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The Water Tower of Texas. 
45 
the Little river, a tributary of the Brazos. A short distance above Belton 
it receives the waters of Cowhouse creek. The flow of the Leon at Belton 
is utilized by the electric light plant. The dam was bnilt in 1894, and 
is somewhat unique in its construction. Its ends butt against the abut- 
ments of the highway bridge and its race or forebay extends under the 
end approach of the bridge adjacent to the west abutment. It is in its 
plan arched up stream, the radius of its curve being 240 feet, giving it 
a rise of twelve feet in its span, of 150 feet. The frame work was made 
of cedar posts and it was then covered with pine plank. The main purlin 
posts that carry the upper face are inclined to the horizontal at an angle 
of forty-five degrees. These purlin posts are braced from near their top 
by posts that are inclined to the vertical at about ten degrees, and the 
purlin posts are again braced by a series of short posts about three feet 
from the bed rock. Horizontal braces connected these two main supports 
of the purlin posts. To this- frame work is attached the frame work of 
the apron. A row of short vertical posts, three feet high, extend in a 
circular curve seven feet below the main dam, and to this the top row of 
post sleepers are attached and connected to the frame work of the dam. 
These sleepers slope down stream and form the support for the floor- 
ing of the apron. The main cross-section of the dam is like the letter A, 
the first inclined line of which is inclined at forty-five degrees, the right 
hand line at about eighty degrees to the horizontal, while the horizontal 
line is about one-fourth of the height from the bottom. A course of 
plank was nailed to the up stream posts and then a layer of gravel, dirt, 
and small stones was spread on this surface, and then the up stream face 
was again protected by several layers of plank. The down stream face, 
the apron and the vertical fall below the apron are all protected by plank 
coverings. The total height is twelve feet, the fall from crest to apron 
seven feet, the fall of apron one - foot, and the final fall from apron 
three feet. The water is taken from the lake through an arched conduit 
between the west abutment and the shore. This conduit opens into an 
open flume eleven feet and eight inches wide and eighty feet long. The 
flume follows the west bank and is supported on posts that are thoroughly 
protected from the effects of floods by strong sheathing. The fall at the 
penstock is eleven feet and the power is ■’ transmitted to the dynamos by 
■shafting. The power house is on the high west bank and is equipped, in 
addition to the water plant, with two tubular boilers whose estimated 
capacit}^ is one hundred horse power each, and one automatic Russell 
engine of eighty horse power. 
LAMPASAS SPRINGS. 
The Sulphur Fork of the Lampasas river rises in the city of Lampasas 
and is formed by two springs, the Hancock and the Hanna. The Han- 
cock spring is about one mile S. 30 W. from the court house, and its flow, 
