SHORELINES

8 Shor e l i n e S | 2014 Vol :3 the service of Alabama." Because of legal problems surrounding plans to build at Cherokee Bluffs, the decision was made to develop Lay's dam site at the Army Corps of Engineers' proposed Lock 12 site on the Coosa River as the new company's first hydro plant. The choice was a good one, but there were challenges. When Lay obtained congressional approval in 1907 to build a dam at Lock 12, it was stipulated that the dam must be completed by March 4, 1914. Since it was already 1912, work had to begin at once to complete the project on time. Mitchell selected engineer Eugene Yates to manage the project. Yates was to play an important part in the development of Alabama Power Company and the integrated system of generating plants that would, years later, become the Southern Company. Appointed chief engineer in 1912, Yates organized the engineering and construction forces for designing and building Lock 12. Since there was no construction company in Alabama that had the expertise to build a plant so large and complicated, Mitchell and Yates selected MacArthur Brothers Company. Although there were problems, the New York company completed the project on time. Building the dam was a monumental task. The site was 14 miles from Clanton, the nearest town. Before the first coffer dam could be built, before the first concrete could be poured, a workers village had to be constructed. Above: Alabama Power Archives photo – Lock 12 engineers' camp on Dec. 9, 1912. "BUILDING THE DAM WAS A MONUMENTAL TASK. THE SITE WAS 14 MILES FROM CLANTON, THE NEAREST TOWN. BEFORE THE FIRST COFFER DAM COULD BE BUILT, BEFORE THE FIRST CONCRETE COULD BE POURED, A WORKERS VILLAGE HAD TO BE CONSTRUCTED."

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