Power Dam Completed by Warfield Electric
The big power dam, which has been in process of erection at the rapids in the Mississippi river, some eleven miles east of Bemidji, has been completed, and on Nov 1st, the machinery at the dam will be put into operation and the power at the rapids will be used in operating the electric light plan by the Warfield Electric company other and other industries throughout the city which use electric power. The idea of erecting a dam at the present location was conceived some four or five years ago, when land in that vicinity was purchased from W. G. Schroeder, who had bought the same on speculation. Mr. Schroeder sold the site to the Warfield Electric company, which then purchased flowage rights; it was estimated that the prospective dam would flood some 300 or 400 acres of land. At the same time the company also purchased the right-of-way for poles, which included a strip of land 100 feet wide between this city and the dam site.
The work of constructing the cofferdam began in February, the crew at that time being forced to saw through the ice in the river. The machinery for use in the powerhouse and other necessary paraphernalia was purchased in the fall of 1907. The dam proper is called a crib dam, being a rock-filled crib. The dam is substantially built in every respect.
The dam is 144 feet long, 72 feet wide and 23 feet high. There is a footbridge four feet wide across the dam, and there is also a sluiceway for logs. In the dam there is a fishway, which will allow all kinds of fish to pass freely up and down the river. The complete cost of the dam was about $75,000.
The water wheel is of the latest improved type and is directly connected to the generator. The wheel is 46 ft long and 6 feet in diameter. With the present equipment the capacity of the dam is 1100 horsepower, which can be easily doubled by the addition of more machinery.
Last February the right to erect poles on land from Bemidji to the dam site was secured and a set of poles were strung with wires, power being distributed from the electric light plant in this city to the dam, which was used to run a sawmill to prepare the timbers for the dam.
By the construction of the dam, the water in the Mississippi River between Bemidji and the dam has been raised very appreciably, and there is practically dead water from the outlet of Lake Bemidji to the dam. The rise in the water makes a fine trip by boat from this city to the dam, and it is popular trip to many of the local boatmen.
The United States government has reserved their right to place locks for boats in the north side of the dam, when navigation demands it.
John Wade of St. Paul, special agent for the war department, made a personal inspection of the dam a few days ago. Special permission was given the company by an act of congress to build a dam across the Mississippi river, which is considered a national stream. (Bemidji Pioneer, Oct 29, 1908)