Engineering News-Record Volume 18 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ...we have no doubt the prophesy will come true in substance if not in form. The ballots so far received iudicate, we are told, the adoption of the late Convention's action by at least the necessary two-thirds. The New Montreal Flood Dykes. The St. Lawrence river is one of the most even in its flow of all the large rivers in the world, owing to the equalizing effect of the vast storage reservoirs known as the Great Lakes, the average variation during a year heing only 10 to 20 in., hut it is also the most subject to ice of all the large rivers within the limits of civilization.because of its northerly location. After the ice has once set, or " taken," as the technical term is, no disturbance results therefrom, but in the spring when the ice is breaking up, and likewise in the early winter when it is forming, but is not yet set for the winter, very dangerous and objectionable floods result in Montreal, and at other less important points upon the river. The highest flood on record in Montreal was a spring flood in 1886. shown on the accompanying cut, but four of them of a dangerous character have occurred within two years, after an interval of seven or eight years without any floods of moment. large steamers, which constitute the bulk of Montreal's shipping would be better served by high piers. In the mean time, the structure which we illustrate has been adopted as a temporary expedient to keep out the high water and to last a few years, until definite projects for permanent works can be more carefully prepared. Whenever the flood rises above the top of the retaining wall, shown in the cuts, several hundred cellars are flooded, and experience indicates that this may happen six or eight times a decade. Whenever the water rises a few feet higher, the los...