Independence Dam Rebuilt in 1901

Photo from Ohio Memory (partial photo) circa 1910

The Defiance Express
August 13, 1901



"INDEPENDENCE DAM
IS BEING REBUILT.

Movement of Boats Along Our Waterways is Noted 
to Date. 

On Monday, Dr. H. W. Meyers, collector of the port of Defiance, took a representative of the Express down the Maumee river to note the rebuilding of the great dam at Independence, the trip being made behind the doctor's fine trotting mare.

Capt. Allman has charge of the work and is busy with a very large force of men.  The water is the Maumee is low.  It is below the surface of the dam, so that anyone can walk across as safely as if on Clinton street bridge in Defiance.  The workmen commence re-building the dam by first tearing away the plank roof.

This discloses what is called 'cribs' or apartments about 8 feet by 14 feet filled with large rock and sand.  The cribs are made of very large timbers and these timbers are lined with what is called sheeting in the form of heavy, thick planking.  On opening the cribs, it was discovered that this sheeting had about all rotted away and that water was freely escaping all the while at the bottom of the dam and passing out under the apron.  The old timbers were found to be solid and sound.  All that is defective is the sheeting. 

Photo from Ohio Memory circa 1920

 All the cribs will be opened up and cleaned out and re-sheeted with a double thickness of sheeting.  The cribs will then be filled with crushed limestone in such a manner as to make it impossible  for water to get through.

The apron of the dam will be cut down and remodeled; and the fish chute will be changed so that fish can get over coming up stream.  A fish can go almost straight up for eight or ten feet; it is almost impossible for fish to get across the old fish chute.

The dam, when completed, will be fortified in such a manner that there will be very little pressure on it, and water at Defiance will be seven or eight inches higher all the while by reason of the repairs now in progress.

The house occupied by water master Stillman Rose, at the Independence Dam, has been overhauled and re-painted and looks like a new place.

The boat, Legal Tender, cleared for Toledo this morning.  She was loaded with wheat.  The Columbine and J. W. Wright brought down wood for Andy Ashbacher Monday.

The Coney No. 2 passed down Monday with timber for the dam." 

**The timber dam was replaced with a concrete dam in 1924.