Glencoe Cotton Mill
Water Storage
Water Storage
DAM AND WHEEL HOUSE
Quoting from Glass, "In 1905 the Chicago Bridge and Iron Works built a 30,000 gallon tank and tower across
the road from the Mill. The tank supplemented the 10,000 gallon water tank on the tower of the Mill Building.
Both towers held water for the Grinnell Automatic Sprinklers in the main mill buildings. The towers received
water from a Fales & Jenks No. 5 Pump with a 500 gallon per minute capacity. The pump intake was in the
wheel pit.
In 1909 a wooden dam on a cement foundation replaced the original log and stone dam across the Haw River
above the mill. The new dam apparently did not furnish substantial increase in water power and continued to
provide the same water fall and mill pond level as the earlier dam. Around 1910 a new masonry, wood beam,
and cement wheel house replaced the original wood structure. It is likely the new structure prevented a loss of
water and power caused by deterioration of the old wood. The height and volume of the column of water loss
from the wheel house, through leaky walls, decreased the turbine's power."
Page Copyright Gary N. Mock 2009
Quoting from Glass, "In 1905 the Chicago Bridge and Iron Works built a 30,000 gallon tank and tower across
the road from the Mill. The tank supplemented the 10,000 gallon water tank on the tower of the Mill Building.
Both towers held water for the Grinnell Automatic Sprinklers in the main mill buildings. The towers received
water from a Fales & Jenks No. 5 Pump with a 500 gallon per minute capacity. The pump intake was in the
wheel pit.
In 1909 a wooden dam on a cement foundation replaced the original log and stone dam across the Haw River
above the mill. The new dam apparently did not furnish substantial increase in water power and continued to
provide the same water fall and mill pond level as the earlier dam. Around 1910 a new masonry, wood beam,
and cement wheel house replaced the original wood structure. It is likely the new structure prevented a loss of
water and power caused by deterioration of the old wood. The height and volume of the column of water loss
from the wheel house, through leaky walls, decreased the turbine's power."
Page Copyright Gary N. Mock 2009
Above The water tank across the street from
the mill. Picture 2009
Copyright Peter Schumacher
Black & White Version by Peter Metzke
Right: Fales & Jenks Machine Co. Works,
Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1910
Courtesy of Peter Metzke
the mill. Picture 2009
Copyright Peter Schumacher
Black & White Version by Peter Metzke
Right: Fales & Jenks Machine Co. Works,
Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1910
Courtesy of Peter Metzke
Above: An ad for the Chicago Bridge &
Iron Works placed in the
Textile World Journal 1916
Iron Works placed in the
Textile World Journal 1916