The construction of the Orillia power dam on the Severn River was indeed a very striking venture. J. B. Tudhope was mayor of Orillia in 1898 and 1899 and conceived the project. Tudhope was a man of marked ability and courage. He was an industrialist of note and was one of the founders of the MacIntyre mine with W. J. Sheppard and others. The Ragged Rapids project involved transmitting power 19 miles to Orillia. This was unheard of and was said to involve danger to cattle and to human life. The Orillia project no doubt inspired Andrew Miscampbell to introduce in 1902 the first resolution favouring the public development of power. This was the early forerunner of Adam Beck and the Hydro Electric Power System. There is little doubt that the Orillia experiment promoted this great public ownership move upon which the industrial growth of Ontario has been premised.
The first dam known as the Patriarch dam, named after the contractor, was made of masonry and did not stand up. This was followed by a series of expedience including a coffer dam followed by the Curran dam referred to herein.
The Swift Rapids dam which was erected some couple of miles down the River provided for more head and gave Orillia more power. This work was done by the Government to replace the Curran dam which had been removed because of navigation requirements.