Chelmsford Historical Society
Outline of Interview 1975 Charles Hyde
Side A
11-no structures at guard locks (Francis Gate)
13-temporary wood buildings/work of guard locks
20-Gate House site has three buildings, 1890 hydraulic gates installed
37-main gatehouse has five gates
43-1847-1848 they enlarged the system
56-if you stand on Moody St. Bridge you can see river wall
65-1848 they began to build stone walls, 1850 they put in the Francis Gate, after two years, 1852, there was a threat to the city
82-gate was dropped during the flood
93-to drop gate a man had to chisel through a metal strap
104-gate was twenty tons (estimate by Francis)
126-1936-gate was left down till 1948
134-spoke to men who worked on locks
141-Mr. Charrity works for DPW
150-gate is leaking now
153-the gate has saved the city
162-building over the navigation lock was built in 1881
175-why locks are in a V/ design explanation
195-opening gates is difficult/ hand operated chains
205-detailed records of 1894, rafts of logs going through the locks/ records stopped after 1894
206-records of demands for various uses
235-two sets of locks/ lower locks
258- 1841 - Swamp Locks were narrowed to 12 feet wide
300-these locks are in poor condition
312-1835 traffic through canals drops off
324-group of sawmills located near canal
334-logs shipped down canal
353-history of various sawmills
384-Swamp Locks control water in the upper level
404-concrete dates from 1920
413-three gate houses, northern canal, Guard Gates 1847

Side B
6-explanation of years 1847-1848
7-discussion of wall removal/ various walls put in around 1936
22-details on the Guard Gate, operations of these good gates
40-changes in the machinery of the Guard Gate, new motor put in that connected all gates
55-ice was a problem with turbines/ hard to repair; good for 8-9 years then needed to be replaced
73-High Gate House (4 gates run by turbines) 1848
99-put turbine in 1872 and machinery to raise the gate
119-explains various buildings in the area and dams/ still standing in 1936 when it was taken out
145-some changes to 1872 building/ around 1900 walkway was put in
174-explanation of operating the gates by hand which prompted putting in turbines
198-speaks of the waste gates
217-last gate house "Moody Street" 1848, original building and equipment always hand operated (three gates in house)
241-operations of the gate house
255-Tremont Gate House 1848
265-Hickey Hall
278-Hall Street Dam
283-Tremont Gate House/ not turbine/ hand operated operations
325-few small buildings around but not important in Boot Mill complex
343-two turbines now in system
362-location of boarding houses
375-mill workers and various rules which had to be followed
409-the Irish changed boarding house style of living

End of interview
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