the work has been completed. The low water of the past year allowed of rapid work, and it was hoped at one time to be able to finish in 1899, but it took a few days over into the 1900 year to complete the work. The first stone in the foundation was laid in the afternoon of July 11, 1895, and the face stone in July, 1896. The dam overflow is 1020 feet long, the longest but one, it is believed in the world. The old dam that this replaces has been in existence since 1849. There are over 10,000 pieces of finished granite in the dam. Considerable drilling work and finishing about the new dam yet remains to be done.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.