Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1909 — Dam Went Out as Soon As it Was Completed. [ARTICLE]

Dam Went Out as Soon As it Was Completed.

What the dam? A contractor would be entitled to one cuss whether he took it or not if he was to build a dam across a river and just after he had finished it, the weight of the water was to wash it out. That is what happened to B. J. Moore Monday afternoon. We haven’t the slightest idea that Jud took advantage of the right to cuss, but there was a huge lump in his throat as he witnessed the result of five days of hard work with a force of men give way and let the water through. The dam was built near the W. S. Grant farm residence west of town. It was completed Monday afternoon and the water had raised about two feet and was about high enough to set his drilling barge afloat up back of the grave yard, when the weight of the water became too great and forced out the entire center of the dam. It will require some more damming of the shovel and wheelbarrow variety to close up the gap.