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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Globe Mill Dam
1858
07 29 LOWER
DAM REBUILT AFTER FLOOD
The
New Dam - Mr. W. H. Blanchard and Enos Salsich are
now engaged in building a new dam across Rock River, a few rods below Main
Street bridge, in place of the one that was carried away some six weeks ago by
the great flood. The new structure will
be built in such a way as to make it strong and permanent, and capable of
resisting any amount of pressure that will ever be made upon it by any
accumulation of water that is likely to flow over it. When completed it will furnish a splendid and
reliable water power, sufficient to carry all the machinery that is now located
on the river, and as much more as it may be profitable to put in
operation. A large number of men are now
employed on the work, the object being to get the structure done as soon as
possible, so that the mills now standing idle may once more be set in
motion. The two grist mills that depend
on this power for water are among the largest and best in the state. Both are
being thoroughly overhauled and repaired, and will be put into the best running
order. When driven to their full speed,
they are capable of manufacturing daily large quantities of the best quality of
flour, and their brands stand among the first class in all markets where they
are seen. They give steady employment to
a considerable number of men, and their success is a matter of interest to
all. WD
09 09 Water power for sale or to lease. Blanchard. WD
1859
04 21 Enos Salsich loses
flouring mill and lower dam rights
WD
1867
Birdseye view
1870
09 07 The old Mill Dam below Main Street bridge
has received a covering of new planks, a much needed job, and one very readily
accomplished owing to the present remarkable low stage of water. WR
1885
BIRDSEYE VIEW
1891
03 06 WATER
POWER UNDERYUSED
Kilbourn
City has recently received a proposition from an eastern syndicate which offers
to put up and have in operation in two years a manufacturing plant to cost
$500,000 and to employ 500 hands, provided the city will give them title to the
dam and waterpower, twenty-five acres of land and a bonus of $10,000. What's the matter with Watertown securing
something of this kind? There are two
dams and waterpower within the city limits laying idle that could be used to
good advantage in most any kind of manufacturing business. WG
1895
06 19 REPAIR
SLATED
Some
repairing is soon to be made by the waterpower owners on the dam south of Main Street
bridge, and in consequence the water in the river will be greatly lowered. The work, it is expected, will take about a
week. WR
06 26 REPAIR
IN PROGRESS, FISHWAY POSSIBLE
The repairs
and alterations now going forth on the dam present an excellent opportunity for
the placing of fishways therein, and a number of our sportsmen are interesting
themselves in the matter and will ask the water-power owners to make the
improvement. The fish and game warden
has been written to and has promised to forward the necessary pIans for the scheme shortly.
Those
who have seen these fishways in operation say it is surprising how many fish
will ascend them in the spring of the year, when the course of the fish is
always toward the head waters. There is
no doubt that with a couple good fish ways in the dam the fishing above the dam
would be greatly improved and it is hoped by all interested the improvements
will be made.
Work on the
repairs to the dam was begun Monday. An
opening was made at the base of the dam and the water in the river has since
lowered about five feet. Above Cady
Street bridge there is scarcely any water on the level, and great quantities of
fish are being taken out of the holes.
WR
07 10 NO
FISHWAY
The repairs
on the dam were finished last Friday afternoon and the water in the river is
again in a normal condition. Owing to
the fact that no plans were furnished by the fish warden, there was no fishway
placed in the dam. WR
1897
1903
09 11 WATER POWER UTILIZED
Globe Mill was being operated entirely
by steam, but after the remodeling of its water power
plant, water power was utilized. WG
1904
March DAM
WASHED OUT DUE TO ICE
07 08 CONTRACTS
FOR BUILDING CONCRETE DAM
The contracts
for the building of the concrete dam below Main Street bridge have been let to
Frank E. Cowan, of this city, the consideration being about $5000. It will be 190 feet long, 12 feet wide at the
bottom and 3 feet wide at the top and 10 feet high.
RE-CONSTRUCTION OF DAM
1905
10 28 Yesterday forenoon a farmer, whose home
is about a mile north of Richwood, came to the city to transact business and
during the day became intoxicated to such an extent that he was placed in the
city lock-up until he become sober. Toward evening he was released, and it is
supposed that he at once proceeded to fill up again and in the night hitched up
his single horse which was attached to a light wagon upon which he had some
lumber, stove and family supplies, and in his muddled condition instead of
starting for home drove off the embankment at the west end of Market street
into the river. The horse which was a young and valuable animal was drowned,
and both the horse and the wagon floated down to the dam where they could be
seen this morning. As the unfortunate man has not been seen since the accident,
it is thought that he is also in the river and efforts are being made to
recover the body.
Globe Mill and dam, left; Alex
Hardie 1905
picture, used in his painting, 1956
1908 WATERTOWN POWERS
There are
two dams located in the City of Watertown; the lower, a masonry dam, located a
few blocks above the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad bridge, and the
upper dam, one and one-half miles above this.
The bed of the river at both dams and probably the entire distance
between, is in the Trenton limestone.
The upper day, usually called the “Rough and Ready” dam, is built of timber
with masonry abutments. It is 250 feet
long and develops a head of 9 feet. One
45 and one 55 inch turbine are installed, rated at 225 horse-power. This power is owned by the Watertown Electric
Company and is used for electric light and power. As the left bank is low the present head
represents the maximum head which can be developed. Indeed there have been some complaints of
illegal flooding at times of high water.
The dam is in a fair state of repair.
The legislature of 1906-07 granted the owners the right to raise the
crest of dam 2 feet, provided all payment should be first made for all damage
so caused.
The lower dam was reconstructed three or
four years ago, the present concrete dam replacing an old style timber
structure. The present dam is 250 feet long
and furnishes a head of about 10 feet.
This head cannot be increased as the dam backs the water to the dam
above. The lower dam furnishes power to
four different concerns, two on each bank.
On the right bank are located the Bee-hive and Box Factory owned by G.
B. Lewis Company and the Globe Milling Company with installations of two 30
inch and two 40 inch turbines respectively.
On the
left bank are located the R. P. Koening Company flour
mill and the A. R. Wein Brush Company factory with an installation of 60 inch
and 30 inch turbines respectively.
The
mills run 18 and the factories 10 hours per day. The owners report that for 8 or 9 months in
the year the turbines develop their full power but that during the remainder of
the year steam power has to be to a large extent substituted. For this purpose the above flour mills have
the following steam power: The Globe
Milling Company 200 horse-power; R. P. Koenig Company 85 horse-power; G. B.
Lewis Company 225 horse-power, and the A. R. Wein Company 25 horse-power.
The
head on the turbines is reported to vary between 12 and 6 feet. With water to the crest of the dam the head
is 10 feet. Complaints of illegal
flooding by this dam have been made side the reconstruction of the dam.
Watertown
is a growing city of 9,000 inhabitants.
It is a trading center for a large and rich agricultural region. The city is on the main line of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad between Milwaukee and St. Paul and also on the
Madison branch of the same railroad. The
city is also served by the Chicago and North-Western Railroad between Beloit
and Green Bay. Between Watertown and
Lake Koshkonong, a distance of 29 miles, the river
flows almost due south and with reduced windings. The river varies in width from 150 to 250
feet wide, with banks sloping gently back to a height of from 10 to 20 feet.
The
total fall between the foot of the lower Watertown dam and Lake Koshkonong is only 18 feet of which only a third is
used. [Bulletins –
Geological and Natural History Survey (Wis.), 1908]
c.1920
1946
Alex Hardie painting, 1946
Old G.B. Lewis Plant, barber shop on Main St bridge in the
distance ["The Bridge" barber shop, John
Seager]. Shop taken out by March 26,
1904 flood.
1956
Alex Hardie painting, 1956
Globe Mill, left; Alex Hardie painting, 1956
1986
07 05 A long family history of producing
electricity has led the owner of one of the area’s largest industries to try to
generate some kilowatts from one of Watertown’s two dams. “There is still a lot of work to do,” said
Tom Reiss, who gained the Watertown Common Council’s approval of a 50-year
lease to the dam. The lease of the dam
was approved by a 10-1 vote, the only dissenting vote being cast by Alderman
Walter Nuernberg, who said an “act of God” phrase
describing natural catastrophes was grossly inappropriate. Tuesday’s resolution calls for Reiss to pay
rent of $1 per year for the life of the lease.
He will also pay the city 5 percent of any profits arising from the
dam’s power generation, beginning after its third year of operation. WDT
10 17 The lower Watertown dam is in good shape
and a Department of Natural Resources report that shows several areas of the
dike are deteriorating is not a cause for alarm. The dam, located on the Rock River between
Main Street and Milwaukee Street, was inspected by the DNR in August. “There are some areas which need
attention. They are the main spillway,
the pier between the main spillway and the secondary spillway, the tainter gate and the right embankment,” said William
Sturtevant, assistant dam safety engineer, who coordinated the inspection. “The main spillway has points of extensive
spalling (or chipping) in many areas. At
various locations along the downstream side of the spillway, deterioration has
led to leaking.” WDT
10 28 An owner of one of Watertown’s major
industries, who is also the president of a group of landowners living next to
the Rock River, has proposed leasing the lower Rock River dam to generate
electricity. Thomas Reiss, owner of
Reiss Industries, 319 Hart Street, is expected to present his plans to the
Watertown Common Council. The city of
Watertown currently owns the dam, located south of Main Street and between
First and Water streets. WDT
1987 PROPOSAL TO INSTALL
ELECTRICITY-GENERATING EQUIPMENT
12 24 The state Department of Natural Resources
is seeking public comment on a proposal by Thomas Reiss Jr. to install
electricity-generating equipment at the lower dam on the Rock River. Reiss is president of Rock River Power and
Light Corporation, which is seeking a federal license for a hydroelectric
generating plant on the dam, located south of Main Street between First and
Water streets. As part of the license
review process, the DNR must comment on resource issues such as water levels
and flow, fisheries, wildlife, recreation and water quality. WDT
1988
02 06 PROPOSAL
TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY
Thomas
Reiss Jr.’s proposal to generate electricity at the Rock River’s lower dam in
Watertown is expected to receive favorable comment from the state Department of
Natural Resources. Bob Hansis, water management specialist for the DNR’s southern
district, said DNR officials had no major concerns about the plan. The department will make some recommendations
to Reiss when it completes its final comment in about a month,” he said. “Mostly, we’ll be making smaller impact
decisions,” Hansis said. WDT
1991
06 15 FUNDS
TO REPAIR DAM TURNED DOWN
City
of Watertown officials were disappointed to learn that their request for
$200,000 in state funds to repair the Rock River’s lower dam has been turned
down. Ironically, the city failed to
receive any of the $2.4 million that was appropriated for dam repairs, even
though Watertown officials were instrumental in pushing for the state
Department of Natural Resources to spend the funds, according to Mayor David
Lenz. “We found out that there was money
that had been allocated for dam repair projects, but nothing was being done
with it. It was sitting there at the
DNR,” Lenz said. “(Sen. Barbara) Lorman and (Rep.
Randall) Radtke started things moving at the city of Watertown’s request. They literally got the thing going. WDT
11 23 $200,000
GRANT TO REPAIR DAM
Watertown will receive a $200,000 grant next year to repair the
lower dam. Earlier this year the city
was told it had just missed funding for the project. The city’s project ranked 13th and only 12
were funded by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. However, because one community later declined
the grant, Watertown was offered the funds.
Joseph Radocay said the grant is good news for
the city. The council this year
authorized borrowing the full $495,000 for the project. Under terms of the DNR grant, the city will
have to prepare plans and specifications for the project in the next four
months, have them approved and have the actual construction project completed
in 1992.
1992
09 09 RIVER
LOWER IN PREP FOR DAM REPAIR
The
water level of the Rock river will be lowered about two feet near the lower dam
to allow workers to repair the facility starting next week. City Engineer Joseph Radocay
said workers have begun to release more water through the tainter
gate at the dam to bring the water level down.
The lower level will allow contractor Zenith Tech Inc. of Waukesha to
construct a coffer- dam upstream so that repairs can be made to the dam. The state Department of Natural Resources
ordered the city to upgrade the lower dam so that it would be able to withstand
a severe flood, the type that is projected to occur once every 1,000
years. The project includes raising the
embankment on both sides of the dam, repairing the wing walls on the west side,
rehabilitation of the concrete dam spillway face on the south side, anchoring
the spillway with stainless steel rods in the bedrock, and repairing the tainter gate, which controls the opening and closing of the
dam on the west side.
12 12 POWER
TO BE GENERATED ONCE AGAIN
For the first time in decades, power will be generated
at the lower dam of the Rock River starting next spring. Tom Reiss, owner of Rock River Power and
Light Company, said he hopes to generate hydroelectric power at the dam
starting in April 1993. The dam, located
south of Main Street between Water and First streets, was last used to generate
mechanical power about 40 years ago.
Currently, workers from Zenith Tech. Inc. of Waukesha are constructing
the powerhouse building, located on the west banks of the river. The concrete base of the building has been
poured for the four-floor structure, which will house two turbines capable of
generating a maximum of 350 kilowatts.
Once work is completed on the building and a new tainter
gate is installed, the coffer dam will be removed on the west side. The coffer dam has directed water away from
the section of the river where work is being completed.
1993
09 20 ELECTRICITY TO BE
GENERATED SOON
Electricity could be
generated at the lower dam of the Rock River as early as this fall, according
to Tom Reiss, owner of Rock River Power and Light Company, which is building
the project. Brick work on the
powerhouse was nearing completion this week and installation of the generating
equipment was expected to follow, Reiss said. Without any further delays due to weather, he
hopes to begin generating power by the end of October. “We want to begin operating as soon as
possible,” he said. The project started
last year in conjunction with the city’s rehabilitation of the lower dam, which
is leased by Reiss. However, the high
level of the Rock River this spring delayed the project. WDT
12 26 POWER BEING GENERATED
For the first time in
about half a century, power has been generated at the Watertown lower dam on
the Rock River. Tom Reiss, owner of Rock
River Power and Light Company, said electricity was first generated at his
powerhouse Saturday afternoon. “We
started Saturday and we ran for half the day and 10 hours on Sunday,” Reiss
said. The powerhouse has not been
operated since then because of the city’s ongoing project to rehabilitate the
concrete surface of the dam’s uncontrolled spillway. Reiss said he didn’t want the operation of
the powerhouse to affect the curing of concrete on the dam. WDT
2014
01 22 REQUEST
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
The
council approved a resolution to request financial assistance from the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to help pay for maintenance and
repair work to the lower Watertown dam.
According to the resolution, the work is estimated to cost
$102,000. WDT
View from Globe Apartments
2017
01 22 ROCKS
THROWN AT TAINTER GATE
Engineer
Holloway reported that Tom Reiss, operator of the lower dam off S. Water
Street, notified City officials that a lot of rocks were being thrown at the tainter
gate. Mr. Reiss is concerned this will
cause rust in the gate and unnecessary repairs.
After discussion, the Commission decided we should monitor the situation
for the time being and report back to Mr. Reiss about our discussion and our
concerns as well. [City
Council meeting of 02 07]
03 22 DAM
REHABILITATION
The
council voted to choose the low bidder, Janke General Contractors to do the
dam’s rehabilitation work for $1,048,989.
The dam was last repaired in 1992, but a mesh fabric that was placed on
the upstream side of the dam improperly adhered to concrete on the dam.
Over
the years it has further eroded, allowing water to get behind the dam and with
freeze thaw conditions and the way the dam is constructed with the concrete
created seams where water was able to go through creating pop-outs on the front
base of the dam. Part of the project
will be funded through a DNR grant that would pay for about $362,000 of the
total cost. Because of budget restrictions,
a separate repair of the dam’s tainter gate will have
to be postponed until more funds are available.
As
part of the project, the observation deck overlooking the deck will have to be
removed for crane placement.
The
project was originally scheduled to begin a year ago, but all bids came in over
the budgeted amount. Although there is
no definitive start date yet the project must be completed before Dec. 29 to
receive the grant funding.
05 05 CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
Council
Proceedings: Review & approve
Construction Inspection & Project Management Contract from Ayres Associates
for Lower Dam Repairs Project.
Engineering is recommending Ayres Associates at a cost for inspection
services of $30,300.00 during construction and $2,100.00 for post-construction. Motion passed unanimously.
2017
09 13 RIVER DRAW DOWN DURING DAM REPAIR
09 26 MORE
OF DAM TO BE REPAIRED
Finance
Committee was made aware of an upcoming change order to the lower dam
project. After closer sounding of the
dam’s downstream face, it was discovered more square footage will have to be
repaired. The order is expected to cost
an additional $26,000 which will come out of the reserve fund created for the
project.
10 03 DAM
REPAIRS CONTINUE
Janke
General Contractors will be working to install an impermeable geomembrane on
the upstream face of the existing concrete gravity spillway, perform surface
repairs on the upstream and downstream faces of the concrete spillway, and
inject cementitious grouting at the left abutment at the dam's left abutment. The dam was last repaired in 1992, but a mesh
fabric that was placed on the upstream side of the dam improperly adhered to
concrete on the dam. Over the years it
eroded, allowing water to get behind the dam with freeze and thaw
conditions. The way the dam is
constructed with concrete created seams where water was able to go through,
creating pop-outs on the front base of the dam.
Part
of the project will be funded through a Department of Natural Resources grant
that would pay for about $362,000 of the total cost. Because of budget restrictions, a separate
repair of the dam's tainter gate will have to be
postponed until more funds are available.
11 10 CHANGE
ORDERS FOR DAM REHABILITATION
Change Orders No. 1, 2 & 3
for the Lower Dam Rehabilitation Project were presented. Change Order No. 1 is a deduction from the
contract of $15,000.00. Change Order No.
2 is an addition of $28,380.00 for the purpose of purchasing boulders. Change Order No. 3 is an increase in the
contract of $55,241.50 to mobilize, demobilize and place this rock as required
for the project. The motion to adopt these resolutions carried.
12 07 DAM
REPAIR COMPLETED
Despite a few last minute change
orders, the rehabilitation of Watertown’s lower dam was completed ahead of
schedule and under budget. One of the
change orders involved the replacement of hundreds of angular boulders which
dissipate energy and noise from water crashing over the dam. The old boulders
were discovered to be damaged by erosion when the river level was lowered
earlier this year. The city purchased
645 tons of rock which weigh between 1,500 and 4,000 pounds each. The boulders, which cost just over $28,000,
were purchased from Michels Materials, a quarry in
Waterloo, and are made of a quartzite material, which is harder than limestone
or even granite so they’ll be less prone to erosion. Even accounting for the change orders, the
cost of the project, which totals just over $1 million, came in about $100,000
under budget.
2022
06 17 YouTube VIDEO CLIP
Cross-References:
Loss of
life by dam, Rock River. 1876
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin