Lock and Dam 50 Being Constructed - 1926

 

June 27, 1924 - Construction Work Started At Dam At Fords Ferry

Work has begun on Dam. No. 50 on the Ohio River, just above Fords Ferry in this county. The work of clearing off the land on which to erect the camp buildings was begun last week, and actual construction will begin as soon as lumber and other materials can be secured, which will be in the course of a few days.

This dam is being built by the United States Government, as are the tree other dams located on the lower Ohio at Uniontown, Golconda and Brookport. The purpose of the dams is to ensure a nine-foot boating state in the river at all seasons of the year. This work will give employment to hundreds of men, and four or five years time will be required for its completion. Mr. R. B. Tinsley is the superintendent in charge at Fords Ferry.

 

This picture shows the inside of the cofferdam as the work is going on.  You can see the river being held back by the coffer dam to the left.

 

May 14, 1926 – Construction Work Begins For Season At Dam

Construction work at Dam 50 has been resumed and has been in progress for nearly two weeks. Work on the dam was ceased during the winter months because of the high water.

Captain H. R. Dumont, United States Assistant in charge, says: "Work for the season at Dam 50 was definitely started on May 2 with the commencement of pumping down the water within the coffer-dam. "Two 15-inch and one 12-inch centrifugal pumps were employed in the process of unwatering the work. (I did not know what a cofferdam was, the short definition for cofferdam is a temporary watertight enclosure that is pumped dry to expose the bottom of a body of water so that construction, such as piers, may be constructed.)

Something in the neighborhood of 13k000 cubic yards of solid rock were blasted from the cliff above Cave-In-Rock on May 6 for use in the cribs to be placed below the Dam. 7,400 pounds of dynamite were used. No damage was done to anything except the rock.

Actual work on the project at Dam 50 is now in its second year and several more years will probably be required for its completion.

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May 28, 1926 – Now Have Full Quota Of Tow Boats, School Closed

The following statement has been given to the Press by Capt. H. R. Dumont, engineer in charge of construction at Dam 50, in regard to progress being made there:

Due to difficulties in unwatering cofferdam, work up on the foundation of the dam at Dam 50, has been delayed several days, it being necessary to install additional pumps and to build a small coffer within the large one to cut off the worst leakage.

At present writing, May 19^th, two 8-inch, two 10-inch, one 12-inch and two 15-inch pumps are being run night and day. Work should commence on the rock foundation Friday or Saturday. Advantage was taken of the slowly receding water in the main cofferdam to drive piling for that part of the dam to be built on this type of foundation so that the time is not being lost.

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May 6, 1927 – Lock and Dam 50 News

The Ohio River has come to a stand following a fall of 11 feet since the 19^th of April. It is hoped that the end of May will find the water low enough to allow work in the river, where an attempt will be made to complete the dam this season.

Thomas E. Sublett of Owensboro has been awarded the contract for building the permanent power house, a three story structure of brick and concrete, which furnishes the power for operating the lock gates and lighting the various building on the reservation.

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Dec. 7, 1928 – Work Done on Lock and Dam

Since the completion of Lock and Dam 50 near Fords Ferry, work has been in progress on clearing off the reservation. Sylvester Allen is now in charge of operations at the dam, Paul McGinnis is lock manager.

Ten government employees are to be retained. Most of the small dwellings have been removed. The residences are to be left on the grounds in addition to the powerhouse and the warehouse. There is also 100,000 cubic yards of permanent concrete work.

H. R. Dumont was in charge for the first two years and the work was completed under the supervision of Alfred Sorg, who now has charge of the construction of dams on Green and Barren Rivers.

A total of $3,500,000 was spent by the government in the construction of Lock and Dam 50. Material used included 1000,000 cubic yards of stone, 3,000,000 feet of lumber and 400 tons of steel. During the three years about 3,000 carloads of material for use in building the dam were unloaded at Sturgis, six miles above the dam, and floated down on barges.

Lock and Dam 50 is one of a series being constructed on the Ohio and other waterways. Dam 49 is located at Uniontown and Dam 51 at Golconda.

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This historic dam, a vital part of Crittenden County history, which was started in 1924, would become an impediment to river traffic after 68 years of service. The old wicket type dam, regarded as spectacular when it was being built, was now considered old and worn out. It would be demolished one section at a time to clear the section of the river pool maintained by high-lift dams at Uniontown and Smithland.

On November 3, 1980 the first explosive charges were detonated to demolish Dam 50 on the Ohio River, and a part of Crittenden County history went up in smoke. Dam crews went out to lower the wickets one last time to allow free navigation of the river again. All clean-up of the destruction site was scheduled to be completed by Nov. 1980.