Tag Archives: HISTORY

Roundhouse

05 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering, water history

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A couple weeks ago the contractor called me over to the site because they struck something that is not on the drawings. This was about the 12th time in 10 days they hit something buried, not on the drawings. i go over and this is what I saw:

At first glance, it looks like an electrical ductbank, enclosed in concrete. I told the contractor I would go look in my drawings to see what I could come up with. When I retuned, unable to find anything, the contractor had cleared some more dirt from the concrete.

Am I hallucinating or does that thing have a curve to it?? Holy crap, that looks like the foundation to the old roundhouse, which was the Montebello Pumping Station, built in 1914-1915. More research to do.

This hole was dug and goes about 75 feet down at which point they busted through the 1881 tunnel from Loch Raven. The pumping station was to be used to pump water from Loch Raven, into the filtration plant. This was due to the city not getting permission to raise the new dam above an elevation of 188′ (The new dam is now at 240′)

This photo shows the foundation for the pumps and the piping waiting to be placed.

Looking at the top tier here it can be seen the structure matches the first photo above. The hole in the center is the suction well.

View from the outside of the roundhouse. This is facing south towards the filtration building.

This is looking north from the the head house. The roundhouse foundation is flush with the ground level.

Nearing completion.

The pumps.

From the time this was built until about 1957, this pumping station had more than its fair share of problems – wrong size pumps, electrical problems, building being struck by lightening a few times, power surge from Holtwood Electric, water hammers that raised and cracked the foundation, etc. In 1963 the building was demolished but, the foundation remains. And now the problem is, what’s down there? Will this area support the weight of a generator and fuel tanks? And is that hole still open (there is an air vent coming out of dead center)? The tunnel underneath originally supplied water to Montebello from Loch Raven. Now this tunnel supplies drinking water to Towson, via the Cromwell Pumping Station.

This shows where the roundhouse use to be, north of Filter building.

Salisbury Zoo

30 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in Hiking, nature, Photography

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Before Salisbury had a zoo, it had a lake – Lake Humphreys, which was created by the building of a dam in 1743. On May 28, 1909 the dam gave way and the lake went dry. Or actually it turned into a mud flat. And it sat like that for a while until the City Park was built, This included building a zoo.

It was a nice day out Saturday and Kathy says “Let’s go to the zoo!” So we did –

Jumped in the car, took a couple back roads and came across these guys. They were kind of far away and I didn’t have my good camera with me. After a while on the side of the road we started heading back to the highway. Me: Where we going? Kathy: To the zoo. Me: I thought that was the zoo?? Duh…

So into Salisbury we go. The City park is really nice. Nice family atmosphere with walking trails, picnic areas, horse shoes, etc. This is what you get for being the Director of Public Works for only 4 years. A bronze propeller.

Nice walking trails around the park.

The zoo. It is free and it wasn’t until we got back to Kathy’s parents house that I was told there is a donation box there. I didn’t see it.

This guy has some sort of attention disorder. He couldn’t stop looking up over the wall to see what was going on.

Not much you can say about this guy other than magnificent.

One thing I’ve never liked is seeing eagles caged up.

Acting up for the camera.

Relaxing.

Where’s John Waters??

These two guys share this spot with a bird, who keeps shitting on them…one day the bird will be in their jaws, wondering, well how did I get here?

Did a complete loop around the park and ended up at this little dam. I imagine the sluice gates are to allow water down stream if the level drops below the top of the dam. Nice walk in the park.

Updates: Batcave and Drain

20 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering

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When I was up Loch Raven checking on the drain pipe to the 10′ tunnel, I checked on the unknown tunnel that was busted a couple days before. The contractor took it upon himself to start digging it out before anyone could verify what it was. As said before, this thing was built prior to 1875.

Fortunately the City’s closed circuit TV guys showed up before it was totally destroyed. In the upper left shows the rocks removed, that were used to build the tunnel. From where the spool is, center of photograph, to where the front of the excavator is, is what they dug out.

Here is the remote camera. Pretty neat toy. They burnt me a dvd of the exploration.

What was unexpected was that the tunnel branched off to the right. The camera couldn’t make the turn. It went about 38′ in at both areas. This side had a built up wall at the end. The other side was collapsed, probably from them compacting the soil for the new building. Real shame that we don’t know what this was. I personally believe it was an aqueduct, to bring water from Shanghai Run or Towson Run down to the farm?

Meanwhile, back at the drain. The contractors removed the steel bars in front of the drain opening.

The flow was better but the contractor needs it opened more to drain the 10′ tunnel, so they can start repairs. I believe the above photo is at 8 turns, 20%.

And this will be at about 40%. They installed the metal plates in hopes of stopping the erosion of the shore line. I am concerned with the bed of the stream, They think it will be alright. We will find out if the steel plates start slipping downwards…

Busted Pipe

17 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in 1972, Baltimore, Dams, water history

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As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the contractor building a new maintenance facility at Loch Raven, busted a hole in the 10′ water pipe.

The site of the new complex, along the west bank of the Gunpowder River. The caution sign is the area where they broke the pipe. It is now covered with steel plates.

Here is what the conduit looked like when it was installed in 1913. It is a steel pipe, welded and riveted together.

As the conduit was installed, they encased some sections of it in concrete, to give it some strength. Loch Raven Drive is directly above this pipe in some areas.

Looking under the steel plate I ask – how the hell do you NOT know that this pipeline is there?? In the photo can be seen above the wood stake, water pouring out of the pipe. Surrounding the stake is the rebar the contractor had to break thru in the cement to strike the steel pipe. The contractor is lucky that the dam has two independent conduits coming out of it.

There was built a parallel pipeline back in 1972. I’m not sure why or even why it is called the Parallel Pipeline. It kind of zig-zags across the river.

The contractors of 1972 had their fair share of problems – like the worksite getting flooded. The lower, smaller dam is in the background.

In order for the present day contractor to fix the hole he made, the City was asked to drain the pipe.

After searching thru some old drawings, we were able to find the location of the drain pipe. This is a 12″ drain connected to a 10′ pipe.

My favorite valve guys came out to try and open it by hand but were unable to. It has been a very long time since this was open. They ended up having the contractor core drill a hole in the vault roof above the valve. They then used their valve truck to turn it.

This is at 8 turns, 20% open. This will take quite a while to drain. The contractor is impatient.

But. as you can see, opening it up too far will erode the stream bank right under this bridge. Today the contractor was given the ok to place steel plates in the stream to divert the flow away from the bank.

Meanwhile, I roamed around some and took some pics – of other than work related stuff. A stone snowman walking his stone snow duck.

Root system.

View across the reservoir. Days like this, I like my job…

 

Lewis M Keizer Farm

24 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by in HISTORY, water history

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I was called up to Loch Raven today because the contractor punched a hole through the ten foot water supply conduit, but that is a another story for another time. A lot of finger pointing going on so I should stay quiet for now…

Anyway, while up there one of the laborers approached me and asked if I was the history guy and did I want to see something? Ok. He showed me the below stone:

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This is a nice sized marker (I hope it’s not part of a grave marker!) I recognized the name from some research I had done. So I did a quick look to see what I could find. I asked two of the workers there to load it onto my truck for me. Below are 2 photos of the old farm in 1921.

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This was when the city was buying up all the property around the Gunpowder Falls for the watershed, to raise the dam.

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It was a nice farm and the city didn’t tear it down, instead they used it as can be seen in the below excerpts:

1880 record of land acquisition and plat.
October 19, 1922 letter from assistant engineer Browne to Loch Raven resident engineer Allen, “…Megraw here today…you were to appoint a watchman for the Keiser property…a man who is now employed by Keiser known as Arc [Tracry]. Please permit me to tell you that this man has a (?) rep in this vicinity…he is a common thief. He has also deserted his wife and is living openly here in a city house with another woman…” October 23, 1922 letter, marked at top “Confidential Department Business” from assistant engineer Browne to Loch Raven Resident Engineer Allen, “I wish to advise you that [darkey] on Keiser property is about to move some property from such place during next day or so.”
November 6, 1922 memo from assistant Engineer Brown to Resident Engineer Allen, “The negro Henderson, former farm hand for Mr. Keiser, has visited this property and endeavored to start a row here. All due to his not moving his things…he comes and takes what he wants…need some direction from you as to what to do.”
January 23, 1928 letter to Armstrong from Rost, “Kindly permit Doctor Stuart Cassard to inspect the Keiser property (Near Phoenix, Loch Raven watershed). April 21, 1928 request from Girls Vocational School for tours of both Loch Raven and Montebello. July 3, 1928 letter, “To Whom It May Concern, This letter gives authority to bearer, Mr. G.S. Koller…and party to use the grounds of the Keiser property…for an outing. The request for this permission was endorsed by Mr. McKeldin, secretary to Mayor Broening.” October 10, 1928 another letter giving permission to inspect Keiser property, including the mansion house.
A different Keizer farm but a head scratcher never the less: May 17, 1948 letter from Fenwick Keyser to Small: Becoming involved with such people is a profitless occupation. They would only retaliate by harming my cattle, my dogs, or setting fire to farm buildings. All of the neighbors who own their homes around me are sober, industrious people. We are all on the best of terms. We do not shoot each other’s dogs or heap abuse on each other. I have tried to get along with your tenants. A few months ago I rounded up the escaped goats owned by the renter in the old Kiser place. He replied by killing our pet cat a few weeks later.

Nice history! But as can be seen in the 1928 note, the property was at Phoenix so what was this marker doing where the laborer found it? Eight miles away as the crow flies? A Google search also shows that Lewis Keizer had 3 patents for engine carburetors.

Hiking and History

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Hiking, HISTORY

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Kathy just loves it when we go on hikes and I fill her head with a bunch of useless information! Went to Loch Raven Saturday since it was so nice out – looking for eagles.

Before the eagles, we saw this guy trying to hide from us.

I guess we saw about 4-5 different eagles. This one was trying to hide too.

Kathy has known that I always wanted to go to the other side of the dams (in all my years hiking, I’ve never been there), so she grabs up Molly and starts heading across the rocks.

Looking for more eagles.

Top of the east side of the old dam. Across the way are the gate house valves.

Next we headed towards the newer dam, which actually underneath is a 100 year old dam.

Look! An Eagle! Damn – too slow on the shutter!

Here is the same dam in the 1970s – it was falling apart really bad. Looking close you can see a circular cap on the lower face.

When they refinished the face of the dam, the round hole became square. It was locked.

Besides the face lift the dam gets, they also built a Zebra Mussel station – tall white building in background. They never used it and now more construction is going on behind it – an admin building of some sort.

How Loch Raven dam looked in 1922. Notice on the lower portion across the water. The land is at the same elevation as this side, but…

Now it is elevated by the placement of this pipe. This pipe is covered in dirt. I’m still not sure why they installed this pipe into the face of the dam??? I have the drawings and project photos, but nothing to say why?

So all this is to say that the original dam, under this one was built in 1914. It was at an elevation of 188′. The newer dam was placed on top of it in 1922 – elevation 240′. Then in the 70s and again in 2005 it received various face lifts and this is why it will never get a historic designation..

Holy Bat Cave Batman

16 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Dams, engineering, water history

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The other day I received an email with the following photograph. It asked if I knew what this ‘tunnel’ was for? It was holding up progress on the construction of some new buildings. In the email there was an attached drawing of the building site with the location of the tunnel circled in red. Holy crap! The drawing, to scale, would mean that this tunnel was about 30′ wide! After researching drawings from 1873 onwards, not finding it in any, I went up to look.

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What I found was an opening of about 18″ x 24″. Talk about a let down! Below is the contractor’s foot, for size reference.

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So, since I was there I stuck my camera into the hole to get some pics – glad I didn’t climb in there. Do you see what I see on the left, dangling from a crevice in the rocks??

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Well so much for finding part of the Underground Railroad or an Indian Burial Ground or a secret cache of moonshine (yes, that was suggested). After about 2 hours of meetings and investigations, I took a walk.

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Looking across the construction site to the upper dam.

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The lower, older dam is my favorite. The inspector told me that since it is marble, someone should pressure spray it clean. Ok, I’ll get right on that!

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First, get someone to remove that log, which has been on there since the storm of 2010!

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This dam has held up pretty good since 1880

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The valves which were inside the old gate house.

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Sorry Batman – the only bat cave I could find…

Love – Hate Relationships

14 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in engineering, HISTORY

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Sorry, this is not a Valentines Blog! This is in regards to my job. Co-workers know I do the archiving, so when they think it’s time to clear out some filing cabinets, they bring all their junk drawers to me. I hate it! So I sort and document and throw out a bunch of stuff…but then, hidden between the pages of some obscure files, I find a folder of photographs! I love it! This particular group of photos are from the 1913-1915 building of the Loch Raven dam. They are the actual prints from the glass plate negatives. Some of which I’ve never seen or ones that I have, scanned from plates that were cracked or silvering. Poor quality. These are near perfect prints.

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 I have a very poor quality of this one with no real description. On the back it says – “Crushing Plant at Department Quarry near Bridge #1”

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Building Bridge #1 which is the first bridge up Loch Raven Drive from the dam. One thing I don’t understand about engineering is…

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…how do they take the upside down bridge and turn it right side up??

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I’m not sure what this one is, which is ok. I will look thru the old records and see if I can match it up some how. I thought it was of the construction of bridge #1 but the date wouldn’t be right.

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No description on this one either, but I like the guy in the back with a hatchet, wearing Frye Boots!

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This one is of the building of the bridge. Look close and you can see a typical City worker, sitting down on the job to the right!

White Boy (or Who Am I?)

09 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Genealogy, HISTORY

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For many years I had been told by family members that ‘we’ are part American Indian. I was even told what tribe we were part of – Delaware. Friends and co-workers told me that I ‘looked’ Indian. I was even given the nickname Cochise at work for a few years. I get really dark in the summertime and back then I had a ponytail.

But then, Ancestry DNA happened. Come to find out, I’m probably one of the whitest white boys you’ll ever meet! Who knew! So I started doing the research through the Ancestry site and there is a lot of interesting information out there. Most notably, one relative of mine was the owner of Congress Hall here in Baltimore, where the second Continental Congress met (1776-1777). (Henry Fite). It burned down during the Great Fire of 1904.

So this is me. There is a lot of research to do yet on my family history. I often wonder what the hell they were thinking back then with the naming of the children? More times than not I wonder what other researchers are thinking when they add people to their family trees – Example: One person has listed that a parent of a relative was 10 when they had their daughter? All that is just to say that you need to be careful what you add to your own tree. Look at dates. And now, I can look at my ethnicity thru the DNA.

Who knew??

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You Decide

03 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, POLITICS

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Hands up, don’t shoot or a public shower?

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Early entrepreneur, ready to run for office or just some kid in a box on a flooded street?

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Good old days ice skating or the beginning of a race riot?

The negative comments I received after posting this last photo on Face Book was one of the many reasons I stopped using FB to post the museum archives. How in the world do you go from ‘The good old days’ ice skating at Druid Hill Park in the 1920s to ‘There’s a lot of racial tension here, look they’re carrying sticks’ to ‘it’s all Obama’s fault’!!??

The top two photos, although found in the DPW Museum Archives, I believe, are part of another collection, that the museum bought rights to use for one of its displays.