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<br />(I 1759 <br /> <br />')!j <br /> <br />~7~~.t4- <br />I i'!J~. -" <br />~=7~ <br /> <br />'":'t:,"~ <br /> <br />-""~ <br /> <br />'C"'-""~'~_':c'f""f"\"-' N"~,~~"~-"'F- <br /> <br />r- <br /> <br />~~ off.,....,.. <br /> <br />u <br /> <br />'~ <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Panorama of north part of site of Boulder City. Nev. <br /> <br />Boulder City today, as seen from the air. <br /> <br />the normal flow of the river for 2 years. Measured by volume it would be <br />the largest artificial lake in the world, which when filled to maximum would <br />impound more than 32,000,000 acre. feet of water-water enough to cover <br />the entire State of New Yark 1 foot deep. Brit the reservoir would store more <br />than water; it would trap the millions of tons of silt carried yearly by the <br />Colorado, and therefore the lake had to be big enough to hold the silt without <br />seriously impairing the efficiency of the reservoir or interfering with the <br />generation of power. <br />I t 'vas deLermined that the proposed dam would create the necessary reser- <br />voir, and would make possible the construction of a power plant capable of <br />producing 6,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually. <br />This was the framework of the problem. The engineers accepted the task <br />and set out to its accomplishment. <br />As in all new undertakings, where the plans do not conform to the accepted <br />normal, there were many who scoffed at the presumptuousness of those who <br />"..-ould dare to consider the project feasible. Even engineers of recognized <br />standing were dubious. Some stated flatly: "It can't be done." They <br />advanced weighty arguments to support their contention. Geologic condi. <br />tions were not sound. It would be impossible to control the river while the <br />dam was under construction. Even should it be possible to build the dam, <br />the millions of tons of silt swept down by the river would fill the reservoir in <br />a short time. It was argued that there were so many unpredictable factors <br />involved in the construction of so huge a project that its ultimate safety was <br /> <br />doubtful. And if, after the dam was built, should it.fail it would mean total <br />destruction to the whole of the area lying below Black Canyon. <br />Still other arguments were advanced against the successful completion of <br />the project. It was said no contractor would dare undertake so large a job. <br />Furthermore, the site of the proposed dam was in a desolate region without <br />transportation facilities, living quarters; in fact, no provision whatsoever <br />was available to meet the most trying natural elements. <br />So spoke the prophets of gloom and disaster. <br />But exploration and preliminary work by the Bureau of Reclamation went <br />steadily forward. Geologic examinations had shown that the task was not <br />impossible. The job could, and would, be done as assigned. <br />Specifications and drawings for the dam and appurtenant structures were <br />being prepared in the main field office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Denver, <br />Colo. Washington flashed word to rush the blueprint work. Actual con. <br />st~uction should start as soon as possible in order to create employment, for <br />the trying year of 1930 was upon the land. Drafting forces were increased <br />and designers worked night and day. The specifications were rushed to <br />completion. <br />On March. 11, 1931, 6 months ahead of schedule, the Secretary of the <br />Interior awarded the labor contract for construction of Hoover Dam to Six <br />Companies, Inc., of San Francisco, Calif., the lowest bidder. <br />The bid was $48,890,995.50, the largest bbor contract ever let by the United <br />States Government to that time. <br /> <br />14 <br /> <br />15 <br />