1962-05-10; Clare Sentinel

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New Series,     Vol. 70, No. ,35
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The story of Clare's Lake Shamrock, —
how it took almost a generation of hope,
work and overcoming obstacles to bring it to
glorious fulfillment and then only hours
after the proud climax of .spectacular success — to witness the sickening collapse of
the accomplishment . , . that story could
3carely be equaled by fiction in its drama.
But the last and best chapter has not been
written. It will tell how the ruined pieces
were picked up and built again until' real
permanent success finally rewarded the long
efforts.
Lake Shamrock was born Saturday noon
when a final section of dike was ceremoniously "closed and river waters commenced
to back up and fill the lake bed, and it received a fatal blow shortly after midnight
Sunday when the new dam's foundation failed to hold the pressure of the filled lake.
An estimated 334 million gallons of water gushed throtigh the burst center of the
dam and washed away yards of supporting
fill dirt and rock together with portions of
the new concrete dam and apron structure.
Before seven o'clock Monday morning the
brand new lake was almost completely
drained. 	
The disaster; also drained much elation
out of members? of the men responsible for
the project, Ken Barnes, president of the
non-profit Clare "Millpond Development Corporation and directors and members of the
group as well as investors who have
purchased building lots on Lake Shamrock
shores, and also countless townspeople who
witnessed Saturday's dedication ceremonies
and shared the pride in the success of the
project.
But while the last frothy trickles of
Lake Shamrock water were still escaping
through the broken dam, the project directors were meeting and, recovered from the
stunning setback, were planning with engineers 'and builders the immediate rebuilding
of the dam.
Lake Shamrock will be re-dedicated this
summer!
Dedication ceremonies and the celebration of Lake Shamrock Day in Clare drew
crowds estimated as high as 1000 people
along the parade route and at the dam site
on Saturday.
The day was the crowning event in the
long history of various projects to restore a
lake on the site of what was once a millpond.
Speakers, on Saturday's program recalled
that Clare had striven and hoped over 18
years for this moment.
Groups of conservation enthusiasts had
attempted to gain interest and backing for
the lake's restoration. FI oodwater control advocates had talked of its desirability, . At1
least one city commission candidate had
once campaigned on a platform of civic progress that included plans for rebuilding the
dam and the lake's residential area attraction.
But it remained for the present "Millpond Development Corporation" to at last
find keys to public co-operation, financing,
community faith — and finally accomplish
the task.
Contracts were awarded and the work
progressed all winter toward the final date
for flooding the lake. In the meantime more
than 23 home-building lots were sold on
Lake Shamrock's shores and one new residence was actually started.
At the celebration Saturday, a joyous
parade commenced at the south end of
Clare's business district and led crowds to
the place where the unfinished dike was to
be filled and the flooding begin.
With their feet, "on high ground" officials dedicated the
dam and signalled ihe start of filling Lake Shamrock Saturday forenoon in one of ihe happiest celebrations Clare
has seen. Here C of C President Joe Johnston speaks from
a "stage", the mountain of earth thai was later pushed into the dike io shut ihe outlet.
Objections
Heard On
Plat Law
Chairman Robert Carter of the
Clare County Plat Review Board
said Saturday that results of a
hearing on Friday on the proposed platting ordinance were unsatisfactory and produced little
in the way of constructive progress.
The meeting at the courthouse
in Harrison had been called to
gather facts from land developers in the county in guiding
county officials seeking a minimum building and platting
standards code.
The Board heard and promised
to consider much personal
opinion from-north county developers and businessmen supporters along conclusions that any
restrictions on platting and building would halt progress and
prosperity in the county, and that
individuals owning property
should not be required to provide sanitary means of their
garbage and sweage disposal on
the grounds that such regula
tions would be a denial of liberty.
But  more  speakers  gave  the
Board a  start in their fact as
Girl Scout
Honor Court
A Court of Awards is to be
held Monday for Clare Girl
Scouts at seven o'clock in the
Elementary  School  auditorium.
In other activity, adult scouters
are notified of a district meeting
tonight at 7:30 in the Pullen
School gym in Mt. Pleasant
where the district chairman and
administrators will lead a discussion helpful to all leaders.
New Dam To Be Stronger
Yi?.%fy
Gathered io waich the outdoor ceremony were hundreds
of Clare residents and visitors from ihe area. Crowded
a-iop ihe dam, ihey had no thought iha a few hours later
it would burst under ihe pressure of its first baptism and
send new Lake Shamrock crashing down ihe river.
An immediate decision on Monday to rush repairs or rebuilding
of the Lake Shamrock dam was
followed by near continuous conferences during the rest of this
week to fix the extent and cost
of the job, the liability for reconstruction, changes in slans
and improvements to spike any
chance that the Sunday night accident could happen again. It
was reported Wednesday that:
1.) Builders and promoters had
taken reasonable precaution tc
assure that original specifications were adequate. Experienced
dam builder James Cole organized the plans and approval was
given by Jhe Michigan Conservation Department.
2.) Actual construction under
a contract sub-let to bridge
builder Richard Fox exceeded the
specifications in many ways,
specifically in the depth of concrete footings under the center
of the dam, and others.
3.) At present;' builders *be-J
lieve that solid portions of the
dam can be re-built upon and
they will probably proceed with
repairs unless further inspection
shows unsure weakening of the
principal structure. Some 14Q
tons of steel-reinforced concrete
are now literally "in suspension",
because the bed core has been
washed     away    beneath.    This
proves that there is basic sound
construction above the bed line,
4.) Three weeks is the estimated time set-back allowed before
flooding will be begun again
This estimate depends on
weather and delivery • of new
material.
5.) The work is now under
way and has been proceeding
since 9:45 Monday under no additional contract, but with the
Millpond Corporation assuming
that responsibility lies with the
contractor since the finished
project had not been "delivered"
yet when the dam burst,
[^ J*.) New .driven piling,, and
structure using more steel ahd
deeper design are replacing the
portions of undcrsupport that are
gone.
Skip Kegg
Beats CHS
Mile Mark
Caught la
Bumper Pinch
Rolland Shetler, manager ol
the Judge Donald E. Holbrobk
farm north of Clare was bruised
.nd painfully injured Friday
lorenoon when he was pinched
between the front bumper of a
moving pickup truck and a farm
•vagon unloading at Johnston's
levator in Clare.
At Clare General Hospital
where he was taken in an ambulance, Shetler's injuries were
Found to be not critical, and he
was released Monday after ' observation and  treatment.
"»<"■" "  '"'".__. "i  "i.—   —i "       A woman,  driving the pickup
semblmg   with   testimony   from not held  ghe *aid ^ h<£
Clare builder and lumber dealer,.| .f00t   accidently   struck   the   ac
celerator as she reached for the
brake.
Prizes Given
Seiter Brothers expressed pleasure   and   satisfaction   with  the
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David Seiter who told the meeting that a minimum of 400 to
450 square feet of dwelling space
was more realistic than the 720-
foot limits previously discussed,
and from Mortimer Shay who is
a river-front developer and said
that his lots exceed the state requirements for size and that he
enforces and recommends restrictions against undesirable
use. of property in his subdivision .intended for exclusively residential building.
Supervisors have resolved tc
pass some kind of minimum
standards ordinance and are collecting information to guide and
limit "the law.
Hurts Slight
Sunday afternoon last Week
a bicycle-automobile accident
occurred *ori US-27 in front of the
Doherty hotel. According to Police Chief Bell, the bicycle rider,.
Neil Jackson of Clare, turned directly in.the path of an on-eOffi-
ing car driven by Fern Williams
of Clare. Neither the bicycle nor
the automobile were' damaged
The boy received minor abra
sionS to the right hand.
On Sunday 'evening ihe filled Lake was shimmering
peacefully, — more beautiful io Clare than any lake in ihe
world. Green shores and picture beaches framed a mysterious little island and ihe clear waier was ready io receive
ihe first planted trout.
Mrs. Cooper Honored
aui.   anu  wu_ow»u   „.*..   v—:    Mrs. Isabel  Cooper  of  Clare, several   of   Edgar   A.    Guest's
highly   successful^ public^ open [ president  of  the   Michigan   De-j poems,  by Clarabelle Harper of
Skip Kegg, Pioneer miler lowered the school record in an outstanding individual performance
as a member of the CHS track
squad in the Central Michigan
Relays at Mt. Pleasant. His time
was four minutes, 46 and 7-10th
seconds (4:46.7) to beat the 1957
record of Joe Crawford set on
the St. Louis High School track.
Coach George, Perry's squad
entered several events in the
world's largest schoolboys' track
meet, the CM.  Relays.
More noteworthy performances were turned in by:
John Barber, tied for third in
the pole vault with a jump of 10*
ft., 10 inches.
The shuttle hurdle relay team
of Jerry Russell, Lary Hawking,
Pat Murphy,, and Bob Jeffrey,
3th in a field of 34 teams with
the good time of 1:06.4.
The mile relay team of John
Barber, Russ Graham, Chris
Schroeder, and Skip Kegg, 6th
among 36 teams in the time of
3:48.6..
Ken Barnes had learned Wednesday that the driving of new
.upports and base construction
would be attempted if there is no
evidence of damage to the standing portion of the dam, and if
the construction work itself did
not disturb pillars and sound
dam members left intact.
A heartening show of faith in
the final outcome cheered pro-
l.moters when five buyers
purchased lots on Tuesday and
three other good prospects indicated they might be nearly ready j
to sign for ownership.
When Lake Shamrock fills its
basin again, it will be behind a
new, stronger dam that will have
improved design. Interlocked
steel shoring is to be driven in
place and thick concrete back
-upport poured behind it.
Deeper by a full fourteen feet
and steel reinforced along its
entire face, the new dam is to
have 8-foot linear extensions at
the two ends joining the dike
facing the lake. A new design
where the down-current apror
drops water into the river will
form a waterproof seal against
back-washing of river water
under the  spillway.
Continued on Page 8
Hold CGM
Annual Meet
In FarweS!
District Senator Harold B. Hughes was
the master of ceremonies and appearing with
him on the program was Clare's Mayor Glen
Cain, President of the Board of Directors
Ken Barnes, Chamber of Commerce President Joseph Johnston, representatives from
the Conservation Department and engineering and construction firms on the project,
Adding to the gaiety of the occasion were    :
the marching, playing Clare High Band and
many floats, decorated autos and equipment
vehicles, riding clubs, and novelty horse and
pony paraders.
-After the music and the speaking, three
bulldozers pushed earth into the narrow gap
in the dike while happy spectators' watched,
and the first impounded wafers of the Tobacco river began to slowly fill Lake Shamrock.
Quiet excitement continued all day Saturday and Sunday as streams of auto traffic wound around the subdivision streets
bringing people to watch the water rise. Don
Tietz, construction superintendent of the
final work inspected the dike and dam late
Sunday to make sure that high spring water
in the river was .being contained by the
fresh impoundment.
Sunday afternoon the lake had
filled to the first step level and
was escaping as planned over the
floor of the lock chutes. Later
the sluice locks were to be installed and the water raised an
additional four to five feet.
In the account of the first big
setback on the project, it will
doubtless say that the current of
the river together with the pressures on the base of the dam
caused undercutting of the structure. Between midnight Sunday
and the early hours of Monday
morning, -the dam washed oyt
and Lake Shamrock washed
down the river in a sickening
disaster.
Looking for any scrap of good
in the washout, promoters were
thankful that no downstream
damage occurred and no injury
or property damage followed the
burst dam accident.
Stunned promoters and builders had equipment on the site
within four hours in the first
work to re-open the dike and dry
up the dam area so that damage
could be more closely inspected.
They pledged without hesitation
that Lake Shamrock would reappear Within a few weeks and
the project continue as if the
accident had never happened.
Developers
Ask Public
To Meeting
'An open meeting is to be held
tonight, Thursday by the Clare
County Developers and Businessmen's Assn. in Gym "B" of the
Harrison school for the purpose
of discussing zoning and platting
laws. Announcement of the meeting was issued by F. D. McKenna of Harrison, association secretary. Invited are all interested
persons, supervisors, members of
the County Planning Committee
and the public with an invitation
to anyone to speak on ar;r matter pertaining to zoning or platting, or "any other matter pertaining to the development ol
Clare county".
The 47th annual meeting of
the Clare-Gladwin-Midland District Association. Order of the
Eastern Star, was held in Far-
well, Monday May 7th, with the
Alice L. Seeley chapter as the
hostess.
"The Scales in Balance", theme
of Worthy Grand Matron Doris
Mt Waldo, predominated, with
the colors, blue and white, and
the motto, "Service in Love and
Understanding".
Elva Graham of Gladwin, junior past president, and Clark
Dennis, junior past vice president, presided for the opening of
the afternoon session at 2:00
o'clock. The Association officers
were presented by the matrons
of their chapter — Eva Schlafley, Farwell, president; Erma
Gephart, Clare, vice president;
Gleason Halliwellf Gladwin, second vice president; Juanita Park,
Beaverton, secretary;- Ann Sias,
Midland, treasurer; Patricia^
Brugger, Coleman, chaplain;
Mearl Johnson, Harrison, mar
shal; and Mildred Rauch, Harrison, organist.
Among distinguished guests
was Mrs. Greta Masten, Past
Grand Matron,
In the opening ceremonies, a
very impressive Bible presentation was given by the Clare
chapter, with Mrs. Doris Cotton i
as soloist. Harrison chapter was
in charge of the flag ceremony.
Mrs. Shirley Bonham, worthy
matron of Farwell gave the welcome, with the response by Zee
Alexander, worthy matron of
Coleman. Chapter reports were
favorably given and comittees
appointed by the president
Special numbers included a
"Charlie Weaver" number by a
Beaverton guest, and a Sweei
Adelines ladies' quartette frpm
Gladwin.
The dinner was served at 6:00
o'clock   in   the   Farwell   School
gym by the F.H.A. Girls. Favors
of chocolates from Flowers Drug
Continued on Page 8
Win 1st Game
Area 3 Church of God Softball
League began thei." season with
Clare ys. North Bradley, Monday
evening at 6:30 p.m. at North
Bradley.
The final score was Clare-21
and North Bradley-9. The six
teams in the league are Sanford,,
Averill, Hope, Beaverton, Clare
and North Bradley. The season
final game will be in July with
the champions playing an all
star team picked from the remaining teams and will. follow
with  a picnic.
Bud Messer, Clare's manager,
stated that the next game for
Clare Would be played at Av.erili
next Monday evening at 6:30
p.m.
Jobs Office
The Michigan Employment Office will be open Thursday of
each week in the Clare city hall
beginning on May 24, it was
announced this week.
house Friday and Saturday in | partment of World War I Vet
their large new quarters in erans Auxiliary,. was honored
Clare. Prizes awarded to visitors t Saturday evening, May 5th, at a
j .-..   _.._;—  _,_ _  _.___   __.,_!,      .. ._,    ,, .  ._   A-__  tt i_   ._r
in a contest during the two days
went to the following:
First prize, a picnic table to
Garry < Ruckle of Lake; 2nd
prize, an ice chest to Henry Kin-
sel of Clare; 3rd Super Kemtone
for one room to Dan McDonald;
4th-5th and 6th,. 3-foot steplad-
ders to Charles Krell, Doris Ben-
mark and Dorothy' Dillon; 7th, a
baking dish to Dale White; 8th,
one gallon of Zar varnish to W.
R. Jarman.
Wins Pig
Mrs. Jack McPherson, sister of
Lee Greer of Clare took home a
whole pig as her prize in a recent
contest at Hendrie's Packing
House here. She was one of a
great ntftnbei? of customers registering at Hendrie's during t
special sale promotion.
testimonial dinner in the V.F.W
Hall in Harrison.
Clarice Bellows of Clare Auxiliary No. 228, Veterans of World
War I, was chairman for the
occasion, with the assistance of
the auxiliary, and the Harrison
V.F.W, Auxiliary.
There were 185 guests present
from Detroit, Grand Rapids,
Muskegon, Washington, Lansing,
Kalamazoo, Pontiac, Boyne CUy.
Cadillac, Traverse City, Hesperia,
Bay City, Saginaw, Reed City,
and Greenville.
Mrs. Mary B. Simonds of
Jackson, department secretary,
presided as mistress of ceremonies. ■
Entertainment included a junior dance group, directed by Joanne Wilcox, in "The Sheik of
Araby" and "The Dutch Dance";
a trio from the Harrison High
School; a very fine reading of
Harrison
Mayor Young of Harrison gave
the welcome greetings, and State
Senator Harold Hughes of Clare
save   the  response.   Department
[.Commander, Frank Anderson
complimented. Mrs. Cooper on a
successful year and the wonderful co-operation that has been
given   the  department   by  Mrs
|. Cooper,, .and her auxiliaries.
Special' 'guests presented - included Mr. and Mrs. Lester Cotton, Commander and President
' of the American Legion Post and
Auxiliary of Clare, also Mr. and
Mrs. Ira Drew, Commander and
President of the V_£\W. at Harrison. A *
Child Health
Child Health Conferences .will
be held in Clare 1:00 to 3:00 *p.m,
May 5; in Farwell May 15 9:00, to
11:00 a.m.; in Harrison May 18
9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
1
Out of the clouds and, "back io ihe drawing board"
was Monday's reality as early morning revealed ihe
damage thai had occurred in the night. Here the wash
ed out support bares jagged, broken apron and concrete
foundation after millions of gallons of Lake Shamrock
waier escaped. Rebuilding is already in progress.
Photo sequence by Thfe Sentinel