DEPAETMENT OF THE INTEEIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIKECTOE

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223

UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

SOUTHERN MAINE

BY

FREDERICK G. CLAPP

WITH

RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS

BY

W. S. BAYLEY

WASHINGTON

GOVEBNME'NT PRINTING OFFICE 

1909
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

(JEOHGK OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223

UNDERGROUND WATERS OF 

SOUTHERN MAINE

BY

FREDERICK G. CLAPrWater Resources Branch,

Geological Survey,

WITH T) box 

RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS

BY

W. S. BAYLEY

WASHINGTON

G O V E R N M E N T PRINTING O F F I C K 

1909
CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction.............................................................. 13

Location and area..................................................... 13

Character of report.................................................... 13

Need of investigation.................................................. 15

Sources of information.................................................. 15

Previous literature................................................ 15

Correspondence.................................................... 15

Field work......................................................... 16

Acknowledgments...................................................... 16

Results of investigation................................................ 17

Settlement and development as related to water utilization.................... 17

Surface features............................................................ 18

General statement...................................................... 18

Principal surface features of southern Maine................................ 19

Drainage.................................................................. 19

General description..................................................... 19

Detailed descriptions................................................... 19

Saco River system.................................................. 20

Presumpscot River system.......................................... 20

Androscoggin River system........................................ '20

Kennebec River system........................................... 20

Penobscot River system........................................... 20

St. Croix River system............................................. 21

Coastal streams.................................................... 21

Relation of climate to underground-water conditions......................... 21

Underground waters....................................................... 23

Source of underground waters.......................................... 23

Rainfall........................................................... 23

Evaporation...................................................... 23

Run-off........................................................... 23

Absorption......................................................... 23

Mode of occurrence..................................................... 24

Amount of ground water................................................ 24

General statement.................................................. 24

Amount of absorption............................................... 24

Upper and lower limits............................................ 25

Total amount of ground water....................................... 25

Ultimate disposition of ground water..................................... 26

Temperature of underground waters.................................... 26

Quality of underground waters.......................................... 27

General statement.................................................. 27

Source of mineral matter........................................... 27

Normal chlorine lines.............................................. 27

3
CONTENTS.

Water-bearing rocks of Maine.....................

Principal types .............................

General statement.......................

Relation to underground wat ers..........

Detailed descriptions........................

Granite and gneiss ......................

Description.........................

Distribution.......................

Relation to other rocks..............

Joint cracks........................

Structural relations of granite.......

Water supplies.......................

Quality of water.....................

Slate and schist........................

Description.........................

Distribution.......................

Relation to other rocks..............

Stratification, cleavage, and fissility.

Joint cracks........................

Water supplies......................

Quality of water.....................

Limestone.............................

Character and distribution..........

Solution cavities and channels......

Water supplies......................

Volcanic and other igneous rocks........

Character and distribution..........

Water supplies......................

Quality of water.....................

Unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks....

Areas of complex........................

Character and distribution..........

Water supplies.......................

Surface deposits of southern Maine...............

Principal types.............................

Detailed descriptions........................

Bowlder clay, or till.. ..................

Character and distribution..........

Water supplies......................

Sand and gravel........................

Character and distribution..........

Relation to other deposits...........

Water supplies......................

Clay....................................

Character and distribution..........

Relation to other deposits...........

Water supplies......................

Outline of geologic history.......................

Recovery of underground water.................

General statement...........................

Springs....................................

Classification and emergence...........

Number and importance in Maine.......
CONTENTS. 5

Recovery of underground water Continued. Page. 

Springs Continued.

Information previously published.................................. 45

Commercial springs................................................ 45

Origin of spring waters............................................. 47

Curative properties of spring waters................................. 47

Collecting galleries and tunnels.......................................... 48

Wells................................................................. 48

General types..................................................... 48

Open wells.................................................... 48

Tubular wells................................................. 48

Connected wells............................................... 48

Combination wells.............................................. 49

Methods of obtaining well water.................................... 49

Pumping...................................................... 49

Artesian wells................................................. 49

Location of wells................................................... 51

Factors to be considered....................................... 51

Position of the water table..................................... 51

Accessibility and convenience.................................. 51

Points of most abundant water.................................. 51

Direction of movement of ground water.......................... 52

Sources of possible pollution................................... 52

Location of deep wells......................................... 53

Choice of a type of well............................................. 53

Factors to be considered....................................... 53

Amount of water obtained by different types.................... 53

Safety of different types........................................ 54

Types in use in Maine.......................................... 54

Depth of well...................................................... 55

Object of deep wells............................................ 55

Relation of adequate supplies to depth of well.'.................. 55

Erroneous beliefs........................................... 55

Limiting depth of abundant water........................... 55

Conditions of greater abundance at depths................... 56

Conditions of greater abundance near surface................. 56

Relation of head to depth of well............................... 56

Relation of purity of water to depth of well....................... 57

Depth of wells in southern Maine............................... 57

Depth to principal water supply................................. 57

Diameter of well................................................... 59

Uncertainty of results.............................................. 59

Proportion of successful wells....................................... 60

Capacity of wells.................................................. ' 62

Increase in yield................................................. 62

Decrease in yield................................................. 62

Intereff ect of wells............................................... 63

Uses of underground water................................................. 63

Cost of well drilling. ................................................... . 64

Notes on well drilling in Maine............................................. 65

General statement.................................................... 65

Relation to kind of rock............................................... 65

Speed of drilling. ................................................ 65

Effect of joint cracks.............................................. 65
6 CONTENTS.

Notes on well drilling in Maine. Continued.

Casing for drilled wells.....................

Methods of casing........................

Kind of casing. ........................

Injury to wells by sea water. .................

Shooting wells..............................

Date of drilling. ...........................

Public supplies.................................

General statement...........................

Classification of sources..................

Ownership of public water systems.......

History.................................

Comparative use of various sources.......

Relative merits of sources. ..............

Communities using well supplies. ...........

Communities using spring supplies. .........

Communities using surface supplies...........

Composition of the underground waters. .........

General explanations.........................

Classes of analyses. ......................

Recomputation of analyses..............

Omission of sanitary analyses. ...........

Details. ....................................

Tables..................................

Total solids..............................

Organic and volatile matter. . ............

Silica...................................

Iron and aluminum oxides................

Iron....................................

Calcium.................................

Magnesium..............................

Sodium....... ............................

Potassium...............................

Bicarbonate radicle. .....................

Carbonate radicle......................

Sulphate radicle. ......................

Chlorine.................................

Hardness................................

Lithium..................................

Other substances.......................

Description of underground waters by counties....

Androscoggin County........................

General description.....................

Underground waters......................

Relation to rocks and surface deposits . Distribution of rock types.........

Surface deposits.................

Wells ..............................

General description ..............

Types of wells................

Drilled wells................

Quality of water..............

Detailed description.
CONTENTS. 7

Description of underground waters by counties Continued. Page. 

Androscoggin County Continued.

Springs........................................................... 96

Public supplies................................................... 103

Cumberland County................................................... 104

General description............................................... 104

Underground waters............................................... 104

Relation to rocks and surface deposits .......................... 104

Character and distribution of rock types..................... 104

Surface deposits.......................................... 106

Buried valleys............................................ 107

Wells.................................... ................... 108

General description....................................... 108

Types of wells used ................................... 108

Drilled wells......................................... 108

Quantity of water.................................... 108

Quality of water...................................... 109

Uses............................ .................... 109

Flowing wells......................................... 109

Detailed descriptions..................................... 109

Springs........................................................... 119

Public supplies................................................... 121*

Predictions and recommendations . . . .............................. 124

Southern Franklin County ............................................ 126

General description............................................... 126

Underground waters............................................... 127

Relation to rocks and surface deposits ......................:... 127

Distribution of rock types.................................. 127

Surface deposits.......................................... 127

Wells ....................................................... 128

General description....................................... 128

Detailed description...................................... 128

Springs....................................................'....... 128

Public supplies................................................... 130

Predictions and recommendations................................... 131

Hancock County...................................................... 131

General description................................................. 131

Underground waters............................................... 132

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 132

' Distribution of rock types.................................. 132

Surface deposits............................................ 133

Wells ......................................................... 133

General description......................................... 133

Types of wells used..................................... 133

Drilled wells........................................... 133

Quality of water........................................ 134

Quantity of water...................................... 135

Uses................................................... 135

Flowing wells......................................... 135

Detailed descriptions....................................... 135

Springs........................................................... 145

Public supplies................................................... 147

Predictions and recommendations................................... 149
8 CONTENTS.

Description of underground waters by counties Continued. Page.

Kennebec County..................................................... 150

General description................................................. 150

Underground waters............................................... 151

Relation to rocks and surface deposits .......................... 151

Distribution of rock types.................................. 151

Structural relation of the rocks............................. 151

Surface deposits............................................ 151

Wells ......................................................... 151

General description......................................... 151

Types of wells used..................................... 151

Drilled wells........................................... 151

Quality of water........................................ 152

Detailed descriptions....................................... 152

Springs........................................................... 156

Public supplies................................................... 157

Predictions and recommendations................................... 158

Knox County......................................................... 159

General description................................................. 159

Underground waters............................................... 159

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 159

Distribution of rock types.................................. 159

Surface deposits............................................ 159

Wells ......................................................... 160

General description......................................... 160

Types of wells used..................................... 160

Drilled wells........................................... 160

Quality of water........................................ 160

Detailed descriptions....................................... 160

Springs........................................................... 165

Public supplies................................................... 166

Predictions and recommendations................................... 167

Lincoln County......................................................... 167

General description................................................. 167

Underground waters............................................... 168

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 168

Distribution of rock types.................................. 168

Character of rocks......................................... 168

Surface deposits............................................ 168

Wells .......................................................... 169

General description......................................... 169

Detailed descriptions....................................... 169

Springs........................................................... 175

Public supplies................................................... 176

Predictions and recommendations................................... 176

Southern Oxford County................................................ 176

General description................................................. 176

Underground waters................................................. 177

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 177

Distribution of rock types.................................. 177

Structure and relations of rocks.............................. 177

Surface deposits............................................ 178
CONTENTS. 9

Description of underground waters by counties Continued. Page. 

Southern Oxford County Continued. 

Underground waters Continued.

Wells ......................................................... 178

General description......................................... 178

Types of wells used..................................... 178

Drilled wells........................................... 178

Quality of water........................................ 178

Detailed descriptions....................................... 378

Springs........................................................... 180

Public supplies................................................... 183

Southern Penobscot County............................................. 186

General description................................................. 186

Underground waters............................................... 186

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 186

Character and distribution of rocks......................... 186

Surface deposits............................................ 187

Wells ......................................................... 187

General description......................................... 187

Types of wells used..................................... 187

Drilled wells........................................... 188

Quality of water........................................ 188

Detailed descriptions......................................... 188

Springs........................................................... 194

Public supplies................................................... 196

Predictions and recommendations................................... 196

Sagadahoc County..................................................... 197

General description................................................. 197

Underground waters............................................... 197

Relation to rocks and surface deposits. ......................... 197

Distribution of rock types.................................. 197

Surface deposits............................................ 198

Wells ......................................................... 198

General description......................................... 198

Detailed descriptions....................................... 199

Springs........................................................... 200

Public supplies................................................... 202

Southern Somerset County............................................. 202

General description................................................. 202

Underground waters............................................... 202

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 202

Distribution of rock types.................................. 202

Surface deposits............................................ 203

Wells ......................................................... 203

General description......................................... 203

Types of wells used..................................... 203

Drilled wells........................................... 203

Quality of water........................................ 204

Quantity of water. ...................................... 204

Flowing wells......................................... 204

Detailed descriptions....................................... 204

Springs........................................................... 206

Public supplies................................................... 209

Predictions and recommendations................................... 210
10 CONTENTS.

Description of underground waters by counties Continued. Page.

Waldo County......................................................... 210

General description......................:.......................... 210

Underground waters............................................... 210

Relation to rocks and surface deposits............................ 210

Distribution of rock types..................................' 210

Surface deposits............................................ 211

Wells ......................................................... 211

General description......................................... 211

Types of wells used..................................... 211

Drilled wells........................................... 211

Quality of water........................................ 212

Quantity of water...................................... 212

Flowing wells......................................... 212

Detailed descriptions....................................... 212

Springs........................................................... 216

Public supplies................................................... 216

Predictions and recommendations................................... 217

Southern Washington County.......................................... 218

General description. .............................................. 218

Underground waters .............................................. 219

Relation to rocks and surface deposits.......................... 219

Distribution of rock types ................................. 219

Surface deposits.......................................... 219

Wells........ ............................................... 219

General description....................................... 219

Detailed descriptions..................................... 220

Springs......................................................... 223

Public supplies................................................... 224

Predictions and recommendations................................. 227

York County ......................................................... 228

General description............................................... 228

Underground waters............................................... 228

Relation to rocks and surface deposits. ......................... 228

Distribution of rock types ................................. 228

Surface deposits .......................................... 229

Wells ....................................................... 229

General description....................................... 229

Types of wells used................................... 229

Drilled wells. ........................................ 229

Quantity of water .................................... 229

Quality of water...................................... 230

Detailed descriptions..................................... 230

Springs ........................................................... 234

Public supplies................................................... 236

Records of deep wells in southern Maine, by W. S. Bayley.................... 238

Index ................................................................... 259
ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE I. Map showing known distribution of rocks in southern Maine....... 28

II. A, Zone of nearly vertical joint cracks in granite quarry; B, Concentric weathering in diorite at Pleasant River granite quarries, 

Dalotville.................................................... 30

III. A, Section of granite quarry, Jonesboro; B, View in Crabtree &

Havey's granite quarry, North Sullivan......................... 32

IV. Diagram illustrating relative composition of granite waters........ 32

V. A, Outcrop of slate in railroad cut, Kittery Junction; B, Completed well of Crabtree & Havey, North Sullivan............... 34

VI. Diagram illustrating chemical composition of water from slate..... 36

VII. A, Outcrop of slate below till in railroad cut, Kittery Junction; B,

Small cave and solution channels in limestone, Rockland....... 36

VIII. Diagram illustrating relative composition of waters in areas of complex, trap, and greenstone...................................... 38

IX. Protected and unprotected wells: A, Well at county jail, Wiscasset; B, Well at Heron Island................................. 52

X. A, Slaty rock along the coast, Christmas Cove; B, Outcrop of rock

along coast, Fortune Rock, Biddeford.......................... 66

XI. Water map of Androscoggin County.............................. 92

XII. Waier map of Cumberland County............................... 104

XIII. Water map of southern Franklin County.......................... 126

XIV. WTater map of Hancock County.................................. 132

XV. W'ater map of Kennebec County................................. 150

XVI. Water map of Knox County..................................... 160

XVII. Water map of Lincoln County................................... 168

XVIII. Water map of southern Oxford County ............................ 176

XIX. Water map of southern Penobscot County......................... 186

XX. Water map of Sagadahoc County................................. 198

XXI. Water map of southern Somerset County......................... 202

XXII. Water map of WTaldo County..................................... 210

XXIII. Water map of southern Washington County........................ 218

XXIV. Water map of York County...................................... 228

FIGURE 1. Index map, showing area described in this report.................. 14

2. Diagram showing relation of ground water to outcrop and bed rock. 25

3. Diagram showing conditions under which flowing wells are commonly obtained in favorable regions............................ 49

4. Diagram showing various conditions in drilled wells in Maine..... 50

11
UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

By FREDERICK G. CLAPP.

INTRODUCTION.

LOCATION AND AEEA.

The area covered by this report is roughly triangular and includes 

all of southern Maine, from the coast northward beyond Calais, Oldtown, Skowhegan, and Rangeley. Its northern boundary may be 

said to follow very nearly the line of the forty-fifth parallel, but a few 

towns situated a short distance north of the line have, for special 

reasons, been included in the discussion. Fig. 1 shows the relation 

of this area to the rest of the State. Its greatest extent east and west 

is 210 miles, and north and south, along the New Hampshire line, 

about 130 miles.

CHARACTER OF REPORT. ,

It was originally intended that the entire State should be covered 

by a single report, but field investigations showed that the subject 

was much broader than at first supposed. Although there are large 

areas which are settled either sparsely or not at all, where little information regarding underground waters can be obtained and little is 

yet needed, there are wide areas where the water problem is very 

important and extensive well drilling is going on. This is true of 

the summer-resort regions, and of the great farming region covering 

the larger part of Aroostook County. It was found impracticable, 

therefore, to include the entire State in a single report, and it was 

decided to confine this report to the region south of the forty-fifth 

parallel, and to cover the northern part of the State by a special 

investigation.0

In order to meet the needs of all classes of readers the report is so 

subdivided as first to describe the general water resources of the 

region, the dependence of quality and quantity on character of rocks,

a The report for the northern part of the State is in preparation.

13
14 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

the location and type of wells, etc., and then to discuss in detail the 

conditions in the various counties, for the benefit of persons needing

Mean annual temperature Mean annual rainfall

(in degrees Fahrenheit) (in inches)

FIG. 1. Index map showing area described in this report; also mean annual temperature and mean annual

rainfall for Maine.

local information. The table of deep wells, compiled by Professor 

Bayley, is appended for the benefit of persons desiring to drill wells.
INTRODUCTION. 15 

NEED OF INVESTIGATION.

The. available knowledge regarding the underground-water resources of Maine has heretofore been rather scant. Surface waters and 

open wells have been largely used, and where deep wells have been 

resorted to they have been drilled at random, without a scientific 

forecast of the amount or the quality of the water available at that 

particular point or with that particular type of well. People are now 

beginning to realize that well drilling, like other prospecting, in order 

to be economical to the owners and drillers, must be conducted in 

accordance with certain scientific rules, which point out the source, 

depth, amount, and quality of water in different types of rock and 

different localities. Hence a comprehensive investigation is necessar}' throughout the State.

The Geological Survey frequently gets requests for information 

regarding the occurrence or the quality of water in certain towns. 

In sections of the State where water is scarce, as on the islands and 

along the coast, especially in the summer-resort region, it is necessary 

that people should be informed whether it is possible to obtain water 

by drilling, and if so, at what depth it may be procured. Many towns 

in the State are searching for a public supply, and some towns have 

poor supplies and wish to improve them. This report aims to help 

in solving such problems. Another object in view is the securing of 

proper well construction. In some parts of the State and by some 

drillers the most modern methods of drilling and casing wells are 

used; elsewhere, however, and by other drillers, wells are improperly 

constructed and some are dangerous to the public health. A comparison of the various methods of construction ought to teach valuable 

lessons.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION.

Previous literature. The first lists of deep wells and springs in 

Maine were published in 1904." A few additional wells were recorded 

in 1905.6 A brief account of the underground-water conditions, 

with lists of important springs, was also given in 1905, c and in the 

same year the conditions in the Kittery-York district, in the extreme 

southwest corner of the State, were described/ A short paper in the 

same report described a possible water supply from glacial gravels in 

the vicinity of Augusta.6

Correspondence. Much of the data contained in the first three of 

the above-mentioned reports was gathered by correspondence, but 

whenever records could subsequently be obtained in the field they

a Bayley, W. S., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 102, pp. 27-47. 

& Barton N. H., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 149, p. 63. 

« Bayley, W. S., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 114, pp. 41-56. 

d Smith, G. O., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 145, pp. 120-128. 

e Smith, G. O., op. cit, pp. 156-160.
16 UNDEKGKOUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

were added to the list. In obtaining records blanks were sent out 

containing questions to be answered by well owners or drillers. 

Considerable information regarding mineral springs has also been 

obtained by correspondence since the field work was finished.

Field work. The field work for the present report was done during 

four months in the summer of 1906. The author was assisted by 

George C. Matson and B. L. Johnson, and many of the data here given 

are taken from their notes. It was impossible to visit every town, 

but all the larger places and those localities which present special 

problems were visited, and the conditions of occurrence and the 

quality of well and spring waters were investigated. All public 

water supplies from underground sources were seen, the important 

mineral springs were visited, and interviews were held with professional well drillers in order to get authoritative information regarding conditions of drilling.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

The accuracy and completeness of this report have necessarily been 

dependent to a considerable extent upon the work of other persons 

besides the author. George C. Matson and B. L. Johnson have 

assisted in both field and office work. A number of years ago Prof. 

W. S. Bayley was requested to prepare a table of deep-well records 

of Maine, which were obtained by correspondence extending over a 

considerable period of time. These records as submitted by Professor Bayley contained some additional descriptive matter, which 

has been added to this report. The table has been revised and 

brought up to September, 1906, and appears on pages 242-259. 

Several pages of the report, bearing on occurrence and methods of 

obtaining water in general, have been compiled from notes furnished 

by M. L. Fuller. Some of the geologic descriptions are taken from 

reports by George Otis Smith and E. S. Bastin. A large number of 

the chemical analyses were made by Prof. F. C. Robinson, the samples 

being collected by A. C. Robinson. Analyses made by other chemists 

which were not originally expressed according to the uniform system 

adopted by the United States Geological Survey for use in its publications were submitted to R. B. Dole, of the Survey, for recomputation. C. E. Shute, C. H. Scribner, Fred Foster, Lester Maxwell, and 

the Poland Brothers, all prominent well drillers, have taken an interest 

in the investigation and furnished much valuable information. Other 

drillers have assisted in gathering data.

A comprehensive report on water supplies is manifestly impossible 

without the assistance of persons in the region which is to be benefited 

by the report, and in compiling the facts here presented it has been 

necessary to interview hundreds of residents of the State and to
SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT. 17

correspond with several hundred more. To all who have assisted, 

directly or indirectly, the author wishes to express his thanks. In 

furnishing information to the Survey they have performed a valuable public service.

RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION.

The investigations^thus far conducted in Maine have shown that 

there is an abundance of water beneath the surface in granite, slate, 

and other rocks, but as the water occurs in crevices which are not 

regularly distributed through the rocks, the amount which will be 

found at> any given location or depth is uncertain and can never be 

definitely predicted. Water in the rocks is usually of good quality, 

but in some districts it has a large mineral content. Water in surface 

deposits is generally abundant except in dry weather, but the quality 

can not be depended upon. It has been found that drilled wells are 

the most satisfactory and that dug wells and combinations of dug and 

drilled wells are to be avoided, especially in villages. Most of the 

commercial mineral springs of the State are safely situated, and their 

water is of excellent quality. Only a few springs were seen which 

should be condemned. The public water supplies are mostly satisfactory, but in a few of them, owned by private parties or corporations, the water is badly polluted. In such cases the abandonment 

of present sources is recommended. No special investigation of surface supplies was made, but it is known that some of these are not 

satisfactory and that changes should be made.

SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AS RELATED TO 

WATER UTILIZATION.

With the exception of Florida, Maine is the least densely populated 

of all the Eastern States (23.2 per square mile). Because of this 

fact and the abundance of lakes and streams, its people have until 

recently felt little necessity for seeking sources of water supply below 

the surface. Consequently the underground waters of the State 

have been, on the whole, but slightly utilized, except in certain 

restricted areas, where for one reason or another the surface waters 

have not been suitable for domestic or manufacturing purposes.

Until very recently the rivers and lakes have afforded excellent 

water for nearly all purposes. With the increase in the number of factories established on the main waterways the rivers have become less 

and less valuable as sources of water supply, partly because of the 

waste products poured into them from the factories and partly 

because of the increased amount of sewage which they must carry in 

consequence of the growth of the manufacturing communities on 

their banks.

59969 IRR 223 09 2
18 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

The drift of the population toward centers is well shown by the 

census of 1900. The number of cities and villages separately enumerated in this year was 43, as against 25 in 1890, and their population was 258,431, as against 184,821 in 1890, or 37.2 per cent of the 

total population in 1900, as against 28 per cent in 1890.

The natural result of the two tendencies above mentioned has been 

pollution of the principal watercourses, with the consequence that 

communities drawing their public supplies from streams are beginning to complain of the quality of the water furnished them and are 

turning toward lakes or wells for relief.

Along the coast, where the larger rivers are tidal, communities 

are dependent on lakes and small brooks for their public supplies. 

On the islands the principal sources of drinkable water are springs 

and drilled wells, but as there are only a few island settlements of 

any considerable size the question of large public supplies for the 

islands is not of great moment. The rapid growth of summer-resort 

communities has brought about a demand for information regarding 

deep-well prospects in such places. In the interior of the State many 

villages that are not situated near large lakes or spring-fed brooks 

have taken advantage of the good springs and have obtained through 

pipes a supply of spring water.

SURFACE FEATURES.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

Water is found in some amount in all formations below the earth's 

surface from the loosest and most porous sands and gravels to the 

hardest slate and granite. The amount varies from the merest trace 

chemically combined in the molecules of the rocks to immense reservoirs which supply wells flowing hundreds of gallons per minute. 

Some waters are so pure that a refined chemical analysis shows only 

minute traces of organic and mineral matter; others are so heavily 

charged with minerals or other impurities as to be unsuitable for use.

The slope of the surface at any point is one factor determining the 

amount of water absorbed by the ground. The direction and amount 

of slope also determine the form of the water table that is, of the 

upper limit of saturation. Except where the surface is flat the water 

table is generally not parallel with the surface; it is almost invariably 

farthest from the surface on the summits of hills and mountains and 

nearest to it in valleys and along the coast, reaching the surface in 

swamps and along rivers, lakes, and beaches. The surface of the 

water table is always in motion, its higher portions flowing toward 

the lowest outlets along rivers or the sea. This direction of flow 

explains why fresh water is usually found when a well is dug in a 

sandy beach.
DKAINAGE. 19 

PRINCIPAL SURFACE FEATURES OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Altitudes in Maine range from sea level to about 5,200 feet, the 

highest summit being Mount Katahdin. In some of the central 

portions of the State the land is very mountainous, but in parts of 

Aroostook County it is nearly flat. The surface may be said to consist essentially of an extensive southward-facing slope draining directly into the Atlantic Ocean and a smaller northward-facing slope 

draining into St. John River. The latter area is a great plain with 

numerous swamps, above which rise a few hills. The surface of the 

southern slope is much more broken. Its western portion is crossed 

by ridges of low mountains trending east or northeast, some of which 

rise several thousand feet above the surrounding country. These 

are separated by wide areas of plain, on which are many small hills 

and ridges. Near the coast much of the surface is rough. Rocky 

ridges and low, bare hills stretch from the shore line some miles inland, but few of these hills are lofty and the valleys between them 

are not deep. The coast is in most places rocky, but at some points 

there are sandy beaches, several of which are among the finest in

the country.

DRAINAGE.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

No other tract of country of the same extent on the continent is 

so well watered as Maine. The State contains five principal lake 

systems that is, large lakes connected by rivers and discharging into 

main channels which convey their accumulated waters to the ocean.

These systems are, beginning on the western boundary, (1) the Umbagog-Rangeley 

series, with an area of 90 or more square miles, drained by Androscoggin River; (2) the 

Moosehead series, forming the headwaters of Kennebec River, the main lake of which 

is 120 square miles in area and is the largest inland body of water in New England; 

(3) the Penobscot series, consisting of Chesuncook and its surronding lakes on the 

West Branch of the Penobscot; Alleguash, Chamberlain, and others on the East 

Branch, and the Seboeis and others connected with it still farther east but flowing into 

the East Branch of the Penobscot; (4) the Schoodic Lakes, in the southeastern part of 

the State, drained by St. Croix River; and (5) the many lakes forming the headwaters 

of St. John River and its tributaries. There are many other lakes in every county, 

which, though of small area, in the aggregate hold an immense amount of storage 

water and add much to the importance of the lake systems of the State. The total 

number of lakes, not including small ponds tributary to the rivers, is 1,620, and their 

total area 2,300 square miles, making one lake to each 20 square miles of territory and 

one square mile of lake surface to each 14.3 square miles of land surface. a

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

The main drainage systems within the area covered by this report 

are described below, the descriptions being taken from the paper by 

Pressey just cited.

o Pressey, H. A., Water powers of the State of Maine: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 

69,1902, p. 16.
20 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Saco River system. Saco River rises in the White Mountain region of New Hampshire at an elevation of about 1,900 feet above the sea, and has a general southeasterly 

course to the Atlantic Ocean. The greatest length of the basin from Mount Washington to the sea is about 75 miles; the greatest width about 30 miles. The total drainage 

area is 1,750 square miles, about equally divided between Maine and New Hampshire. 

The general elevation of the basin is greater than that of any of the larger streams of 

Maine except the Androscoggin. The headwaters are in one of the highest and roughest 

mountain regions in the eastern part of the United States, with steep, wooded slopes 

and narrow river valleys and with heavy falls to the mountain streams. The mountains grow gradually lower, however, as the ocean is approached, becoming undulating 

hills in the central part of the basin and comparatively flat land near the sea. The 

northern part of the basin is still largely wooded, while in the southern part practically all of the forests have been cut, so that more than lialf the entire basin has been 

cleared.

Presumpscot River system, This is one of the most interesting as well as one of the 

best water-power streams of its size in the United States. It is the outlet of Sebago 

Lake, which lies about 17 miles northwest of Portland. The lake is fed by Crooked 

River, a stream heading 35 miles farther north and within 3 miles of the Androscoggin. 

The area of the lake is 50 square miles, the area of its drainage basin at the outlet of 

the lake is 470 square miles, and the total drainage area of the river at its mouth is 700 

square miles. The northern part of the basin is mountainous and wooded, while the 

southern part is moderately hilly and cleared of trees.

Androscoggin River system. The Androscoggin River is formed by the junction of 

Magalloway River and the outlet of the Umbagog-Rangeley lakes near the MaineNew Hampshire boundary line. For about 35 miles it flows southward into the State 

of New Hampshire, then turns abruptly to the east and flows into the State of Maine, 

then turns to the south and joins the Kennebec in Merrymeeting Bay. The total 

drainage area above Brunswick, where is the last fall, is 3,700 square miles, about 80 

per cent of which is in Maine. The greatest length of the basin is 110 miles, the greatest width 70 miles, while the river itself measures about 200 miles in length from the 

sources of Magalloway River to the coast. * * * The lower part of the basin is 

hilly and moderately wooded, while the upper two-thirds is very broken and mountainous and heavily timbered.

Kennebec River system. The Kennebec River basin lies between those of the Androscoggin and the Penobscot. and extends from the Canada line to the ocean. The basin 

measures 150 miles in length and varies in width from 50 to 80 miles in the main portion, embracing a total area of 6,330 square miles. Of this area 1,250 square miles 

are tributary to Moosehead Lake. The general elevation is less than that of the 

Androscoggin basin, though near the center of the area Saddleback, Abraham, and 

Bigelow mountains rise as isolated peaks to elevations higher than any [other] mountains in the State except Katahdin. The river rises in Moosehead Lake, though its 

headwaters are collected by * * * a number of small streams rising in the hilly 

forested areas lying to the east and west of that lake. Near Moosehead the hills and 

highlands are well back from the lake, leaving a great open plain. The northern 

part of the drainage basin is broken by offsets from the White Mountains. Nearly 

the whole of the upper portion of the drainage area is forest covered and in its original 

wild state.

Penobscot River system. The Penobscot has the largest drainage basin of all the 

rivers in Maine, comprising about 8,500 square miles, or more than one-quarter of the 

entire State. Its greatest length from north to south is 160 miles, its greatest width 

115 miles, all within the State. Eight hundred square miles of the basin discharge 

their waters into the main river below its lowest water power at Bangor. The basin 

is at a lower elevation above the sea than the basins of the Kennebec and the Androscoggin, as would be expected from the general southeasterly slope of the country toward
CLIMATE. 21

the Atlantic Ocean. The northern portion, however, is rather elevated, having 

a mean height of about 1,000 feet. The highest portion of the basin is at the headwaters 

of the main river, where the elevation is from 1,600 to 2,000 feet. Taken as a whole, 

the basin is rather uniform in its topographic features. Hills and low mountains 

stretch from near the sea above Bangor; farther north is an undulating plain, while 

to the west the surface becomes more broken and greatly diversified by hills, detached 

peaks, lakes, ponds, and swamps. At the south the basin merges into that of Kennebec, and at the north into that of the Alleguash. * * * A large part of the basin 

is what is known as "wild land," being heavily timbered and known only to the lumberman and the sportsman.

St. Croix River system. St. Croix River is formed by two branches, known as the 

Upper St. Croix or Chiputneticook River, the outlet of the Schoodic Lakes, and Kennebasis River, the outlet of the western lakes of the area, known as the Kennebasis 

Lakes. The Upper St. Croix, with its tributary lakes, forms nearly half of the eastern boundary of Maine, separating that State from New Brunswick. The total drainage area of the main stream is about 1,630 square miles, of which 960 square miles are 

tributary to the great reservoir systems controlled by dams at Vanceboro and Princeton. The length of the stream from the headwaters to the mouth is 100 miles. The 

basin is, in general, lower than that of any of the larger streams of the State flowing 

into the Atlantic, its headwaters having an elevation of about 540 feet. * * * The 

lake system of the St. Croix is the largest in the State in proportion to the drainage 

basin, except that of the Presumpscot. * * * The lake system of the Upper 

St. Croix comprises approximately 50 square miles of lake surface, and that of the 

West Branch 70 square miles, considering only the principal lakes and ponds. Indeed, 

above Vanceboro and Princeton each branch of the river is simply a succession of 

lakes to almost the extreme headwaters. The total lake surface of the St. Croix is 

estimated as not less than 150 square miles, or nearly one-tenth of the total drainage 

area.

Coastal streams. Between the St. Croix and the Penobscot are Dennys, East Machias, 

West Machias, Narraguagus, Union, and other rivers, and between the Penobscot and 

the Kennebec are the St. George, the Pemaquan, and others, while at the southwestern extremity are the Mousam and the Piscataqua, the latter forming a part of the 

western boundary of the State. These streams are all comparatively small, but their 

importance is greater than their size would indicate, from the fact that they are in a 

more thickly populated part of the State and are nearer the coast, where transportation facilities are much better than in the interior, and that they have considerable 

fall and regular flow, due to the lakes and ponds tributary to them.

RELATION OF CLIMATE TO UNDERGROUND-WATER

CONDITIONS.

The climate of Maine is healthful. Although the winters are long 

and severe the summers are pleasant and warm. The mean annual 

temperature ranges from 37° at Fort Kent to 46° at Portland. a

The mean annual precipitation ranges from 35.3 inches at Fairfield to 52 inches at Mayfield, Somerset County, there being 11 

climatological stations in the State, as shown by 'the accompanying 

table. Fig. 1 shows the isothermal and isobaric lines for the State.

a Boardman, S. L., Special Kept. U. S. Dept. Agr. No. 4 1884, pp. 16-20. Henry, A. J., Bull. Q, U. S. 

Weather Bur., 1906, pp. 122-134.
Climate and rainfall statistics at stations in 

PRECIPITATION.

TEMPERATURE.

FROST (AVERAGE).

Fairfleld.

8.4 

9.1 

8.9 

8.9

35.3

97 

53 

-37 

32 

43 

2 

172

May 13 

Sept. 24

Mayfleld.

12.2 

16.8 

11.8 

11.2

52.0

96 

54 

-22 

32 

42 

2 

168

May 17 

Sept. 22

Orono.

10.1 

10.2 

10.4 

11.9

42.6

100 

53 

-36 

33 

43 

2 

156

May 11 

Sept. 24

Rumfor

Falls.

10.

11.

9.

10.

42.

10

5

-2

3

4

15

May 

Sept. 2

a Henry, A. J., Bull. Q., U. S. Weather Bur
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 23

As a rule, the rainfall is fairly well distributed throughout the year, 

some of it occurring in every season. Thus a large part of the precipitation occurs when the ground is unfrozen, and much of the rain 

penetrates the ground and goes to increase the underground water 

supply.

The winters often begin in November, but the climax of the season 

is not reached till February, and the winter generally ends in April. 

The summers are, as a rule, short, generally beginning abruptly in 

June. Fair weather predominates. In July and August there are 

frequently several successive days of muggy weather, followed by 

cooler spells, generally with east winds, during which the contrast 

in temperature is striking. The coldest place in winter is Fort 

Kent, and the coolest place in summer is probably Eastport, which 

has a summer mean temperature of 59°. Summer generally terminates gradually in the latter part of September.

UNDERGROUND WATERS.

SOURCE OF UNDERGROUND WATERS.

Rainfall. Practically all the water utilized for domestic purposes 

is supplied by rain. The 35 to 52 inches of rainfall disappears from 

the surface principally in three ways (1) by evaporation; (2) by 

run-off through the streams; and (3) by absorption into the rocks 

and unconsolidated deposits. It is with the last-mentioned portion 

of the rainfall that an underground-water report is concerned.

Evaporation. Evaporation, although far less conspicuous than 

the other methods of removal of the water from the surface, is nevertheless one of the most important. The quantity thus removed commonly amounts to one-half or more of the total water falling as rain. 

This water never enters the ground, and therefore does not become a 

source of supply for domestic or other purposes.

Run-off. The run-off includes the water that flows over the surface into streams and lakes and is carried seaward through definite 

channels. The quantity disposed of in this way is dependent partly 

on evaporation and partly on the nature of the materials on which 

the rain falls. The amount of run-off or discharge in the drainage 

areas of the two principal river systems of the State is as follows: 

Kennebec, 22.4 inches; Androscoggin, 24.2 inches.

Absorption. The rainfall that is not removed by evaporation or 

by run-off into surface streams is absorbed by the soil or rocks with 

which it comes in contact, either directly or after being gathered 

into streams. In the first case the rain falls on the surface of the 

rocks or on the loose unconsolidated deposits lying upon them, and 

is either soaked into their pores or passes into the fissures and cavities 

which may be present in the harder materials. In the second case
24 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

the water flows into the streams, and from these it may seep into the 

rocks in which their channels lie, but this seldom occurs in Maine. 

In either case the unconsolidated materials lying upon the rock 

surface are saturated to a certain level, and the rocks upon which 

they lie are in this way kept in contact with water, which is continually being absorbed.

When water enters sands and gravels the direction of movement 

in moderately moist regions like southern Maine is generally toward 

the river rather than away from it, but in arid regions, where the 

rainfall is slight, waters are often absorbed by the gravels in the beds 

of streams which have come from regions of greater rainfall.

MODE OF OCCURRENCE.

Water occurring in sands, gravels, and other surface deposits is 

generally held in the pores, or spaces between the pebbles or smaller 

particles. In certain types of solid rocks, as some sandstones, conglomerates, and very porous limestones, water occurs in the same 

way, saturating the entire rock below the level of the water table. 

Most rocks found in Maine, however, are so hard, compact, and close 

grained that the amount of water contained in the pores is very 

small. In such rocks practically all the water is held in various 

forms of crevices, cavities, and fissures. In the slates and argillaceous 

schists which underlie a large part of the area under discussion, 

considerable water is held in the bedding and cleavage planes. In 

granite, gneiss, slate, schist, and most other hard rocks the largest 

amounts are contained in joint cracks fissures which cut the rocks 

in various directions. Where rocks have been faulted that is, 

where one wall of a fissure has been moved up or down or horizontally 

with reference to the other wall lines of springs sometimes follow 

the fault where it cuts the surface. In limestones large amounts of 

water occur in solution cavities which have been dissolved by slow 

water percolation.

AMOUNT OF GROUND WATER.

General statement. The amount of water held in the rocks or 

other materials composing the earth varies greatly, owing to many 

causes. The amount absorbed depends on the porosity of the material, the slope of the surface, and the size and abundance of joint 

cracks, fissures, and cavities. The amount of water in drift or surface 

materials is dependent to some extent on the nature of the underlying rock, and the amount which finds its way into the solid rocks 

is dependent on the thickness of the overlying surface deposits.

Amount of absorption. The amount of water absorbed is dependent 

chiefly on the nature of the materials. The more porous beds of sand 

and gravel that occur as drift deposits along stream valleys, lake
UNDERGROUND WATERS. ZO

shores, and the coast absorb very large amounts. Next to these 

unconsolidated deposits, the rocks which present the conditions 

most favorable for direct absorption are sandstones and certain 

porous limestones. The direct absorption by granites, slates, and 

other massive rocks is very slight. In a general way porosity is 

determined by the amount of water which the rock is capable of 

absorbing. A cubic foot of sand will absorb on an average about 10 

quarts of water, and certain porous sandstones will absorb 2 to 6 

quarts.

Upper and lower limits. In general it is necessary to dig only a 

few feet to reach a zone saturated with water. The upper limit of 

this zone is known as the water table, and the water saturating the 

materials is known as ground water. The general relations of water 

table and ground water are shown in fig. 2. The depth to the water

FIG. 2. Diagram showing relation of ground water and water table to outcrop and bed rock.

table is dependent principally on the amount of precipitation, being 

least in regions of much rainfall and greatest in arid regions. While 

there is no definite lower limit to the penetration of water, it is 

probable that little surface water penetrates more than 3 miles 

below the surface, and most of the pores and crevices in rocks are 

closed below the depth of a few hundred feet.

Total amount of ground water. The total amount of water contained in the earth's crust has been estimated by different writers 

with widely different results. The most recent estimate is given 

by Fuller," who concludes that the total amount of free water in the 

earth's crust would be equivalent to a uniform sheet over the entire 

surface of the earth with a depth of about 100 feet. This is but a 

small fraction of the estimate made by other writers.

ULTIMATE DISPOSITION OF GROUND WATER.

The water held in the rocks of the earth's crust disappears in a 

number of ways. A small portion enters into the chemical composition of the rocks. Small amounts are absorbed by forests and 

other vegetation. Some of the water reaches the air through capillarity and is evaporated. The largest amounts reach the surface by

a Fuller, M. L., Total amount of free water in the earth's crust: Water Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey 

No. 160, 1906, pp. 59-72.
26 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

hillside springs and through seepage to neighboring streams. In 

settled regions large amounts serve as contributions to wells. It 

is the two last-mentioned portions and the portion still remaining 

below ground with which we are concerned in this report.

TEMPERATURE OF UNDERGROUND WATERS.

In all wells there is a certain depth, which differs in different 

localities but is commonly from 50 to 60 feet below the surface, at 

which there is practically no variation in the temperature of the water 

from season to season or from year to year. The temperature at this 

depth is known as the normal temperature of the water for a given 

locality, and it agrees very closely with the mean annual temperature 

of the same locality.

In southern Maine the normal water temperature is 40° to 47°. 

Waters occurring nearer to the surface than the zone of uniform temperature vary in temperature according to season, being warmer than 

the normal in summer months and colder in winter months. Below 

the depth of normal temperature the temperature increases, owing to 

the internal heat of the earth, the average increase being about 1° in 

every 50 feet. A temperature higher than that which would be 

expected at a given depth may be due to the derivation of the water 

from a deep source, but as no thermal springs are known in Maine 

this cause is not believed to prevail. Where an abnormally high 

temperature is found in summer it is generally due to the mixture of 

surface water with the deep-well water, either by leakage along the 

casing or by penetration downward through joint cracks.

Many determinations of deep-well temperatures have been made 

throughout Maine, and are found to vary from 45° to 54°, being commonly somewhat higher than the normal. The most common temperature was 47°. In this State the temperature seems to hold no 

definite relation to the depth of the well, as would be expected; the 

reason is supposed to be that water in most rock wells in. Maine is 

derived from more than one vein, and the principal supply is not invariably at the bottom of the well. In any well not properly cased 

surface water may enter and raise the temperature above the normal. 

The true temperature of a well water can be found only by pumping 

several minutes before taking the measurement, to exhaust the water 

which has become either heated (in summer) or cooled (in winter) in 

the piping.

The temperature of a well water is frequently a factor of considerable importance to the users. In a number of pulp mills in Maine 

well waters are used for cooling acid. They are also used in creameries 

for cooling cream, and for ordinary drinking purposes it is more pleasant to have a cool water. Practically all rock waters in Maine are 

cool enough for drinking, but in some dug wells the water is warmer
tTNDERGEOtTND WATEES. 27

than the average. Deep-well water whose temperature is higher 

than 50° is open to suspicion; it is probably in part surface water.

QUALITY OF UNDERGROUND WATERS.

General statement. Rain water falling near the close of a storm, 

after the impurities have been dissolved out of the air, is very nearly 

pure H20. As it finds its way below the surface, however, into the soils 

and surface deposits it dissolves and holds in solution small quantities of organic and mineral matter. Normally in the country districts, where the ground water does not come into contact with polluting materials in its downward passage, it dissolves only a small 

amount of organic matter, but takes into solution some mineral matter. As the water moves downward still farther and enters the underlying solid rocks large quantities of mineral matter may be taken into 

solution. In Maine the quantity of mineral matter is seldom more 

than 200 to 500 parts per million, and this does not affect the safety 

of the water for drinking purposes. In towns, however, and in the 

vicinity of houses, barns, refuse heaps, privies, and cesspools, considerable amounts of polluting organic matter are dissolved by the 

ground water, and such water is dangerous for domestic supply.

Source of mineral matter. Polluting organic matter always comes, 

directly or indirectly, from the surface. Mineral matter, however, 

may enter the water in a number of ways. In most parts of the 

State it is practically all dissolved from the rocks or other materials 

in which the water is found or through which it has passed. For this 

reason water in limestone and calcareous slate, the materials of which 

are easily soluble, contains large amounts of mineral matter, whereas 

water in such rocks as granite and ordinary clay slate contains less 

amounts. Certain mineral constituents, as nitrites, nitrates, and 

chlorine, are frequently derived from organic matter, and therefore 

their presence in abnormal quantities is an indication of pollution. In 

some wells on islands or near the ocean the amount of mineral matter 

is found to be very high, frequently running up to several thousand 

parts per million. Such proportions are sometimes due to a mixture 

of salt water which has entered from the sea.

Normal chlorine lines. One of the best indications of the source of 

water, especially of surface water, is chlorine. This element, a constituent of common salt, is present in nearly all natural waters. Its 

original sources are certain mineral deposits and finely divided salt 

spray from the sea. This sea spray, which is of most importance as a 

source of chlorine in Maine, is carried inland with dust particles and 

precipitated with the rain. The chlorine decreases as waters farther 

and farther inland are tested, and hence it has been possible to make 

determinations and prepare a map giving lines of equal chlorine
28 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

which represent the normal percentages throughout the State/1 All 

salt found in water not derived from mineral deposits or from the sea 

comes from domestic drainage and indicates that the water either is 

at the present time polluted or was polluted and has since been purified. For surface waters the normal chlorine lines hold with great 

accuracy. For most underground waters, however, owing to the 

occasional presence of chlorine in rocks and to the frequent circulation 

of water to localities of different normal chlorine, the map is of little 

value, and should not be depended on except when considered 

together with other evidence.

WATER-BEARINQ ROCKS OF MAINE.

PRINCIPAL TYPES.

General statement. All formations contain more or less water, 

which, as has been pointed out, occupies cavities or crevices in the 

rock or is held between the pores. The principal rocks in southern 

and eastern Maine are granites, gneiss, slate, schists, and surface volcanic rocks, with a few small areas of limestone, quartzite, and other 

rocks. Overlying these are usually surface deposits, consisting of 

sand, gravel, glacial till, and marine clays.

Relation to underground waters. The amount and the nature of 

the water occurring at any locality are dependent on the kind of 

material in which it occurs. The distribution and character of water 

in various materials are summarized in the following table:

Summary of occurrence of water in rocks and surface deposits of southern Maine.

Material.

Granite

Gneiss . Slate...

Limestone cr marble..

Trap and volcanic rocks

Unmet am orphosed

sedimentary rocks. 

Gravel and sand........

Distribution.

Irregularly distributed over large areas.

Water supply.

Till or bowlder clay....

Forms more than one-third of the area.

Irregularly distributed in slate and

gneiss areas. 

Chiefly in Kiiox County, but existing

also as thin bands in slate ar^as

generally. 

Occur in several relatively small areas.

Perry Basin, eastern Washington

County, and other small areas. 

Widely distributed, especially in the

valleys, 1 to 100 feet thick. 

Covers the bed rocknearlyevery where;

in many places underlies gravel and

sand.

Locally distributed in the valleys and 

, along the coast.

Plenty of good waterat moderate depths, 

but held entirely in irregular joint 

cracks at variable distances apart.

Do.

Generally plenty of good water. Occurs 

in irregular joint cracks, and to a moderate extent along highly inclined 

cleavage and stratification planes. 

Do.

Abundance of hard water, chiefly in 

solution cavities.

Small amounts of water, which are 

mostly rather high in mineral matter, 

but in some wells are as good as granite waters.

Not tested, but probably contains 

plenty of water of good quality.

Large amounts of water. Of good quality where not polluted.

Water of variable amount and quality.

Contains little available water.

a Jackson, P. D., Water Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 144, 1905, PL II.
U, S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER N0.223 PL. I

na&cZrt. f T^3^ W. ^ ** =v

"T ~ \ ltj&& ttASf" , S ^^H . M-t _ C?__!_ju_ iy»'/X'li\ VJ *

Slates anfl sch.isLs Sandstone uiidt:onglamerate ComplexofslatesflndscWsts 

(Perr>r region)

etc

Ci-yatallivie liivipstone Mainly granite with small Basic igneous rocks

included areas ofslalesand (dioTit«j,tliaLase,(Sa1ib-ro.etc.i 

schists

ANDREW B OUHAU CO, WOTO-LITHOOmPKEM. WA9HNOTOH, D. C MAP SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF ROCKS IN SOUTHERN MAINE, SO FAR AS 

Based on reconnaissance and detailed maps by Geo. Otis Smith, E. S. Bastin, 

F. G. Clapp, G. C. Matson, and C. W. Brown.

Scale 

10 E 0 10 20 30 40 miles
WATER-BEARING ROCKS. 29 

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

GRANITE AND GNEISS.

ft

Description. The granites and gneisses are very hard, dense, 

coarsely crystalline acidic rocks, and possess as a rule only microscopic 

pores. Granite being one of the hardest of rocks, drilling in it is 

difficult. Commonly a well in this rock is not deepened more than 

3 to 5 feet a day, and sometimes not more than a few inches a day.

Distribution. These rocks are widely distributed in Maine. Their 

boundaries are so irregular that their limits are best defined on a 

map rather than in a general description. The granite is represented 

by the brown color on PI. I. There is some granite in nearly ever}7" 

part of southern and eastern Maine, but the largest areas are in Washington, Oxford, Cumberland, and York counties. As stated in the 

legend, areas covered b}^ the granite symbol on the map include 

some small masses of a somewhat more basic rock, similar to granite, 

but of a darker color, known as diorite, and also moderate areas of 

gneiss, a somewhat banded type of granite, and of pegmatite, a rock 

of granitic composition but of very irregular and coarse texture.

Relations to oilier rocks. Where the granite occurs in large areas 

it extends downward to an unknown depth. In late Silurian or 

Devonian time the granites and gneisses, in a molten condition, were 

intruded into the sedimentary rocks which existed at that period. 

In many localities, as in York and Cumberland counties, the granite 

can be seen cutting across and inclosing masses of slate. An instance 

of this relation is seen in PI. X, B, which shows a thin band of granite 

parallel with the stratification of the slate, the wrhole rock being mucli 

metamorphosed.

Joint cracks. Practically all the water found in granite occurs 

in joint cracks. These joints generally form complex systems 

of intersecting planes (figs. 2 and 4). In southern Maine there are 

two principal systems. One7 bf 1 these the horizontal joints, sheet 

joints, or "beds" is appJoxiMately parallel with the surface of the 

ledge. Near the surface these joints are only a few inches apart, 

but they become many feet apart with increasing depth. In the 

J. C. Rogers well No. 1, near Stonifigton, 27 distinct "beds" of rock 

were penetrated in a depth of 94 feet. These ranged in thickness 

from a few inches to 14 feet. The thickest bed was passed through 

about midway from top to bottom in the well. The joints that are 

not sheet joints run in all directions, but in southern Maine the 

great majority of them, including the most persistent series, strike 

between N. 70° E. and S. 50° E. The hade of the joints, or the angle 

which they make with the vertical, varies,, but except in the sheet 

joints it is generally small from 0° to 30°. A zone of these vertical 

joints is illustrated in PL II, A. --,
30 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Structural relations of granite. The structure of the granite in 

Hancock County, where it is extensively quarried, is typical of Maine 

granites, and its peculiarities will therefore be discussed in some 

detail. A number of quarries were visited with a view of obtaining 

information regarding the relations of rock structure to occurrence 

of water. In the quarries at Brooksville the principal system of 

joint cracks strikes S. 80° E. These joints are very numerous and 

persistent and are nearly vertical. They are, however, not open 

except near the surface. The second system, consisting of a few 

joints only, strikes S. 10° W. The sheet joints slope with the hill 

and the beds are in general from 1 to 5 feet in thickness. These 

conditions would seem to afford a good opportunity for water to 

penetrate downward parallel with the slope of the hill. In all the 

quarries there are some joints which do not seem to belong to either 

regular series, and some which are more open and would give a better opportunity for the downward penetration of water. One joint 

belonging to the principal series exposes an inch of decomposed 

granite that has been much iron-stained by percolating water. This 

crack was very wet, owing to water which is now penetrating along 

it. In some places granite along joint cracks is decomposed for a 

distance of 2 inches or more from the crack.

In another quarry in the same town the principal system of joints 

strikes approximately N. 20° W. and hades 25° W. This system is 

continuous from the top to the bottom of the quarry, which is 20 

feet or more in depth. The principal crack is one-fourth inch wide 

in "places. When seen it was a little wet, but not iron stained or 

decomposed. In this system the joints are from 20 to 40 feet apart. 

A smaller system runs about east-west and hades nearly vertical. 

Other vertical joints do not belong to any of the regular systems. 

These irregular joints are much stained and tightly closed. They 

are generally from 2 to 10 feet apart and die out as they run against 

the more persistent joints of the principal series.

At Stonington a great deal of quarrying has been done and the 

conditions here are fairly typical of the granite on the Maine coast. 

The general strike and hade of the joints average the same as in other 

towns. Some cracks are, however, as much as an inch in width. 

One crack was found filled with a soft, greasy-looking mineral having 

a cleavage resembling that of calcite. As most of the quarries are 

on small islands, and some of them extend more than 100 feet below 

the sea, the sea water seeps in along the general system of joints 

and collects in the bottom of the quarries, whence it has to be pumped 

by windmill or engine. The sheet joints in the quarries at Stonington are nearly always dry. They slope toward the sea from the center 

of the hill, generally being 1 to 2 feet apart at the surface. Some of 

them are one-fourth to one-half inch in width and are filled with 

earth and rotten granite.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. ZONE OF NEARLY VERTICAL JOINT CRACKS IN GRANITE 

QUARRY.

B. CONCENTRIC WEATHERING IN DIORITE AT PLEASANT RIVER GRANITE QUARRIES,

DALOTVILLE. 

Showing mode of entrance and storage of water along decomposition planes.
WATER-BEARING ROCKS. 31

Water supplies. Fig. 4 gives an example of the general arrangement of joint cracks. It will be seen that it is possible for water 

occurring in surface deposits to find its way downward to great 

depths, and that it will be tapped by any well which chances to strike 

a joint sufficiently open to form a part of the reservoir. The nearly 

vertical joints (PI. II, A) and decomposition planes (PL II, B) generally serve as channels for the admission of water; the sheet joints 

serve as part of the reservoirs in which it is stored. As most of the 

joints are rather narrow, the amount of water yielded by them is 

likely to be only moderate, as a rule not more than 10 gallons a 

minute. Occasionally, however, as much as 30 gallons a minute has 

been obtained with a steam pump. The occurrence of water in 

granite is well illustrated by PI. Ill, which shows water flowing from 

sheet joints in quarries at North Sullivan and Jonesboro. Similar 

flows have been observed at numerous quarries in Maine. In the 

R. A. Small well at Lisbon Falls a hand mirror was used to examine 

the bottom and sides of the well at frequent intervals during drilling, 

and water was seen to enter from all the sheet joints. In a few 

granite wells no water has been found.

On account of the extreme irregularity of joints in granite it will 

be seen that the, success of any well in this rock is largely a matter 

of chance, dependent on whether the location is a fortunate one with 

reference to the arrangement of the joints. Fig. 4 shows how a well 

may (a) strike plenty of water within a few feet or (5) go to a great 

depth without success. Where the joints are numerous an increased 

amount of water may be found by deeper drilling, but in some 

places such continued drilling has found open cracks through which 

the water ran away.

As joints are most common near the surface and diminish in 

number as the depth increases, and as the pressure tends to make 

them close up with depth, the water supplies in granite are generally 

found within 100 or 200 feet of the surface. In an investigation of 

water in the crystalline rocks of Connecticut, Ellisa concluded that 

as a rule it does not pay to drill below 200 feet. A prominent well 

driller of Maine who has drilled many wells in granite, in a calculation 

based on his experience, found that the average depth of the principal 

vein of water was 185 feet. While successful wells in which the 

principal vein is at a greater depth are often found, the probability 

of success by drilling below 250 feet seems to be less than it is by 

"pulling up" and starting a new well a few feet away. On account 

of the irregularity of the joints the new well is no less likely to be 

successful because a drilling near by has proved unsuccessful. One 

well drilled in gneiss at Auburn went to a depth of 654 feet without 

encountering any water. Few wells are complete failures, however.

oEllis, E. E., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 160, 1906, pp. 1&-28.
32 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

A few wells in granite yield natural flows of water. Usually, however, 

the water stands some distance below the surface.

Quality of water. In quality granite water is as good as the best. 

The analyses on page 77 show that the total solids range in 

general from 40 to 200 parts per million, with occasional higher 

records. Analyses of granite waters from several wells along the 

coast have shown total solids running up to several thousand parts 

per million, but these proportions are mostly due to the inward 

penetration of sea water along open joints. In a few wells the 

amount of chlorine in granite harmonizes with the normal chlorine 

for the locality, but in most it is much higher. When this discrepancy can not be accounted for by pollution or by entrance of 

sea water it is believed that sodium or calcium chlorides exist in the 

rock. The calcium, magnesium, and sodium in granite are generally 

low, none of them being known to exceed 70 parts per million, and 

they are nearly everywhere below 30 parts. The carbonates may 

run as high as 150 parts, but are here and there as low as 10. Sulphates, if present, range up to 40, and silica from 5 to 30; potassium 

is not recorded above 10 parts. The general composition of granite 

water, as illustrated by analyses made in southern Maine, is represented by PL IV.

SLATE AND SCHIST.

Description. The slate found in southern and eastern Maine is 

exceedingly diverse in character. Most commonly it is a fine-grained, 

moderately hard, dark-gray to greenish or black rock produced by the 

consolidation and metamorphosis of clay. In places it grades into 

true schist. In Aroostook County, southern Penobscot County, and 

a few other localities the slate is locally slightly calcareous. Practically all the slate in this State is highly folded, and the stratification 

and cleavage planes stand on edge. Near the coast the strike is variable, but in Kennebec and Penobscot counties it is very constant, 

being about N. 60° E. over broad areas. The dip is not so uniform, 

but is nearly everywhere high. As these rocks range from very hard 

to very soft, the speed of well drilling varies proportionately. Generally 2 to 10 feet a day can be accomplished, but one well is reported 

to have been sunk 35 feet in a single night.

Distribution. Nearly half the area covered by this report is underlain by slate and schists. The areas are so irregular that they can 

not be well described, but they are shown on PI. I by the green color. 

Slate is much more abundant in the northern part of the area than in 

the southern part, and north of the forty-fifth parallel it is still more 

predominant.

Relation to other rocks. At many points in York and Cumberland 

counties and elsewhere the slate and schist can be seen to be cut by 

granite, proving that the sedimentary rocks in that part of the State
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE 111

" , _y«v A * * . . * ^i v '"iv#" -r^",

 fc*A' /air -" T" A * * j^F: ^

4. SECTION OF GRANITE QUARRY AT JONESBORO. 

Showing water issuing from sheet joints.

£ VIEW IN CRABTREE & HAVEY'S GRANITE QUARRY, AT NORTH SULLIVAN. 

Showing occurrence of water in sheet joints.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE IV

CUMBERLAND;

CO. HANCOCK CO LINCOLN CO.

LEGEND

Total solids

Silica

Iron and aluminum oxides

Calcium.

Magnesium.

Sodium

Potassium

 . Sulphates 

Chlorine

5 10 12 14 19 21 24 ,25 28

Numbers of analyses

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING RELATIVE COMPOSITION OF GRANITE WATERS IN SOUTHERN MAINE.
WATER-BEAUTSG ROCKS. 33

are older than the principal granite masses. In the Penobscot Bay 

quadrangle the slate and schist (Penobscot formation) have been 

shown to be probably of Cambrian age, and most of the similar rocks 

of southwestern Maine are believed to be of the same age. The Ellsworth schist is slightly older, but may also be Cambrian. All the 

regionally metamorphosed rocks are Ordovician or older, as the movements which produced metamorphism took place about the close of 

Ordovician time. The high folding and extensive metamorphism of 

these rocks over wide areas make them all of the same class so far as 

the underground-water conditions are concerned.

Stratification, cleavage, andjissility. The slates over most of Maine 

show clear evidences of stratification, but have been subjected to so 

great pressure that the dip is everywhere at a high angle, generally 

within 30° of the vertical. The strike along the coast is somewhat 

variable, but throughout most of Kennebec and Penobscot counties 

it is rather constant, in few places departing much from N. 60° R. 

Most of the slate and schist is rather easily cleavable, and as a rule 

the cleavage and foliation planes correspond in strike with the stratification, but vary somewhat in dip. The cleavage, foliation, and 

stratification planes are generally tightly closed at considerable 

depths, but rather open near the surface, and in many regions they 

allow passage for small quantities of water.

Joint cracks. What has been said regarding joints under the description of granite will also apply in a general way to slate and 

schist, except that in these rocks the cracks are more irregular in 

direction, extent, and characteristics. On account of the difference 

in structure of slate, its joints are not conspicuous, but they can be 

depended on for water supplies. Where they are flat, they have little 

effect on drilling, but in numerous places the slate is much cut up by 

joints, many of which are inclined. These often work havoc with 

drilling tools. If an inclined joint plane is hard and smooth, the drill 

may glance off and give a crooked hole. If the joint plane is soft, 

the drill may get stuck, and sometimes many days are required to 

remove it, or the hole may have to be abandoned altogether.

Water supplies. Slate is generally supposed not to contain much 

water, but in Maine it has proved to be the most productive rock. 

As in granite areas, the water is first stored largely in superficial 

deposits of gravel and bowlder clay. In the slates and schists, however, the water penetrates downward not only through joint systems 

but also along small fissures which follow the stratification and 

cleavage planes. An illustration of the way water may find its way 

below the surface from overlying drift is given in PL V, A, and 

PL VII, A, the first view showing the effect of stratification planes 

and the second of joint cracks. 

59969 IRR 223 09 3
34 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

On account of the more numerous means of admission of water 

larger quantities are generally expected and found in slate than in 

granite. Few wells drilled in slate in southern Maine have met with 

absolute failure. Instances in which only a gallon or two of water a 

minute has been found are due generally to the insufficient depth of 

the well.

The depth to which it is advisable to drill in slate differs somewhat 

in various parts of the State. In some places along the coast arid 

near the areas of intruded igneous rocks, where the slate has evidently 

been under great pressure, the statement made with regard to granite, 

that it is not desirable to drill deeper than 250 feet, seems to hold 

true. In the large slate areas of the interior, however, wells drilled 

much deeper than that seem to afford supplies which increase with 

depth. Some of the best wells in the State are more than 300 feet 

deep, and so far as known there have been no failures among these 

deep holes. Hence in the large slate areas it is well to drill as deep 

as 400 or 500 feet unless sufficient supplies are obtained nearer the 

surface. In general, the water in slate is not all obtained in any one 

vein, but small supplies are found in a number of veins, and it is by 

the repeated tapping of new veins that a sufficient supply is finally 

obtained. The amount of water supplied by most slate wells less 

than 100 feet in depth is between 1 and 10 gallons a minute. In 

many of the wells of greater depth, however, the supplies run up to 

30 gallons a minute, and in a few localities, as at Searsport, wells 

pumped by steam pump have been reported to yield more than 50 

gallons a minute.

A prominent well driller of Aroostook County calculates that in 

that part of Maine the average depth of wells is 81 feet. In Bangor 

and vicinity drilling frequently has not been successful at first, but 

rather than go deeper the driller has moved the machine 5 to 10 feet 

and a good supply of water has been obtained. Such cases resemble 

the occurrence of water in granite.

That large open cracks exist in slate is proved at Sorrento, where 

two salt-water wells were obtained on a peninsula, indicating the 

penetration of sea water inward from the ocean. In Islesboro cracks 

and cavities are numerous. These are most common 30 to 40 feet 

from the surface, and few occur below 100 feet. They are supposed 

to be due to the solution of beds of limestone, and the permanent 

supplies from this source are only 2 to 3 gallons a minute.

The best and largest supplies in southern Maine are obtained in 

slate and schist below 100 feet.

The head of water in slate is very uncertain, depending on the 

topographic situation of the well and the arrangement of the systems 

of water passages in the rock. The water level may stand anj^where 

between the bottom and top of the well, but is commonly a few feet 

below the surface.
WATEE-BEAEING ROCKS. 35

Strange as it may seem to those who know the structure of slate, a 

few flowing wells have been struck in this rock. Such wells do not 

appear to have any regular distribution, and there are in general not 

more than one or two in a town. Two of .them are in Westbrook, 

two in York, two in Islesboro, one at Bangor, and several elsewhere 

in the region. The flow seldom exceeds 3 gallons a minute. It is 

generally caused by the pressure of water following downward 

along systems of joint cracks from neighboring hills (see fig. 4), and 

the water rarely, if ever, in this region comes from a distance. The 

best flowing wells in Maine are at Greenville, Piscataquis County, 

where there are several from which the water will rise 10 to 14 feet 

above the surface. These will be described in the report on the 

underground waters of northern Maine. n

Quality of water. In quality the slate water of southern Maine 

may be said to be the best for drinking purposes, and except in Waldo 

and Penobscot counties it is seldom hard. According to the analyses 

which have been made (see pp. 78-80), the total solids run from 25 to 

more than 800 parts per million. In order to show graphically the 

general character of slate water PI. VI has been prepared. A separate line is given for each constituent of the water, and it will be seen 

that there is some similarity in the composition of the water from 

different localities.

Occasionally the water found in slate contains small quantities of 

iron, but these are rarely sufficient to be objectionable. In Waldo 

and Penobscot counties the amount of calcium and magnesium carbonates is high and produces some scale in boilers. Waters in these 

counties are generally called "hard," but are only of moderate hardness when compared with many waters in the Central States that are 

used for a great variety of purposes.

LIMESTONE.

Character and distribution. In southern Maine the limestones are 

restricted to a type of dense crystalline limestone which is found 

practically only in Knox County, in the towns of Rockland, Rockport, Camden, Thomaston, and Warren. The rocks consist of a 

number of bands of limestone associated with slate, schist, and 

quartzite. (See PL I.) These bands are not more than a mile in 

greatest width and extend in a general northeast-southwest direction. 

In Islesboro there are local beds of similar limestone, all very thin 

and interstratified between vertical slates. These thin limestones of 

Islesboro are unimportant, except as they furnish a large proportion 

of calcium carbonate in the water and interfere with well drilling. 

The distribution of the limestones of Knox and Waldo counties is

a The report for the northern part of the State is in preparation.
36 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

shown in detail in the Rockland folio.a These limestones are believed 

to be all a part of the same geologic series, and were formed at the 

same period as most of the slates of central Maine and of Waldo and 

Knox counties.

Solution cavities and channels. The waters in limestone occur 

mainly in open channels, caverns, etc;, dissolved in the rock by the 

water itself. The water probably originally followed joint or bedding 

planes, which were gradually enlarged by solution and formed the 

cavities that we now find. One of these channels, exposed in the 

side of an abandoned quarry, is illustrated in PL VII, B. The occurrence of these channels within the limestone is very irregular and 

their location can seldom be predicted. Most deep wells drilled in 

the limestone, however., will probably encounter one or more such 

passages.

Water supplies. The waters in limestone are hard but are not commonly mineralized in other respects. There is a considerable likelihood of pollution, owing to the fact that much of the underground 

water occurring in limestone has found its way downward through 

definite channels and has carried with it more or less surface wash. 

A single analysis of limestone water is given in the table on page 86 

(No. 255). This water was collected from a spring in the bottom of 

a deep quarry near Rockland. No other analyses were made, as no 

wells have been drilled in limestone (except wells on Islesboro, which 

are largely in slate but pass through thin layers of limestone). The 

large amount of water pumped daily from these quarries and the 

common occurrence of springs in them indicate the probable existence 

of considerable quantities of water in these rocks.

At Islesboro the drillers report numerous cracks below 50 feet in 

depth, and occasionally pockets 3 to 4 feet in size are found. These 

generally supply abundant water for a few minutes or hours, but the 

supply soon gives out, so drilling is never stopped at a pocket. 

Although these wells are in a slate region, the pockets are supposed 

to occur in thin beds of limestone which have been partly dissolved.

VOLCAXTC AXn OTHER IGNEOUS ROCKS.

Character and distribution. In the extreme western part of Hancock County, on many of the islands in Penobscot Bay, on the southern edge of Mount Desert Island, and in eastern Washington County, 

there is a class of rocks represented on the map (PI. I) by the red 

color. These rocks are principally volcanic in origin and consist of 

flows of andesite, rhyolite, diabase, etc., and of beds of tuff or volcanic ash. On a map of this scale it is not possible to represent all 

the various types of these rocks, even if the limits of all the areas 

were definitely known. In Hancock and Knox counties the mapping

« Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 158, U. S. Gool. Survey, 1908,
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Parts

HANCOCK CO. KENNEBEC 

CUMBERLAND CO.

LEGEND

Total solids

Silica

Calcium

.. .. Iron and aluminum oxides 

Magnesium 

Sodium 

Potassium

_ . _. Sulphates 

Chlorine

29 31 33 43 49 53 55 56 57 62 67 78 

Numbers of analyses

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WATER 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A, OUTCROP OF SLATE IN RAILROAD CUT AT KITTERY JUNCTION. 

Showing fracture of rock along bedding and possibility of water entering from overlying drift.

£, COMPLETED WELL BELONGING TO CRABTREE & HAVEY, AT NORTH SULLIVAN. 

Showing proper mode of protection, of well drilled in granite.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE VII

- *r i-^t

1 i. "^ ^^F£^r!!*j3

, - ^^f^^m\^: -Jj?- .rt szP*

 «>N»>* -^ . v^.;

^1. OUTCROP OF SLATE BELOW TILL IN RAILROAD CUT AT KITTERY

JUNCTION. 

Showing vertical joint cracks and overlying cover of till in which water is held.

B. SMALL CAVE AND SOLUTION CHANNELS IN LIMESTONE. 

Showing old water passages, RocUland.
WATER-BEARING ROCKS. 37

is based on the detailed maps of the Penobscot Bay folio.* In 

Washington County the limits of the volcanic rocks are not so accurately known.

Besides the areas of volcanic rocks represented on the map, there 

are small dikes of trap rarely more than a few feet in width. These 

are intrusive in the slate and granite throughout the coast region, and 

are geologically among the most recent rocks in the State.

Water supplies. On account of the manifold nature of the volcanic 

rocks, no comprehensive statements can be made concerning the 

water supplies they contain. Wells in these rocks are, however, 

much less sure of success than those in granite. In Castine several 

wells drilled in acidic volcanic tuff obtained moderate supplies, but 

one was an entire failure. In a 625-foot well at this place no water 

was found below 425 feet. At North Haven several wells drilled in 

basic lava flows get fair amounts of water, but some wells here were 

but partially successful. On Suttons Island, off Mount Desert, a well 

in trap is reported to yield 26 gallons a minute when pumped with a 

gasoline engine, but wells on neighboring islands were either unsuccessful or obtained only from 1 to 5 gallons a minute. At Eastport 

and Lubec several wells sunk in greenstone seem to give moderate 

amounts. One well at Eastport was a flowing well.

Quality of water. On account of the small areas covered by these 

rocks in Maine only half a dozen analyses have been made. These 

are given in the table on page 81 and are represented graphically 

in PI. VIII. It will be seen that the one greenstone water analyzed 

showed 413 parts per million of total solids, of which 108 were calcium, 42 were organic and volatile matter, and 71 were sulphates. 

Afield assay of the same water showed 214 parts of bicarbonates, this 

being about as hard as the average of the slate waters in Penobscot 

County. The first analysis of trap water (No. 155) is so high in 

mineral matter that it is supposed to be partly sea water, and should 

not be considered as typical of trap waters in general. The second 

analysis of trap water is more moderate, showing only 90 parts of 

total solids. The proportions of the various elements in this water 

are very low for a well water. When trap waters are used they 

seem to be fairly good for both drinking and washing.

UNMETAMORPHOSED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.

A few small areas in eastern Maine are occupied by unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks, but only one of these Perry Basin, in 

eastern Washington County is of sufficient size to be mapped. 

(PI. I.) This area is described by Smith. 6 The rocks were found 

to be conglomerates, sandstones, and some interbedded rhyolitic

a Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 149, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1908. 

b Smith, G. O., Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 35, 1905.
38 UNDERGROUND WATERS (XF SOUTHERN MAINE.

lavas. They are of Devonian age, and were named the Perry formation. No drilled wells are known to have been sunk in these rocks, 

and hence little is known of the underground water conditions. 

To judge from similar rocks in other localities, they ought to hold 

plenty of water of good quality. In the same region are considerable areas of Silurian shales.

AREAS OF COMPLEX.

Character and distribution. On PI. I large areas in Oxford, 

Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties and 

portions of adjacent counties are represented by a buff color. These 

areas are occupied by what is known as a complex, consisting of 

slates and schists intimately intruded by granites, gneisses, and 

basic volcanic rocks. The rocks in eastern areas, or those lying east 

of Brunswick and Augusta, are more slaty, and those in the western 

areas are more granitic, but they can not be differentiated on the 

map.

Water supplies. As a rule water from areas of complex that are 

of notable size is more uncertain in quantity and quality than that 

from either granite or slate. Some good wells have been obtained 

in these areas. In many wells in Lincoln county the water has a 

peculiar taste, which sometimes makes it unfit for use. The water is 

known to have a bad effect on the well casing, frequently eating 

holes through it in a surprisingly short time, and the solution of the 

galvanized iron may possibly be a factor in the taste of the water. 

In some wells the taste may be due to iron, but as iron is absent in 

the greater number of these waters, this is not the chief cause. A 

review of the analyses of waters from the complex (p. 81) shows that 

they average higher in sulphates than those from either granite or 

slate. This indicates that they may contain free sulphuric acid. 

The sulphates range from a trace up to 77 parts per million. One 

field assay reports 286 parts per million. The total solids run from 

95 to 301 parts per million in samples which were tested for them. 

As a rule the waters in the more granitic portion of the complex area 

are rather poor in quality, containing considerable iron and other 

minerals, whereas that from the more slaty portion is better.

SURFACE DEPOSITS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

PRINCIPAL TYPES.

The surface deposits in Maine consist of stratified and unstratified 

clay, sand, and gravel and of till or bowlder clay. With the exception of some modern beaches, these surface deposits, which are 

known collectively as "drift," were laid down directly or indirectly 

through the agency of vast continental glaciers that covered New 

England at several periods during the last million years. Materials
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE VIII

Total solids

Silica

Iron and aluminum

Calcium

Magnesium

Sodium

Potassium

Sulphates

Chlorine

142 144 149 

Numbers of analyses

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING RELATIVE COMPOSITION OF WATERS IN AREAS OF COMPLEX, TRAP, AND

GREENSTONE IN SOUTHERN MAINE.
SURFACE DEPOSITS. 39

formed by the grinding action of the ice in passing over the rocks 

and former surface deposits were, when the ice retreated, left as the 

heterogeneous deposits of till or bowlder clay which now cover large 

areas in both the uplands and the valleys. During the occupation 

of the region by ice, glacial rivers laden with sand and gravel flowed 

upon or under the ice, and the deposits made in their channels now 

appear as long, winding gravel ridges, known as "eskers." During 

the times when the ice was stationary great quantities of sand and 

gravel were often discharged into the sea, into glacial lakes, or onto 

the land surface to form deltas and sand plains. Irregular water-laid 

deposits, formed in connection with the ice, are known as "kames." 

When the ice finally melted it did not retreat steadily, but often 

halted, perhaps for years at a time, and during such halts a ridge or 

a succession of hills of sand, gravel, till, and bowlders was sometimes formed at the ice front, of material pushed up by the glacier or 

deposited by glacial waters. Such deposits are known as " moraines."

The writer has found evidence that since the first glaciatioii there 

have been intergiacial periods. 0 During such an interglacial stage 

the land seems to have stood at a lower level than at present, and 

there was deposited in the sea a widespread bed of stratified clay, which 

now extends for great distances along the coast and more than 100 

miles up the larger valleys. This has been known as the Leda clay, 

from a species of fossil shell which it contains.

In order that the occurrence of water in the surface formations 

may be well understood, they will be described in some detail, in the 

order in which they originated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

BOWLDER CLAY, OR TILL.

Character and distribution. Bowlder clay, or till, is the principal 

drift deposit of Maine. It consists mainly of a heterogeneous deposit 

of clay, sand, gravel, and bowlders, showing as a rule no trace of 

stratification and containing bowlders up to several feet in diameter. 

Its thickness ranges from a few inches to more than 100 feet. Usually 

it is very hard and tough, and is called "hardpan," though this term 

is also applied by well drillers to other formations.

This material is probably the most widespread deposit in Maine, 

overlying the bed rock nearly everywhere, and generally underlying 

the surface sand, gravel, and clay deposits, where the latter are present. In places in southwestern Maine till occurs segregated in the 

form of lenticular hills, known as "drumlins." These are often from 

one-fourth mile to a mile in greatest length and 100 to 200 feet in 

height, and are composed entirely of the hardpan type of bowlder clay.

" Oomplexily of (he glacial period in northeastern New England: Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 18, 1908, 

pp. 505-55<;.
40 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Water supplies. Where typical and occurring in thick deposits, as 

in clrumlins, bowlder clay can not be said to yield a large amount of 

water. Wells dug in drumliiis are generally dependent on surface 

water and frequently run dry in summer. The scantiness of the 

supply in drumliiis is due to the large proportion of clay in this type 

of till, rendering it impervious. Where the till fills depressions and 

covers gentle slopes, however, it is in many places .of more variable 

character, locally containing gravelly and sandy layers, and here 

and there having openings which form rather definite water channels. For this reason the degree of success with wells in till varies 

greatly, but in the aggregate the till yields a large amount of water. 

Generally wells of large diameter are most successful, as they offer 

a better opportunity for intercepting a ''vein." Water obtained 

from till is generally of good quality for all uses, unless situated within 

the range of contamination from surface drainage. If the water once 

becomes polluted it may retain its dangerous character for a long 

time and for a considerable distance.

Water occurring in till is generally found within a few feet of the 

surface. As a rule it is not under pressure, however, and will not 

rise above the point at which it is encountered. The volume at any 

one time is not generally large, but there is a constant slow inflow. 

Water is abundant in a wet season or after a rain, but a large proportion of wells in till run dry in summer.

SAND AND GRAVEL.

Character and distribution. Sand and gravel deposits are known 

collectively as "modified drift/' for the reason that they are composed 

of till which has been reworked and assorted by water. Such deposits occurring in the form of flat or gently sloping plains are known 

as sand plains, deltas, or outwash deposits; those formed in long 

ridges on or under the ice are known as eskers; and those deposited 

as irregular hills near the ice front are known as kames or moraines. 

Many of these deposits are of great thickness. The}' all consist of 

pebbles and grains of sand, derived from a great variety of rocks.

Sands and gravels are widely distributed throughout the State. 

Moraine, kame, and esker deposits may occur in nearly all situations, 

though most commonly in the lowlands. Sand plains and outwash 

deposits are situated mostly along the valleys and lakes and within 

a few miles of the coast. Some of these plains are very extensive, 

covering many square miles of surface.

Relation to other deposits. Most of these deposits overlie the principal body of till, although local beds of gravel are found underneath 

the till and in a few places gravelly layers occur in the till itself.

Gravel is also variable in its relations to clay deposits. Along the 

coast and in the valleys of Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot, and 

other large rivers many extensive deposits of coarse gravels underlie
SURFACE DEPOSITS. 41

the clays, and in such places the upper surface of the gravel is likely 

to be undulating. In other places sand and gravel overlie the clay.

Water supplies. Sands and gravels are very porous; in many of 

them 30 per cent of the volume is made up of free space between the 

grains. In such materials the whole mass is saturated below the 

water level, and when penetrated by wells copious supplies are 

quickly yielded. The waters are generally of good quality, and in 

Maine they contain less mineral matter than waters from most 

other types of deposits.

In passing downward through the sands surface waters are subjected to natural filtration and the substances with which they 

may have originally been polluted are frequently changed to harmless 

chemical compounds. In gravel and in the coarser types of sand 

the water moves more rapidly and the conditions are less favorable 

for filtration, so the waters may remain polluted. In general, however, waters from sands and gravels, if taken from a considerable 

distance below the surface, are safe to use. Plenty of water may 

generally be found at 10 to 20 feet, but supplies from greater depth 

are much safer.

In the sands and finer gravels the cheapest and best method of 

obtaining water is by driven wells, which can be sunk quickly and 

at very slight cost. In the very fine sands or quicksands, however, it 

is very difficult to exclude tke material from the pipes, the quicksand 

frequently penetrating the well and clogging the pipe or ruining the 

pump. Because of the readiness with which sands and gravels 

yield their water, wells located close together frequently affect one 

another, some wells drawing water away from others. The ease of 

movement of the water is also the cause of great fluctuations in the 

level of the surface of the saturated zone, which falls rapidly after 

wet seasons. To procure permanent supplies the wells should 

penetrate to the level which the water surface occupies in the driest 

seasons.

Character and distribution. The clay deposits of Maine differ 

greatly in composition and in origin. The most common type, however a widespread formation of rather uniform character is a 

light-gray or brownish, fine-grained, thin-bedded deposit, ranging 

from plastic to tough, but so dense as to be almost impervious to 

water. It is of marine origin, as shown by fossil shells which it contains in many places. In some localities there are thin layers of 

sand stratified with the clay. The thickness of this principal clay 

bed is generally not more than 20 to 30 feet, but in some of the 

deeper valleys and along the coast it maj~ be as much as 100 feet.

Clay is widely scattered, but in general it occurs near the coast 

or in the vallevs within 100 miles of it. Near the sea it occurs as
42 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

flat or gently sloping plains rising from 15 to 80 feet above tide. 

That these plains have been deposited in comparatively recent time 

is shown by their flat surface and the slight erosion they exhibit. 

Farther back from the coast, and in the valleys of Piscataqua, Saco, 

Presumpscot, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot, and other rivers, 

there are clays at higher levels, in some places above 200 feet, and in 

a few reaching 300 feet. The highest elevations are found in the 

Kennebec Valley, but in general the upper limit is little more than 

200 feet. These high-level clays are best preserved in situations 

more or less protected from erosion, and when they occur in the 

main valleys they are much eroded, suggesting that they may be 

older than the coastal clays.

Relation to other deposits. Where clay occurs it nearly always 

overlies the principal till deposit. In many localities, however, 3 to 

5 feet or more of gravelly till rests on the clay. Gravel may overlie 

or underlie clay, or both. The clay is generally, but not invariably, 

unconformable with both the underlying and the overlying deposits. 

Water supplies. Clay is so impervious that in itself it contains 

little or no water which can be utilized as a source of supply 

Water is frequently reported in clays, but it usually occurs in more 

or less sandy layers. In some places sand which approaches clay in 

fineness and which is sometimes mistaken for clay yields considerable water. *

Clay is of greatest importance, not as a water bearer, but as a confining layer to porous sands, the water in which it prevents from 

escaping. In large areas it is overlain by sand which contains much 

water, resting on the impervious clay and moving slowly riverward 

or seaward.

The waters of clays, because of the fineness of the material, come 

into contact with relatively large amounts of mineral matter and 

frequently become mineralized, lime and salt being the most common substances dissolved. These waters are, as a rule, free from 

contamination. When, because of the absence of other sources, it is 

necessary to obtain supplies from clay, a well should be sunk with as 

large a diameter as practicable and be continued beneath the point 

at which the water is obtained to a sufficient depth to furnish ample 

storage capacity, as clay waters are slight in amount and are yielded 

very slowly. Dug wells are usually most satisfactory where the clay 

is near the surface, but such wells should be carefully .covered and 

guarded from all sources of pollution.

OUTLINE OF GEOLOGIC HISTORY.

In order to make clear the relations of the various water-bearing 

and impervious formations of Maine a brief summary of the history 

of these formations is given. As a complete geologic investigation of
EEC OVERT OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 43

the State has never been made, little can be said regarding the rocks, 

but the sequence in which they were formed will be briefly reviewed.

The oldest formation in the southern part of the State is probably 

the Ellsworth schist," of Cambrian age. Muddy sediments that subsequently became slates were deposited over large areas originally, bat 

at the close of Ordovician time there was a long period of dynamic 

metamorphism in which these slates were turned on edge, cracked 

and broken, and intruded by molten granite, which now fills cracks in 

the slate and constitutes the surface over wide areas. The volcanic 

action may have extended into Devonian time. In some later age 

the trap dikes which penetrate the slate were formed by intrusion of 

a basic type of molten lava. Some slates, sandstones, and other 

rocks may have been formed after the intrusion of the dikes.

After the formation of all the solid rocks of Maine and their metamorphism and folding there were long ages during which few deposits 

were made in this part of the country, and the land was eroded into 

hills and valleys and brought into substantially its present relief. 

Then came the series of great glacial invasions which covered the 

State with a thick coating of drift. After the deposition of till and 

gravels and the retreat of the ice of the first invasion there was a long 

interglacial stage during which erosion removed the greater part of 

the glacial deposits, so that they are now found only in patches beneath 

the more recent till sheets.

The next glacial invasion of which we have any record is the one 

during which the greater part of the Maine bowlder clay was formed. 

During the subsequent disappearance of the ice coarse gravels were 

deposited in the valleys and along the coast, after which the widespread formation of marine clay took place. Later the land was 

elevated and the clay was deeply eroded. Still later the ice advanced 

again, depositing a few feet of a more gravelly type of till over some 

of the clay deposits. During the retreat of this final ice sheet immense deposits of sand and gravel were formed in most of the valleys 

and fresh marine clays were laid down, along the coast. By subsequent uplift these clays have now reached an elevation of 20 to 80 

feet above the sea, and form extensive plains in some localities.

RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

Underground water can be obtained naturally, as it emerges from 

the ground in the form of springs, or artificially, by means of wells or 

collecting galleries. These methods and their bearing on the underground-water problems of Maine will be discussed separately.

a The Ellsworth schist is described by G. O. Smith and E. S. Bastin in the Penobsrot Bay folio 

(No. 149) of the Geologic Atlas of the United States, published by the United States Geological 

Survey.
44 UNDEBGHOUND WATJEBB OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

SPRINGS.

Classification and emergence. Wherever the water table or a 

water-bearing bed intercepts the surface of the ground a spring is 

formed. Springs are of various types. The waters may percolate 

through pores in the surface deposit or through passages in sand and 

clay, and these are known as seepage springs. They may traverse 

limestone or other soluble strata, dissolving passages for themselves, 

and finally emerge on a hillside, or they may flow out of fissures along 

joint cracks or fault or contact planes and be known as fissure springs. 

The term "fissure springs" is used rather comprehensively to include 

the springs issuing along bedding, joint, cleavage, or fault planes. 

The distinguishing feature is a break in the rocks along which the 

waters can pass, it being immaterial whether any considerable open 

space exists. Springs may occur in almost any topographic situation, 

even on a plain, but they are most common on steep hillsides.

The common method of classif3^ing springs is by their predominating mineral constituents. Since the days of Aristotle many different 

classifications have been invented, and at the present time several 

are in use. The classification most commonly accepted in the 

United States is that of Peale, 0 who divides all mineral springs into 

two great groups nonthermal or cold, and thermal and into five 

classes with reference to chemical ingredients, viz, alkaline, alkalinesaline, saline, acid, and neutral or indifferent. Some writers use the 

term "chalybeate" for the fourth class instead of acid. This classification is easily subdivided, according to the predominant solid constituents of the water, which may be sodic, lithic, potassic, magnesic, 

salicic, iodic, bromic, arsenical, siliceous, manganic, aluminous, etc. 

The terms "nongaseous/' "carbonated,"and "sulphureted" designate 

the existence or nonexistence of gaseous contents.

The majority of mineral springs in Maine are either neutral or light 

alkaline-calcic or alkaline-chalybeate; only a few springs would fall 

in the other classes. They are not classified in this report, as the 

analyses (pp. 84-87) give a much better idea of their character.

Number and importance in Maine. Springs are abundant in Maine, 

especially in the interior of the State. Very many are situated on 

hillsides, from which the water can be distributed by gravity to residences and farms. In places several families have combined and 

have distributed the water of the larger springs through their dwellings by pipes. Here and there the water is raised by windmills.

The water is very cool, temperatures as low as 45° being common 

and temperatures over 50° seldom reported. The spring waters are 

therefore valuable for dairy and creamery purposes.

« Peale, A. C., Natural mineral waters of the United States: Fourteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, 

pt. 2, 1894, p. 66.
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 45

Springs are more generally utilized in those parts of the State 

where the W7 ell water is hard than where it is soft. In a few places, 

where the quality of water in the neighboring streams is poor, 

springs supply manufacturing establishments.

Information previously published. The earliest publication regarding the mineral springs of Maine was made by Goodale in 1861." The 

data contained in this report, consisting of a few analyses, temperatures, etc., were recompiled by Peale 6 in 1886. A few springs 

were described in 1899 by Crook. c Otherwise no information has 

been published regarding Maine springs except the reports of sales 

given in the Geological Survey's annual reports on the mineral 

resources of the United States.

Commercial springs. A. group of springs of great economic value 

to the State comprises those which are designated commercial springs, 

or those of which the waters are sold by measure. In this group there 

are twro subclasses. The first includes springs that furnish table 

water to consumers in their vicinity at regular intervals. The second 

subclass comprises springs the waters of which are bottled and shipped 

to distant points, including the mineral springs whose waters are 

commonly supposed to possess medicinal properties, and also certain 

other springs the water of which is exceptionally pure. The sales of 

water from these two classes amount annually to more than $100,000, 

not including the sales of water from Poland Spring, the proprietors 

of which decline to make any statement as to the quantity or the 

value of the water supplied by them. It is believed, however, that 

the aggregate value of the water shipped from this spring is greater 

than that of the water from all the other springs in the State.

Altogether the springs reporting sales in southern Maine at the 

time this investigation was made (1906) were 44 in number, as follows:

Add-on Mineral Spring, Addison, Washington County.

Arctic Spring, Bangor, Penobscot County.

Baker Puritan Spring, Old Orchard, York County.

Bluehill Mineral Spring, Bluehill, Hancock County.

Carrabasset Mineral Spring, Carrabasset, Franklin County.

Chapman's Spring, Brewer, Penobscot County.

Cold Bowling Spring, Steep Falls, Limington, York County.

Crystal Mineral Spring, Auburn, Androscoggin County.

Forest Spring, Litchfield, Kennebec County.

Glenrock Mineral Spring, Greene, Androscoggiu. County.

Glenwood Spring, St. Albans, Somerset County.

Highland Spring, Holden, Penobscot County.

Highland Mineral Spring, Lewiston, Androscoggiu County.

Hillside Spring, Bangor, Penobscot County.

Jndian Hermit Mineral Spring, Wells, York County.

« Goodale, G. L., Report on the mineral waters of Maine: Sixth Ann. Kept. Maine Board of Agr.. 1861. 

*Peala A. C., Mineral waters of the "United States: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32. 1886, pp. 13-16, 

''Crook, J. K.. Mineral waters of the "United States and Canada.
46 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Ishka Springs, West Hancock, Hancock County.

Katagudos Spring, Eastbrook, Hancock County.

Keystone Mineral Spring, East Poland, Androscoggin County.

Knowlton's Soda Spring, South Strong, Franklin County.

Mount Desert Spring, Bar Harbor, Hancock County.

Mount Hartford Mineral Spring, Hartford, Oxford County.

Mount Oxford Spring, Sumner, Oxford County.

Mount Zircon Spring, Milton Plantation, Oxford County.

Oak Grove Spring, Brewer, Penobscot County.

Olde Yorke Spring, Old Orchard, York County.

Oxford Spring Home, Oxford, Oxford County.

Paradise Spring, Brunswick, Cumberland County.

Pejepscot Spring, Auburn, Androscoggin County.

Pine Spring, Topsham, Sagadahoc County.

Pine Grove Spring, Pittsfield, Somerset County.

Poland Spring, Poland, Androscoggin County.

Pownal Spring, New Gloucester, Cumberland County.

Pure Water Spring, Waterville, Kennebec County.

Raymond Spring, North Raymond, Cumberland County.

Rocky Hill Spring, Fair-field, Somerset County.

Sabattus Mineral Spring, Wales, Androscoggin County.

Seal Rock Spring, Saco, York County.

Sparkling Spring, Orrington, Penobscot County.

Switzer Spring, Prospect, Waldo County.

Thorndike Mineral Spring, Thonidike, Waldo County.

Ticonic Spring. Winslow, Kennebec County.

Underwood Spring, Falmouth Foreside, Cumberland County.

Wawa Lithia Spring, Ogunquit, York County.

White Sand Spring, Springvale, York County.

In addition to the springs given above, the following springs were 

reported by Peale," with analyses that were made at various dates 

between 1861 and 1879. It is not known whether all these springs 

are still in use, but none of them report sales.

American Chalybeate Spring, South Auburn, Androscoggin County.

Auburn Mineral Spring, South Auburn, Androscoggin County.

Boothbay Medicinal Spring, East Boothbay, Lincoln County.

Ebeeme Spring.

Fryeburg Spring, Fryeburg, Oxford County.

Lake Auburn Mineral Spring, North Auburn, Androscoggin County.

Lubec Saline Springs, head of Lubec Bay, Washington County.

North Waterford Springs, northwest of Waterford village, Oxford County.

Poland Silica Springs. South Poland, Androscoggin County.

Rosicrucian Springs, Ilosicrucian, Lincoln County.

Samoset Mineral Springs, Nobleboro, Lincoln County.

Scarboro Spring, Scarboro, Cumberland County.

Summit Mineral Spring, Harrison, Cumberland County.

West Bethel Spring, West Bethel station, Oxford County.

Analyses of some of the above were taken by Peale from Goodale's 

report.

a Op. cit., pp. 15-10.
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 47

Origin of spring waters. A common belief regarding the origin of 

spring waters is that most of them are derived from a distant source. 

Several spring owners have told the writer, with perfectly truthful 

intent, that the water in their springs came from the White Mountains, at least 40 or 50 miles away. Owners of flowing wells in Islesboro have stated their belief that the water of the wells has its source 

in mountains on the coast, several miles distant.

In some regions springs may have such an origin. Many of the 

waters of mineral springs in the West come long distances underground. Tn Maine, however, it is not known that a single spring or 

well obtains its supply at a distance of more than a mile from the 

place where the water emerges. The majority of spring waters 

enter gravel deposits on the surface of a hill and pass downward 

along the top of the bed rock or "hardpan" deposits until they find 

an easy point of emergence on the slope. In a few mineral springs 

the waters issue from joint cracks or from fissures in rock. These 

waters may come from a considerable depth, but as their temperature is generally about the normal temperature of the region, they 

are not believed to come from a greater depth than 100 feet below 

the surface.

Curative properties of spring waters. Most owners of commercial 

springs publish numerous testimonials of woftderful cures wrought 

by the waters. From some advertisements it would appear that 

the water would cure nearly every known disease. It is not within 

the province of this report to discuss the medicinal value of waters, 

but a word of caution should be given. There are many reliable 

spring companies whose waters are all that is claimed for them. 

There are other companies who claim manifold cures which have 

never been made. It would be folly to expect any natural water 

to be a cure-all; but a few spring waters may be valuable for curative properties, which depend on the presence of certain elements 

or compounds. A summary of the medicinal value of mineral waters 

is given in a recent bulletin of the Bureau of Chemistry." Few of 

the Maine spring waters contain large amounts of dissolved solids, 

and therefore few can be called mineral waters in the true sense 

of the term. Most of them are merely pure natural waters, which 

are of value chiefly on account of the small amount of solid matter 

dissolved in them. It is by their purity and by their buoyant effect 

on the general health that they build up the system, rather than on 

account of any wonderful specific property inherent in the water.

i llaywood, J. K., Mineral waters of the United States: Bull. Bur. Chemistry, No. 91, U. S. Dept. Agr., 

1905, pp. 12-16. Compiled from Crook's Mineral waters of the United States and Canada, Schweitzer's 

Mineral waters of Missouri, Cohen's System of physiologic therapeutics, and other publications.
48 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

COLLECTING GALLERIES AND TUNNELS.

In many places, where a large amount of water is needed, infiltration or collecting galleries are constructed, generally in flood 

plains of rivers, where the water which saturates the deposits can 

be collected and pumped out. This method is especially adapted 

to public supplies for fair-sized towns. It has not been used in 

Maine, but there are a number of communities where it could probably be used to advantage.

WELLS.

GENERAL TYPES.

Open wells. Open wells are ordinarily used for domestic purposes 

throughout the State. Wells of this type are generally 3 to 6 feet in 

diameter and from 10 to 50 feet in depth, the most common depth 

being about 30 feet. The depth is dependent on the distance to the 

water table and on the character of the material penetrated. Such 

wells are dug by hand if in surface deposits, or blasted if in rock. 

Dug wells are curbed with stone or bricks, generally uncemented. 

Sometimes open wells under 2 feet in diameter are bored with an 

auger; such wells are curbed with wooden curbs. Open wells are 

adapted principally to localities where the water is near the surface, 

especially where it occurs in small seeps, in clayey materials, and 

requires extensive storage space. Open wells should never be situated near sources of pollution.

Tubular wells. This term is used in a general sense to describe 

all types of wells cased with iron pipe, or drilled in solid rock where 

casing is not necessary. In diameter they vary from If inches in 

some shallow driven wells to 15 inches or more in the largest tubular 

wells sunk for city water supplies. In soft unconsolidated deposits 

of sand and gravel which carry considerable water at shallow depths 

small pipes 1J to 4 inches in diameter, provided with points and 

screens, may be driven by hand or power. Such tubular wells are 

termed driven wells. In localities where the upper soil contains 

polluting matter driven wells are much safer than open wells, for, 

when driven some distance below the water table, they draw only 

from the lower part of the reservoir. Shallow tubular wells may be 

bored, or in soft deposits they may be sunk by the "jet process," 

which consists in forcing water down a small iron "jet pipe" inside 

the casing, the water and drillings rising between the two pipes. The 

casing sinks by its own weight or is forced down. Such wells are 

generally 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Tubular wells in rock or other 

hard material are commonly "drilled wells," sunk by lifting and droping a heavy drill run by power. Tubular wells are cased with iron 

pipe in soft material and generally not cased in rock.

Connected- wells. Frequently two or more drilled wells are located 

near together and connected by exploding a charge of dynamite near
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 49

the bottom of the shallower one. Thus it is possible to pump several 

wells with a single pump. In a few places neighboring wells are connected naturally by joint cracks.

Combination wells. A common form of well is the combination of 

dug and drilled or dug and "driven well. Frequently when dug wells 

run dry the owner sinks a tubular well in the bottom, running the 

casing only to the bottom of the old open well, or only part way to the 

surface. As stated on page 54, such a combination well is unsafe.

.METHODS OF OBTAINING WELL WATEK.

Pumping. In Maine there are few flowing wells, and in most wells 

the water must be raised artilicially. The old-fashioned method of 

raising water is by the windlass, and in some parts of the State well 

sweeps are in common use. Such simple contrivances are only suitable for shallow open wells; in deep wells it is necessary to install a 

pump. This is also recommended in shallow wells, as it is easier of 

operation and the well can be covered to prevent entrance of animals, 

dust, organic matter, etc.

By far the great majority of wells in Maine are pumped by hand, 

and this method is in ireneral fairlv satisfactorv when only a small

FIG. 3. Diagram showing conditions under which flowing wells are commonly obtained in favorable 

regions. (After Chamberlin.) This sketch shows the contrast 1o conditions in Maine, illustrated 

in fig. 4. A, Porous stratum; B, (', impervious beds below and above A. acting as confining; strata; 

F, height of water level in porous beds, or "head" of water; D, E, flowing wells supplied by waterfined bed 4.

amount of water is required for domestic use. Hand pumps are 

either ordinary suction pumps, chain pumps, rotary pumps, or deepwell pumps. In the farming and summer-resort sections, however, 

windmills are common. They are inexpensive in comparison with 

the sums generally spent in drilling the well, and they save a great 

deal of manual labor, especially when the water is desired for stock. 

For public water supplies it is necessary to resort to some kind of 

power. Steam, hot air, and gasoline engines are in use. Many persons who own cottages on the coast or islands have these kinds of 

power, which give excellent service. There are in southern Maine 

about 30 wells pumped by steam, about 17 by gasoline engines, and 

. about 20 by hot air. Several electric power pumps and two or three 

air lifts have been installed.

Artesian wells. -In man}" wells the water is under the pressure of

a considerable head, forcing it to rise. Such wells are known as

artesian wells. If the water rises enough to reach the surface, the

wells arc known as flowing artesian wells. The conditions under

59969 IRR 223 09 4
50 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

which flows are normally obtained are described by Fuller,* and the 

cause of the flow is illustrated in fig. 3. The pressure is due to the 

confinement of the water in inclosed beds beneath an impervious 

layer. The water enters the porous beds where they outcrop on the 

surface and flows downward beneath the impervious covering. When 

the latter is pierced by the well the water rises in consequence of the 

pressure due to the superincumbent water. Only a few flows of this 

type occur in Maine, however, and these are generally from surface 

deposits in very local basins.

Bayley, in his notes on the underground waters of Maine,6 gives 

the location of a few flowing wells in Maine, and several more were 

mentioned by Srnith, c in his Kittery-York report. A few more have 

been found by the writer. Most of these belong to the type illustrated in fig. 4, where the pressure is derived from systems of joint

FIG. 4. Diagram showing various conditions in drilled wells in Maine. A, C, conditions under which, 

flowing wells may be obtained; S, D, S, conditions under which no water may be found; E, normal 

condition of obtaining water in drilled wells; A, conditions under which well may be polluted by surface 

drainage entering joint cracks near mouth of well.

cracks sloping from higher levels. A superficial coating of till or 

bowlder clay generally prevents the water from reaching the surface 

by springs at higher points on the hill. The water penetrates downward along joint cracks and is tapped by a well lower down on the 

slope or near the bottom of the valley.

In all, 34 flowing wells are known in southern Maine. These are 

distributed as follows:

Flowing u'elh in southern Maine.

Androscoggin County............................................ 2

Cumberland County............................................. 11

Hancock County................................................ 3

Knox County................................................... 1

Penobscot County............................................... 2

Sagadahoc County............................................... 2

Somerset County................................................. 1

Waldo County................................................... 4.

Washington County.............................................. 1

York County.................................................... 7

It will be noticed that flowing wells are most abundant in the 

southwest corner of the State. In the town of Greenville, several 

miles north of the area considered in this report, there is a group of

o Fuller, M. L., Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 319, 1908.

8 Bayley, W. S., Water-Supply Paper, U. S. Geol. Survey No. 114, 1905, p. 49.

f Smith, G. O., Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 145, 1905, pp. 122-123,
EECOVEKY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 51

flowing1 wells which are better than any elsewhere in Maine. These 

will be described in the forthcoming report on the underground 

waters of northern Maine. The highest flow due to artesian pressure 

in southern Maine is about 5 feet above the surface. In one well at 

Greenville, however, the water rises 20 feet above the surface.

LOCATION OF WELLS.tt

Factors to be considered. The chief factors to be considered in 

choosing the best location for a well are (1) position of the water 

table, (2) accessibility and convenience, (3) direction of movement 

of ground water, (4) direction and movement of sewage, (5) points 

of most abundant water, and (6) possible sources of pollution.

Position of the water table. The first factor is generally not important except in open or driven wells. These are generally shallow, 

because of the nature of their construction, and their cost is small. 

"On passing downward in porous or semiporous materials, such as 

those in which most open wells are located, a level is soon reached 

below which the ground is saturated with water (at least down to 

the first impervious stratum). This water body, or ground water, 

as it is called, has a definite upper surface, known as the water table, 

which conforms in general with the broader surface irregularities, 

but with the difference that the surface of the water table is flatter 

than that of the ground, being far below the ground on hilltops 

and cutting the surface in valleys." At a stream or swamp the 

water table reaches the surface, and the nearer to such natural features 

the well is situated the less will be its cost. The places where the 

water table is nearest the surface, however, are the most subject to 

pollution, and cheapness is often gained at the expense of safety.

Accessibility and convenience. The location of any well is necessarily determined to a large extent by its nearness to the place where 

the water is to be used. Convenience often demands that open 

wells should be situated under houses or in barnyards, near privies 

or cesspools, or in other situations where the}T are subject to pollution, but it is always better to locate the well a few hundred feet 

away than to take such a risk.

Points of most abundant water. In many places, especially on the 

uplands covered with bowlder clay, it is necessary to choose the 

location of open wells with reference to the relative abundance of 

water. In bowlder-clay deposits the best situation can not alwa}Ts be 

told in advance, as water in them occurs most commonly in somewhat 

porous channels not visible from the surface. When there is a 

choice between digging in bowlder clay or in gravel the latter should 

be chosen, especially if the gravel is underlain by bowlder clay, as

o Considerable portions of this and the succeeding section are taken by permission from unpublished 

notes of M. L. Fuller, Literal excerpts are inclosed in quotation marks.
52 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

the water will penetrate downward until stopped by the more impervious bed; and will then be held in a sort of reservoir until tapped 

by a well or drained off laterally. On slopes the most abundant 

water is near the base of the slope. Generally there is abundant 

water in valley drift, but on the hills it occurs in smaller quantities.

Direction of movement of ground water. "The motion of ground 

water is always in the direction of steepest slope of the water table, 

and as this is likely to correspond with the direction of the surface 

slope the direction of motion of the ground water generally approximates that of the surface drainage." In drift deposits water 

moves from higher to lower levels. On hills it will move downward through the drift, along the top of the underlying rock. 

Exceptions are where till, clay, rock, or other relatively impervious 

formations dip in the opposite direction from the surface. In such cases 

the water will move downward from the surface along the top of the 

impervious bed. Wells which are intended to tap the reservoir of 

ground water should be situated at points toward which the water 

is moving, and these points must be determined by a study of the 

surrounding formations.

Sources of possible pollution. Next to the question of abundance 

of water that of pollution is most important in a consideration of the 

location of wells. Purity or impurity of underground water is dependent on several factors. If porous drift extends downward indefinitely from the surf ace, opportunity is afforded for the downward 

penetration of polluting substances, but the water may sometimes 

be purified by filtering through sand. If the water-bearing bed is 

overlain by a covering of impervious rock or clay it is protected from 

pollution. The purity of water, even in deep wells, may be dependent on the tightness of the casing, both at the joints and at the 

connection with the pump. Some deep wells in Maine have been 

rendered dangerous by leaving the casing open at the top, thus 

affording entrance for surface drainage, small animals, etc. (See PI. 

IX, B.) When wells are drilled into rock it is customary to drive the 

casing through the drift and a few feet into the ledge for the sake 

of protection, but where poor connection with the rock is made 

contamination often results. The purity of water is also dependent 

on the depth and kind of casing, as is explained on page 66.

u No well should be located where polluting matter has access to it. 

Such matter usually comes from cesspools or privies, slops thrown 

on the surface, backings from hen yards, pigpens, and barnyards, 

from manured fields, animals falling into the water, and filth thrown 

in through the open top or washed in through the plank coverings 

or leaky casings. The matter entering through the top can be kept 

out by cement, iron, or other impervious curbings. The entrance 

of material at the bottom of shallow wells can be prevented only
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE IX

.1. WELL AT COUNTY JAIL, WISCASSET. 

Showing best method of protection from surface drainage.

B. WELL AT HERON ISLAND, SHOWING OPEN CASING.

PROTECTED AND UNPROTECTED WELLS.
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. OO

by locating them beyond the reach of contamination. Where any 

of the polluting agents are present care should be taken to see that 

the well is located at least 100 feet away and 011 distinctly higher 

ground, so that both the surface drainage and the underground 

drainage which generally moves in the same direction will be 

away from it. On flat sands the wells should be at least 150 feet 

from any source of pollution. The importance of choosing a location safe from polluting influences is almost universally underestimated. Laying aside considerations of comfort and health, a safe 

well is nearly always, in the long run, the cheapest. Safety should 

invariably be made the first consideration instead of the last."

Location of deep wells. The chief consideration in locating dee]) 

wells is to obtain a supply, slight differences in location seldom 

greatly affecting cost; moreover, owing to the prevailing use of casing in soft deposits, safety from ordinary pollution is insured. The 

occurrence of deep waters depends on the character and structure of 

the rocks far below the surface, and the well may usually be located 

independently of surface relief. In crystalline rocks and highly 

folded slates, such as are found in Maine, it is impossible to predict 

with certainty where a well should be drilled in order to be successful, 

although a study of the rocks by a geologist should afford some information regarding the probability of obtaining successful wells in 

various situations.

CHOICE OF A TYPE OF WELL. a

Factors to be considered. "The type of well is the first and perhaps 

the most important point to be decided when sinking for water 

is contemplated. Of the many types in use, including bored and 

driven wells, those sunk by the jet process, and those drilled by a 

rotary or percussion rig, each possesses one or more points especially 

qualifying it for use in some of the varying conditions encountered 

in drilling; on the other hand, each has some disadvantage which 

may disqualify it for use under certain circumstances. The chief 

factors which govern the selection of a type are usually the amount of 

water needed, the character of the materials to be penetrated, the 

depth to which the well must be sunk, the cost of sinking, and the 

safety of the resulting supply."

Amount of water obtained by different types. Where the amount 

of water entering the well is small, it is obviously a distinct advantage to have a well of sufficient size to store water during the 

times when it is not in use. Open wells are best for this purpose, 

and this type also has the advantage of cutting a larger cross section

a Considerable portions of this section are taken by permission from unpublished notes of M. L. Fuller.
54 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

of the water-bearing bed, and thus intercepting more water. In sands 

and other soft porous materials, which contain considerable water at 

slight depths, a driven well is desirable. Where water occurs in joint 

cracks, as in granite and slate, a well of large diameter offers greater 

chance of striking a seam of water than a well of small diameter. 

For all deep wells and for shallow wells in all but the softest materials 

drilled wells are recommended, as they are cheaper, more quickly put 

down, and safer than wells of the old-fashioned types.

Safety of different types. Polluting matter finds entrance to a well 

in a number of ways. In dug wells it may enter through the crevices 

in the stone, brick, or wood curbing, or even through the pores of the 

brick itself; in bored wells it may enter through the uncemented 

joints of the tiling or cracks between the staves of the wooden curbing; and in drilled or driven wells it may enter through leaky joints 

or holes eaten in the iron casing by corrosive waters. In all types of 

open and curbed wells there is particular danger of surface wash. 

Open wells can be protected from this danger by proper curbing, but 

shallow wells of all kinds can be protected from underground pollution only by safe location. In a town or village, and even in close 

proximity to a farmhouse, few locations are safe, and hence drilled 

wells are almost universally the most desirable. These wells may 

become dangerous through leaky joints in a casing, through poor 

connection with the bed rock, through corroded casings, and through 

open tops. Where tiling is used for casing it may become so broken 

as to render the well dangerous. The danger of pollution in drilled 

wells can be remedied by proper construction.

"A particularly dangerous type of well the more so because it 

is fancied to be secure is a combination of the dug and drilled types. 

Because of the slight saving in expense, drilled wells are frequently 

sunk in the bottom of old dug wells, the casing often beginning 

at the bottom of the latter. Although the water encountered by 

the deep well may be perfectly pure at the start, contamination 

may take place almost immediately by the entrance, especially 

after rains, of seepage water into the open well and thence into the 

casing of the drilled well. The remedies are obvious. Either the 

casing should be carried to the surface of the outside ground, or at 

least above the highest level ever reached by the water, or the open 

well should be converted into a water-tight system by the application of a thick coating of cement over both sides and bottom/'

Types in use in Maine. In this State dug wells greatly predominate in number over wells of all other types. Such wells are, however, relatively shallow; few of them exceed 50 feet in depth. For 

that reason few dug wells are listed in Professor Bayley's table
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER, 55

(pp. 242-259). Next to dug wells the most numerous are those sunk 

with an ordinary churn drill. Most of the wells described in tliis 

report are of this type, as they are by far the most practicable in 

regions of hard rock. Driven wells are abundant in Maine, but are 

of necessity confined to shallow depths and to valleys in which the 

sand and gravel deposits are very soft and easily penetrated by the 

well point. On account of their shallowness few of them are included 

in the table mentioned. There are very few bored wells in Maine, 

and these are all rather shallow.

DEPTH OF WELL.

OBJECT OF DEEP WELLS.

The depth to which a well is to be sunk is one of the chief questions 

to be decided, for on the depth are dependent both the type and the 

location. There may be at least three reasons why an owner should 

sink a deep well instead of a shallow one, viz, (1) to obtain an 

adequate supply, (2) to get a higher head, and (3) to get purer water.

RELATION" OF ADEQUATE SUPPLIES TO DEPTH OF WELL.

Erroneous beliefs. There seems to be a general belief that the 

amount of water increases with the depth, and that water may 

be found anywhere if only the well be drilled deep enough. Nothing, however, could be much farther from the truth. In surface 

deposits it is true that more water may be found with increasing 

depth as far as the gravel extends, but in the bed rock the occurrence 

of water follows different laws. The greater part of the water found 

in the earth came originally in the form of rain, and, as would be 

expected, the amount of water actually decreases rather than increases 

with great depth. Man}T rocks encountered by deep mines and 

wells, especially at depths below 1,000 feet, are entirely devoid of 

water. a

Limiting depth of abundant water. In an investigation of underground waters in crystalline rocks in Connecticut it was found that, 

although down to a depth of 200 feet the chances of striking water 

by deeper drilling are good, below 200 feet the chances decrease. 

The difference is due to the closeness of the joint cracks below that 

depth. 6 Substantially the same conclusion has been reached for 

many rocks in Maine. Several wells more than 500 feet in depth, 

drilled in granite and gneiss, have obtained practically no water. 

One of the most experienced well drillers in Maine states that the

"Fuller, M. L., Total amount of free water in the earth's crust: Water-Supply Paper T T . S. Geol. Survey 

No. 160, 1906, pp. 64-70.

ftEllis, E. E., Occurrence of water in crystalline, rocks: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey -NO. H.O, 

1906, pp. 22-23.
56 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

average depth to which it is desirable to drill in granite is 185 feet, 

below which the chances decrease.

In many of the slate areas of the State, on the other hand, the 

maximum desirable depth seems not to have been reached, as wells 

300 and even 400 feet deep report increasing supplies with increasing 

depth. As few slate wells more than 400 feet deep have been drilled, 

no statement can be made for greater depths, but it is believed that 

the cracks tend to close below 600 feet. As the occurrence of water 

in this State is uncertain the depth at which wells strike a sufficient 

volume of water is extremely variable and can not be predicted.

Conditions of greater abundance at depths. It is true that under 

certain conditions the volume of water found may increase with the 

depth. Sand, gravel, and bowlder clay, for instance, are dry down 

to the level of the water table, but below this level the amount of 

water increases until rock or some other impervious bed is reached. 

In some parts of Maine the surface deposit is clay, which contains 

very little water, but when this is penetrated gravels that contain an 

abundance of water are frequently found. Again, in rocks where 

the joints are open to great depths water ma}7 descend several hundred feet. Such is the case in some of the slate areas of Maine, 

where the deeper wells are the best.

Conditions of greater abundance near surface. On the other hand, 

the quantity of water held in thick sand and gravel deposits is generally more than that in the rock or till below them. Water is more 

abundant in valley deposits than it is in the underlying rock. Where 

water-bearing sand rests upon clay the amount of water generally 

decreases as the clay is entered. Investigations have shown that 

in most rock wells the joint cracks are likely to be open near the 

surface and to diminish in size with increasing depth, and that if a 

depth of 200 to 500 feet or so, differing with the kind of rock, is reached 

without striking water it is generally cheaper and more satisfactory 

iri all respects to start a new well. Usually the greater abundance of 

water in deep wells than in shallow ones is due to the fact that a 

greater number of water-bearing seams are encountered, and for 

this reason it is advisable to drill at least 200 feet if a sufficient 

supply is not obtained nearer the surface.

RELATION OK HEAD TO DEPTH OK WELL.

There is a general belief that the head as well as the volume 

increases with increase of depth. In a few wells such an increase 

was noted, for example, in the'flowing wells at Greenville and in 

scattered wells elsewhere; but such cases are rare and are always 

due to chance local conditions which do not prevail over any wide 

area. In Maine flowing wells are exceptional and should not be 

hoped for. Sometimes the level of water in the well is raised by
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 57

going deeper, but this too is an accident. Most wells are drilled a 

few feet deeper than the water vein in order to form a reservoir^or 

the water and whatever sediment it may contain.

RELATION OP PURITY OF WATER TO DEPTH OF WELL.

The prevailing idea in regard to purity, as in regard to volume 

and head, is that deep waters are best. This is generally true, for 

the reason that shallow waters are usually in unconsolidated deposits, and not being protected by impervious rocks or clay they 

are more likely to be polluted by surface drainage. A deep rock 

well is nearly always to be recommended where pure drinking water 

is desired.

When water is needed for industrial purposes the problem is somewhat different. While water from a depth is generally free from 

surface pollution, it often contains considerably more mineral matter 

in the form of incrusting constituents and is generally harder than 

most surface waters. In Maine, however, few waters are so hard 

as to prevent their use for laundries and boilers.

DEPTH OF WELLS IN SOUTHERN MAINE.

In the region covered by this report the drilled wells range in 

depth from 20 to more than 800 feet. Only a few, however, are 

more than 500 feet deep. Out of 500 wells in Professor Bay ley's list 

(see pp. 242-259) which are more than 50 feet deep only six exceed 

500 feet. In order to show the common depth of wells in various 

parts of southern Maine the following table has been prepared. 

Only drilled wells more than 50 feet deep are here considered.

Number of wells of different depths in southern Maine.

County.

Oxford..........................

Waldo..........................

Between 

50 and 

100 feet.

1

44

 >

47

16

31

4

5

26

8

29

263

Between 

100 and 

200 feet.

4

30

15

15

15

20

4

1

19

 7

9

147

Between 

200 and 

300 feet.

1

22

6

7

2

10

3

58

Between 

300 and 

400 feet.

5

}

3

........:.

4

9

19

Between 

400 and 

500 feet.

^

..........

3

More 

than 500 

feet.

1 ->

1

1

0

Total 

number 

reported 

more 

than 50 

feet.

11

103

 >

3*

33

54

8

58

(i

59

12

45

500

DEPTH TO PRINCIPAL WATER SUPPLY.

In parts of the country where water occurs in definite beds it is 

possible to predict the depth at which it will be found by calculation
58 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

from knowledge of the lay of the rocks and the altitude of the surface. 

In^Maine, however, the water occurs at no definite depth, and all 

statements as to the distance below the surface at which it will be 

found must be expressed only as probabilities. Professor Bayley, 

in compiling the well records, made an effort to obtain figures giving 

the depth of the principal water supply below the well mouth. It 

was possible to obtain these figures for more than half the wells; in 

the rest the depth to the water vein was not known by the owners. 

In order to make comparison of the depths at which the principal 

supply was found in various parts of the State the following table has 

been prepared, giving the depths of the principal water bed as found 

in the several counties:

Number of wells in southern Maine obtaining principal water supply at stated depths.

County.

Oxford..........................

Waldo..........................

York............................

Between 

surface 

and 50 

feet.

1

11

!

9

H

1

10

1

57

Between 

50 and 

100 feet.

3

19

1

83

7

10

20

2

22

2

10

2

152

Between 

100 and 

200 feet.

1

 7

6

11

2

6

61

Between 

200 and 

300 feet.

Q

1

1

1

3

9

26

Between « ! _.. Total 

300 and J*e V [ number 400 feet. *JU Ieel:- reported.

.......... 1 49

1 .......... 19

.................... 23

.................... 34

.......... .......... 4

.......... 1 39

................... 2

3 .......... 36

1 .......... 4

1 ......... 23

6 3 305

By reference to the table it will be seen that nearly three times as 

many wells drilled more than 50 feet obtain their principal vein of 

water between 50 and 100 feet from the surface as those which obtain 

it within 50 feet of the surface. More wells obtain water between 100 

and 200 feet than obtain it within 50 feet of the surface. The number 

encountering their principal water vein deeper than 200 feet, however, diminishes rapidly with each 100 feet of depth. Hence it can 

be said that the principal water vein may in the greater number of 

wells be looked for between 50 and 100 feet below the surface; but no 

one prospecting for water should begin to get discouraged unless he 

drills more than 200 feet without finding water.

Several exceptions can be made to the statements regarding the 

occurrence of the greatest number of water seams between 50 and 100 

feet from the surface. For instance, it will be noticed that in Waldo 

County as many wells obtain water at depths less than 50 feet as 

between 50 and 100 feet, but that at the same time an equal number
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATEE. .59

obtain their largest supplies between 200 and 400 feet from the surface. Waldo County is largely made up of slate, which seems to hold 

plenty of water, and in that section the principal supply is just as 

likely as not to be obtained at depths greater than elsewhere. The 

statement is believed to hold true for Penobscot County also, although 

in that county shallow wells have met with such success that few have 

been drilled much below 100 feet. A further discussion of the probable maximum depth of water is given under the descriptions of the 

different rocks. (See pp. 29-38.)

DIAMETER OF WELL.

By far the most common diameter for drilled wells in this part of 

the country is 6 inches. Most drillers prefer to sink 6-inch holes, and 

the prices which they quote and those given in this report are for this 

size. For domestic use a sufficient supply of water can generally be 

obtained from a 6-inch well, and it does not seem desirable, except in 

particular cases, to go to the additional expense of sinking an 8-iiich 

or 10-inch well. A 4-inch well is likely to be too small to give satisfaction, but a few of that diameter have been drilled.

Where a larger amount of water is needed, as in creameries, factories, hotels, etc., an 8-inch well is frequently sunk. Most of the 

wells drilled for the United States Government at forts along the 

coast are 8 inches in diameter, although a few of them are 6 inches. 

For a number of city water supplies, large hotels, etc., 10-inch or 

12-inch wells have been drilled. These are expensive and ordinarily 

not desirable. Although theoretically they will yield a larger volume 

of water, it is not supposed that the amount of water stored in rocks 

in this State is sufficient to warrant many wells of this size. It is 

generally preferable to sink two or more smaller wells. In the early 

days of well drilling in Maine the business was not such an established 

one, and the wells were generally of odd sizes. For that reason many 

wells of 5-inch, 7-inch, 9-inch, and other diameters are reported.

Driven wells sunk for domestic purposes are generally from If to 

2^ inches in diameter, and this size suffices for most purposes. Larger 

wells are sometimes driven, however. In some of the city waterworks batteries of 30 or more 2^-inch driven wells are used.

UNCERTAINTY OF RESULTS. 0

"The discovery of water by a given well in rocks of this State does 

not necessarily indicate that other wells drilled in the same neighborhood will likewise yield water. As a matter of fact, in several places 

dry wells and fairly successful wells are situated side by side. At 

North Haven, in Penobscot Bay, a well was drilled to a depth of 300

"The three paragraphs within quotation marks are from notes of Prof. \V. S. Bayley.
60 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

feet without finding water; while a second well, less than 50 feet distant, encountered water at 60 feet under sufficient pressure to raise it 

within 14 feet of the surface. This well yields about 350 gallons a 

day.

"Again, at Palmyra, in Somerset County, three wells were drilled 

in slate. One was dry to a depth of 157 feet, at which depth the well 

was abandoned. A second, 70 feet distant, was drilled 80 feet, when 

it suddenly filled within 4 feet of the surface. It yields, however, but 

25 to 50 gallons daily. A third well, 170 feet from the second one, 

struck water at 60 feet and now yields about 200 gallons daily.

"In the Kittery-York district a well on the road between York 

Harbor and York Beach yields 100 gallons an hour, the water vein 

at a depth of 25 feet giving a pressure sufficient to drive the water 2 

feet above the surface. Near by, on Cape Xeddick, only a few hundred yards from the flowing well, is another that was drilled to a considerable depth without encountering any water. A third well, at a 

slightly greater distance from the first, was drilled 87 feet, at which 

depth salt water was struck."

Fortunately, however, the risk of missing water is not great. The 

number of dry wells reported is small. The rocks in the southern 

part of the State (where most of the drilled wrells are situated) are 

nearly all slaty, schistose, and much jointed rocks cut by granite and 

other igneous rocks. The foliation planes and joint cracks are 

numerous and closely spaced, so that a drill hole of even moderate 

length can scarcely avoid intersecting many of them. They afford 

abundant space for the storage of large quantities of water, but they 

yield it comparatively slowly.

An important consequence of the manner of storage of water in 

schistose and jointed rocks is that prophecies regarding the depth at 

which the water is to be found are valueless. In a gently folded 

region like Minnesota or Kansas an approximate estimate of the 

position of the porous water-bearing bed is usually possible. In 

areas of crystalline or metamorphic rocks like Maine, on the other 

hand, each well is an independent problem. The hole is sunk until 

it strikes a crevice or a group of crevices yielding sufficient wTater for 

the purpose needed, and the depth to which it must be sunk can not 

be foretold. In some wells water is encountered within 50 feet of the 

surface; in others only at much greater depths.

PROPORTION OF SUCCESSFUL WELLS.

An earnest effort has been made to obtain accurate information 

regarding the proportion of wells drilled which are successful. Such 

an estimate is difficult to obtain for several reasons. In the first 

place, most well drillers are naturally inclined to be optimistic and 

report few if any failures. Second, real failures are likely to be for-
RECOVERY OF UNDERGROUND WATER. 61

gotten by residents of a community, and it is hard to get track of 

them. Third, there is no agreement between underground-water 

experts, well drillers, and owners as to what really constitutes a successful well. In several instances the United States Government has 

been known to abandon a well for the reason that its supply was 

only 10 to 20 gallons a minute. Large hotels have abandoned 

wells for the same reason. For ordinary domestic purposes, however, 

a well with this capacity is called very successful, and even 1 or 2 

gallons a minute will usually suffice for a single family. If less water 

than this is obtained, the well is generally ranked as a failure. .

As stated above, most well drillers report no failures. A few of the 

most experienced drillers report one or two wells in a hundred that 

do not yield sufficient water. In many instances there is a disagreement between the driller and the owner, owing to the fact that the well 

produced a fair amount of water when the vein was first pierced, but 

by the time the bill had been paid and the driller had moved to some 

other town the water gave out. Cases like this are due to the water 

occurring in pockets. For this reason some of the more experienced 

and reliable drillers will not leave a well until after waiting a sufficient 

time to determine whether the supply is likely to be permanent.

In the following table a successful wT ell is considered as one that 

supplies enough water for ordinary domestic use, generally a gallon 

a minute. In compiling the table all wells more than 50 feet in 

depth in which the type of rock was known were considered. The 

unsuccessful wells include both those in which little water was found 

and those in which the water was of very inferior quality.

Proportion of successful wells in southern Maine.

Type of rock.

Slate ....'.......................................................

Schist. .........................................................

Number 

of successful wells.

51

12

191

34

10

42

340

Number 

of unsuccessful 

wells.

8

2

a23

3

3

*>6

45

Total 

number 

of wells considered.

59

14

214

37

13

48

385

Percentage successful.

8b

8(i

88

92

87

88

a Including six wells ruined by entrance of sea water. 

i> Including one well ruined by entrance of sea water.

It will be seen that, aside from the trap and greenstone wells, the 

percentage of successful wells was from 86 to 92, the average being 88. 

On account of the factors mentioned in the preceding paragraph, 

however, this is possibly somewhat overestimated. It is evident that 

trap and greenstone are the poorest rocks in this State in which to 

drill. If the six slate wells ruined by salt water should be included
62 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

with the successful wells, the percentage of probable success by drilling in slate would become 93, agreeing very well with the percentage 

for schist.

CAPACITY OF WELLS.

As very few wells in Maine are pumped by power, and as fewer of 

these are operated continuously or more than several hours at a time, 

it is difficult to make any definite generalization regarding the amount 

of water which they will yield. The best that can be done is to state 

the maximum and minimum amounts obtained and the most common reports of the yield in gallons a minute. Some of these reports 

are based on only a few minutes' pumping; in other cases the wells 

have been operated as a test for several hours or days continuously. 

Probably the majority of wells in Maine yield less than 5 gallons of 

water a minute. There are, however, many reports of yields as high 

as 10 or 20 gallons a minute, and a number of wells where more than 

50 gallons a minute have been obtained for several hours continuously. A few yields of 100 to 200 gallons a minute are reported, but 

such high amounts can not be vouched for, as the exact conditions 

under which the test was made are unknown. One of the greatest 

factors in the reported capacity of the well is obviously the capacity 

of the pump used.

INCREASE IN YIELD.

In some wells the capacity increases with age. This is due to the 

fact that a newly drilled well contains at its bottom much fine material derived from the drilling, which tends to clog up the pores and 

water veins in the rock. As time passes this material is washed out, 

and the yield of the well becomes larger. Instances of such increases 

in yield are the well of the Penobscot Coal and Wharf Company at 

Searsport, that of the Maine Insane Hospital at Widows Island, and 

some wells in the town of Standish. In one well in Standish, drilled 

ten years ago, not more than half a gallon a minute could be obtained 

at first, but it has now increased in yield so that it can not be 

pumped dry.

DECREASE IN YIELD.

It is not uncommon for wells to decrease in yield some time after 

they are drilled. The change may begin to take place shortly after 

the well is first used, or it may not begin for years. In the former case 

it is generaHv due to the fact that pockets of water were struck, 

rather than permanent veins. In the latter case it may be due to 

several causes. Sometimes, when a drilled well is supplied largely 

by surface water, a single dry season will have a great effect on its 

yield. Some shallow drilled wells vary greatly according to the 

month of the year, but the best deep wells are supplied from sources
USES OF UNDERGROUND WATEK. 63

which can not be affected by changes in a single season, though sometimes a series of years in which the rainfall is below normal will affect 

these wells. In other wells the decrease in volume of water may be 

due simply to the gradual draining of the subterranean reservoir, and 

some such wells may never recover their original capacity. Usually when a newly drilled well has been carefully tested by the drillers 

and reported to yield several gallons of water a minute, and this 

capacity continues for several days, it is safe to regard the well as a 

success. It is never wise to let the driller depart until it is reasonably certain that the water does not come from pockets.

IXTEREFFECT OF WELLS.

An interesting study could be made of the effect of neighboring 

wells upon one another, and such a study would be of great benefit 

to the inhabitants of a region and would increase the knowledge of 

conditions under which underground waters occur. The well at Foster's dyehouse at Portland is 140 feet deep in slate, and several water 

beds were penetrated. When a second well was drilled about 600 

feet distant the water level in the dyehouse well was depressed about 

3 feet.

In J. C. Rogers's granite quarry near Stonington two wells were 

drilled to depths of 94 and 279 feet. These wells are naturally connected by a joint crack about 60 feet from the surface. By pumping 

the 94-foot well water can be drawn from both. The capacity is 60 

gallons a minute. The wells of the Southwest Harbor Water Company are situated 36 feet apart and are connected 90 feet from the 

surface.

At Dark Harbor, in the town of Islesboro, Charles Pendelton sunk 

a well to a depth of 88 feet. At a later date a well was sunk 16 feet 

distant, on the Alien property, and in half an hour from the time 

water was struck in the Alien well the yield of the Pendelton well 

diminished to such an extent that it would pump down so as to suck 

air. The Pendelton well was then deepened to 140 feet and encountered a large volume of water which supplied both wells. Water will 

now rise within 5 feet of the surface in both, but the greater part of 

the water in Alien's well is supplied from Pendelton's. The rock is 

much broken up at this place, and in the Pendelton well the drill was 

very nearly lost in a crack at a depth of about 80 feet.

USES OF UNDERGROUND WATER.

The prevailing use of both well and spring waters in Maine is for 

drinking and other domestic purposes and for watering stock. Spring 

and well waters are used for the public supplies of many villages, and 

well water is used in boilers of locomotives or manufacturing estab-
64 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

lishnients, there being little water in Maine that gives too much scale 

for this purpose. Several creameries use water for cooling cream, 

and pulp mills use it for cooling acid. In granite quarries, especially 

011 the islands, the water problem is an important one, and in several 

places well drilling has met with success. In addition to the ordinary uses of water, certain spring waters have value as "mineral 

waters.' ; They are put on the market and shipped to distant centers, or the springs are made sites for summer hotels, thus contributing 

to the health of the country and to the wealth of the State.

COST OF WELL DRILLING.

The cost is necessarily an important factor in the sinking of wells. 

It varies with the localit}r , the kind of rock, and other conditions. 

For a rock well under 30 feet in depth the cost of drilled and open 

wells is about the same. A shallow well in drift may be cheaper if 

dug than if drilled, but in general drilled wells are the cheapest if they 

are carried down more than a few feet. Of all types the cheapest is 

the driven well, and this type is recommended wherever practicable. 

Such wells can be sunk to moderate depths through sand, fine gravel, 

and clay for $10 to $20.

The cost of drilled wells is very variable, depending on the locality 

and the kind of rock. In Aroostook County, where the rocks are 

rather soft slate, the cost is only $2 a foot in surface deposits and $1 

in ledge, cased to rock and the casing furnished. Near Bangor, 

where the rock is slate, the charge is $3 per foot for the first 50 feet, 

$4 for the second 50 feet, and $5 for every foot below 100. This price 

includes the casing. A well 247 feet deep at Bangor cost $940: the 

windmill cost $66 and the pump $45. At other places in Penobscot 

County the price is $3 a foot straight, and in some towns it is less. In 

Lincoln County, in the area of complex, the common charge is $3.50 a 

foot, but some wells have been drilled for less. On account of the 

expense of drilling, it is possible that the price in this section may be 

raised. At Bucksport, in Hancock County, a well 308 feet in depth 

cost $1,540 and a steam pumping plant cost $360.

Wells on the islands cost more than those on the mainland. In Lincoln County island wells cost $6 a foot. In Hancock County, where 

the rock is largely granite, the cost is generally $4 on the mainland and 

$5 on the islands. Most drillers charge $6 in granite. Blasted wells, 

only a few feet deep, are $4 a foot. On Widows Island, near North 

Haven, a well 109 feet deep cost $525; and a gasoline engine and 

pump $177. In Islesboro, where more drilling has been done than 

in any town in Maine, the charge is $3 a foot, but drillers will not set 

up their machines without an agreement to drill at least 50 feet.

In Washington County, where little drilling has been done, the 

cost is $6 a foot. At Portland and vicintiv it is $4 a foot in drift and
NOTES ON WELL DRILLING IN MAINE. 65

$4 to $6 in rock. A 151-foot well on Cape Elizabeth cost $752, the 

pump $246, and a 40,000-gallon tank $900. A well 120 feet deep on 

Peaks Island cost $450 and a hot-air engine and deep-well pump $400. 

On Diamond Island a 96-foot well cost $500. In York County the 

price is generally about $6 a foot. In the vicinity of Winthrop, Kennebec County, where the rock is slate, the price has been raised from 

$3 to $5 a foot. The lower price ought to be sufficient here, as it is in 

most of the slate areas.

NOTES ON WELL DRILLING IN MAINE.

GENEKAL STATEMENT.

As drilled wells are becoming more and more necessary in Maine, 

and as well drilling constitutes a considerable industry, which benefits the community at large, it seems important to include here a brief 

discussion of certain aspects of drilling that are not understood or 

appreciated by everyone.

RELATION TO KIND OF ROCK. 

Speed of drilling. The speed of drilling in Maine varies from a few 

inches to 30 feet a day, depending on the kind of machine, character 

of rock, abundance of joint cracks, etc.

With a good machine an experienced man can drill a 6-inch hole 

an average distance of 5 feet a day. In granite, however, 5 feet is 

usually the maximum daily performance, and sometimes a very hard, 

fine-grained phase of the rock is struck in which the drill will not go 

more than 1 foot a day. These hard portions of the rock are generally 

aplite dikes. In the slates of southern Maine the speed of drilling 

varies with the nature of the rock, ranging as a rule from 2 to 14 feet 

a day, though in southern Aroostook County, where the slate is 

softer, it averages 20 feet. One driller claims to have sunk a slate 

well 44 feet deep in eight hours, but this record is exceptional. Quartz 

seams in slate retard the speed of the drill.

A well on House Island, near Portland, drilled in metamorphic 

slate or schist, is said to have been deepened 35 feet in one night. In 

the 196-foot well of the Warren Water Company the average speed 

was 3 feet and the fastest 9 feet a day. As a rule, the finer the grain 

of the rock the harder it is to drill. In schist and metamorphic 

slates the drilling is much slower where they stand on edge than 

where they are flat. PI. X, B, shows a dike of granite in slate, illustrating how differences in type of rock may affect the speed of drilling.

Effect of joint cracks. Where joint cracks are parallel to the

surface, or nearly so, they seldom affect the ease of drilling. Where

they dip at a high angle, especially in the harder rocks, drilling

becomes less easy. Frequently tools become stuck in the rock and

59969 IKK 223 09 5
66 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

much time and labor are wasted in recovering them. At other times 

the bit will strike .the hard, smooth surface of the rock and glance 

off to one side, making a crooked hole. In such cases stones and 

occasionally scraps of soft iron are thrown into the hole and blasted 

with dynamite, breaking up the rock so as to give the drill a hold 

on it. Sometimes it is necessary to abandon such wells and make a 

second attempt. The slates of Penobscot County have few troublesome joints, and in them drilling is relatively easy. Most of the 

crooked holes have been sunk by inexperienced drillers. In some 

wells in granite and other hard rock the drilling is reported to "sharpen 

the drill." Other types of rocks cut the drill to pieces.

CASING FOR DRILLED WELLS.

Methods of casing. Properly constructed drilled wells are so cased 

that absolutely no surface water can enter the well. It is rarely 

necessary or desirable to case rock wells far into the rock, but the 

casing should always be driven through the surface deposits and 

several feet into the bed rock. If a tight joint is not made with the 

bed rock an opportunity is furnished for polluted surface water to 

enter between the casing and the rock. In Government wells the 

casing is generally driven 12 feet into the ledge. If the bed rock is 

within a few feet of the surface, it is well to dig around the outside 

of the casing and cement it firmly to the rock.

Pi. IX, B, shows a type of well which is seen far too often. The 

top of the casing is not even attached firmly to the pump or covered 

over, but is open in such a way that surface drainage or small animals 

might easily enter it. The owners of such unprotected wells are 

advised to close the pipes at the surface. Pis. V, B, and IX, A, 

show the proper method of protecting the well by a coating of cement.

Kind of casing. Galvanized iron pipe is commonly used for casing 

wells, and as a rule is serviceable. In some places in Maine, however, the galvanized iron imparts a very disagreeable taste to the 

water, making it unfit for drinking. The water, through some acid 

property, attacks the pipe, eating pin holes through it, and the well 

has to be abandoned or'recased. Generally ordinary iron, pipe is 

free from this disadvantage, but in places trouble is experienced with 

this also. Block-tin pipe, though expensive, is as a rule little acted 

on by water. A well at New Harbor, in Lincoln County, was first 

cased with galvanized iron, but the taste of the water was too strong. 

A change was then made to a block-tin pipe, but the water ate pin 

holes in it and finally wooden pipe had to be put in. An example 

of the trouble caused by the use of galvanized iron is furnished by the 

experience of the Rumford Falls Water and Power Company. (See 

p. 184.)
U. 6. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE X

A. SLATY ROCK ALONG THE COAST, CHRISTMAS COVE. 

Showing nature of rock in which poor water of that vicinity is found.

if. OUTCROP OF ROCK ALONG COAST, FORTUNE ROCK, BIDDEFORD, 

Showing alternation of hard and soft layers.
NOTES ON WELL DRILLING IN MAINE. 67 

INJURY TO WELLS BY SEA WATER.

At a number of places along the Maine coast, especially on the 

islands, ocean water has entered through crevices in the rock and 

mingled with the well water to such an extent that the well has had 

to be abandoned. As a rule trouble with salt water occurs where 

the rock is slate. In a few places, however, salt-water wells have 

been obtained in granite. A well owned by Mrs. Kiesel in the town 

of Islesboro obtained good water at 181 feet from the surface, but 

drilling was continued, and at 220 feet salt water was encountered. 

The well was fillecf with Portland cement to a depth of about 200 feet 

from the top, the sea water being thus shut out, and the water was 

reported of good quality in 1906.

In other wells fresh water is first obtained, but after continued 

pumping the water becomes salt. Such was the case in the Thorp 

well on Greenings Island, off Mount Desert, which rises and falls 

with the tide. The water in the R. A. Foss well in Scarboro, 200 

feet deep and situated 200 or 300 feet from salt water, was good for a 

month, but then became salty.

An interesting well is that of the Consolidated Electric Light Company of Maine, at Portland. In 1887 this well was drilled 136 feet 

and obtained good water. Like the Kiesel well, it was deepened in 

the hope of getting a larger supply, and salt water was encountered. 

The total depth of the well was 204 feet. In 1890 it was plugged. 

The plugging shut off much of the magnesium carbonate and calcium 

carbonate content of the water and increased the sodium chloride 

considerably.

An example of the entrance of sea water occurs in the town of 

Sorrento, which lies on a small neck jutting out from the mainland 

opposite Sullivan. The slate on this neck is very hard, dense, and 

fine grained and breaks up on the weathered outcrop into small 

angular blocks a few inches square. The strike and dip of the strata 

are variable. In some places the cleavage agrees with the stratification, but in others it does not. Clay 5 to 10 feet thick overlies the 

slate along the shore, and it is probable that this would prevent the 

accumulation of much water on the surface of the peninsula. The 

outcrops along the coast show that the rock is deeply fissured by 

wave action, some vertical cracks a foot or more across running in 

for a distance of several feet. As some of the fissures are inclined 

toward the south, it is probable that the sea water enters the rock on 

the north side of the peninsula and makes its way far below the 

surface into wells. This will explain why the only two wells drilled 

on the peninsula were failures, so far as finding fresh water was concerned. PL X, A, gives an idea of the character of rock along the 

coast in which salt water is sometimes found.
68 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

SHOOTING WELLS.

In many parts of the country, and particularly in the oil regions, 

it has been the custom for many years to explode heavy charges 

of nitroglycerin in the bottom of deep rock wells. This practice 

increases the yield of many of the wells enormously, greater amounts 

either of oil or of water being obtained. The increase in yield is due 

to the fracturing of the rock by the force of the explosion, cracks 

being formed in which the liquid can move more freely through the 

rock toward the well.

In many regions water wells have been "shot" with success, and 

this leads to the question whether that method might not be used 

in Maine. A few experiments have been tried by certain drillers, 

who have exploded charges at the bottom of deep wells. It is found 

that in a hard rock like granite the explosion will form small cracks, 

and in a few instances water has entered from a near-by seam and 

supplied the well. Softer rocks, however, like slate and schist, are 

little broken up, and definite cracks are not formed; hence it is hardly 

worth while to shoot wells in these rocks. A crooked well drilled at 

Bath, 90 feet in depth, was shot with 75 pounds of dynamite, but it 

did no good. This well is situated in the area of complex.

Dr. Charles G. Weld, of North Haven, has two successful wells 12 

feet apart, 114 and 140 feet deep. These wells were connected by 

exploding torpedoes at a depth of 114 feet in both of them.

A number of crooked holes have been straightened by shooting. 

A prominent well driller has informed the WTiter that an explosion of 

dynamite in a crooked hole is frequently much better than reaming 

it. Generally 75 to 150 pounds of dynamite are used. The explosion makes very little shock, but sometimes scatters water and 

pebbles several hundred feet from the well.

DATE OF DRILLING.

Study of the well records given in Professor Bayley's table 

(pp. 242-259) shows that nearly half the wells in southern Maine 

have been sunk within the last decade. In the farming regions of the 

State drilling has been largely a necessity, and for that reason considerable was done as early as the eighties, and the number of wells 

drilled annually does not seem to have increased materially since 

then. But in the summer-resort regions, which are mostly situated 

on or near the coast, the greater part of the drilling has been done 

since 1899. There was some drilling in these sections as early as 1890, 

but during the early nineties few wells were put down on account of 

the general industrial depression of the country. The following table 

has been compiled from the well records in order to give an idea of 

the relative number of wells drilled in each decade:
PUBLIC SUPPLIES. 69

Number of wells drilled in southern Maine, by decades.

Before 1880..................................................... 2

1880-1889....................................................... 72

1890-1899....................................................... 133

1900-1906....................................................... 183

390

The total is less than the number of drilled wells reported in the 

table, for the reason that many owners or drillers have failed to 

report the year in which their wells were drilled.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

Classification of sources. Public water supplies in Maine are 

drawn in part from surface sources, including rivers, streams, and 

ponds, and in part from springs and wells. Some of the surface 

sources are so situated that the water is of good quality. Springs 

are good when they are properly situated, and wells are always desirable if they are deep and properly cased. Several towns use more 

than one of these sources, and some communities have changed from 

surface to underground supplies or vice versa.

Ownership of public water systems. A preliminary list of the cities 

and villages possessing water-supply systems was given by W. S. 

Bayley in 1905,° the lists being obtained through correspondence. 

During the summer of 1906 several months of field work was done by 

the writer, and the lists were enlarged considerably. The following 

paragraphs in quotation marks are from the notes of Professor 

Bayley:

"As a result of the investigations, the water systems of the State 

fall into three groups with reference to ownership. The first and 

most numerous group is that owned by incorporated stock companies; 

a second group embraces those owned by private parties; and a third 

group includes those owned by cities or town corporations or by 

water districts. The third group embraces the smallest number of 

systems, but they are the largest, since they include the systems supplying the largest communities. As a rule the service is managed 

directly by the corporate officers in villages, or by water commissioners in cities.

"In recent years another method of management has come into 

vogue. When a community has reached the limit of its borrowing 

capacity, or is too small to warrant the construction of an independent system, a water district is formed, usually embracing two or more 

distinct municipalities, but perhaps including only a portion of a single

a Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 114, 1905, pp. 40-47.
70 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

one. The affairs of the district are managed by a board of trustees 

chosen by the officers of the municipalities interested. The water 

rates are established by these trustees, and the profits arising from 

the operation of the plant, after paying running expenses and providing a certain sum for the maintenance of a sinking fund, are 

turned into the treasuries of the municipalities.

History. -"Until recently nearly all the public supplies of Maine 

were obtained from surface sources, such as lakes and streams. In 

recent years, however, because of the increasing difficulty of finding 

uncontaminated surface supplies, there has been a tendency to utilize 

the underground resources wherever possible. Many villages situated 

in the rural districts have always used spring water, which is conveyed to them in pipes, and in many places small groups of houses 

are supplied in the same way, but these systems have usually been 

owned by private parties and not by public corporations. In late 

years there has been a rapid increase in the number of, public systems 

furnishing spring water. It is plain, however, that since springs are 

limited in capacity, the size and number of communities which can 

depend on them for their public supply must likewise be limited. 

When this limit is reached recourse must be had to wells, if an underground supply is desired, or to lakes if suitable ones are within reach."

Comparative use of various sources. With reference to their sources 

of supply the communities have been grouped under three heads 

those obtaining water from springs, those using wells, and those 

supplied by rivers, streams, and lakes. Nearly all the large cities 

use lake water, as this is found to be more satisfactory than river 

water, because the great quantity of waste matter discharged into the 

streams from factories and the numerous settlements along their 

banks often renders them unfit for domestic use. Of the larger 

communities, only Bangor, Biddeford, and Saco continue to draw 

their supplies from streams. Augusta, Waterville, and Rumford 

Falls have recently changed from rivers to lakes, and Brunswick 

from a lake to wells. Several others of the smaller communities 

are agitating a change from rivers to lakes or wells, and the trend 

of opinion in Bangor is to the effect that Penobscot River must soon 

be abandoned.

The accompanying lists contain 151 names of communities that 

are receiving water distributed through pipes and delivered in 

houses. Of these, 29 obtain their supply from springs, 13 from wells, 

and 109 from surface sources. The names of several of these communities are duplicated, as a few receive their water from two 

sources, and others are at present changing from one source to 

another. Exclusive of duplicates, the number of communities' 

purchasing water distributed through pipes is 148. The lists 

give the most important data that have been collected with
PUBLIC SUPPLIES. 71

respect to the water-supply systems in the southern part of the 

State. They are believed to contain the names of practically all 

the communities enjoying water service, but a few communities may 

have been overlooked.

Relative merits of sources. The choice between a surface and an 

underground source of supply for any community must be controlled 

by several factors. In the first place, not all communities are so 

situated that the most desirable source of supply is near at hand. In 

certain districts it is almost impossible to obtain a good water supply. 

In others it is necessary to use streams which are contaminated by 

sewage and manufacturing wastes from towns situated farther upstream. Many of these communities may be situated in places 

where no adequate underground supply can be obtained, and such 

is especially the case with large cities for the reason that the yield 

of wells always has a maximum limit. Where the quantity of 

water from wells is not sufficient it is generally necessary to resort 

to surface sources, even though the water may not be as pure as 

desired. In all cases the quality of the water should be considered 

first, as on this depends the health of the people who drink it. Another feature which must be considered in certain districts is the 

amount of mineral matter contained in the water. Where the supply 

|s desired largely for boilers or manufacturing purposes the amount 

of contained lime and other dissolved matter should be small, but 

in Maine this factor is generally not high enough to render the water 

detrimental.

COMMUNITIES USING WELL SUPPLIES.

There are 13 communities in southern Maine which obtain their 

public water supplies from driven or drilled wells. All these supplies 

are believed to be of excellent quality. The communities are enumerated in the following table, and the owners, sources, and methods 

of distribution are given for convenience of reference. A full description of these water supplies is given under the county headings.

Water systems in southern Maine using wells as sources of public supply.

No.

1

?,

3

4

5

fi

7

8

9

10

11

1?

13

Community.

Topsham ................ 

Warren .................

County.

 

.....do................

Waldo ................

Oxford................

York..................

Sagadahoc ............

Population.

5,210

936

150

100

2,595

2,069

Owner.

trict.

Rumford Falls Light & Water Co.

Brunswick and Topsham water district.
72 UNDERGKOUISrD WATEES OP SOTJTHEEISr MAINE. 

Water systems in southern Maine using wells as sources of public supply Continued.

No.

1

2

3

4

fi

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Source.

.....do.............................

.....do.............................

Drilled wells.... . ..................

Drilled well.. ......................

Quality.

Soft...................

.....do................

.....do................

Hard..................

Soft...................

.....do................

Soft...................

Soft...................

.....do................

.....do................

Hard..................

Method of distribution.

Do.

Do.

gine to reservoir.

COMMUNITIES USING SPRING SUPPLIES.

More than twice as many villages draw their water supply from 

springs as from wells. These, 29 in number, are enumerated in the 

following table, and the owners, sources, and methods of distribution 

of water are given for convenience of reference. A full description 

of these supplies will be found under the appropriate county descriptions.

Water systems in southern Maine obtaining public supplies from springs.

No.

0

5

fi

10

11

1?

13

14

15

1fi

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

W

27

29

Community

Cherryfield. .............

Hallowell ...............

Lisbon Falls ............

Ridlonville. .............

County.

Waldo................

Franklin..............

.....do........... .....

York..................

.....do................

Waldo ................

.....do................

.....do................

Population.

150

800

300

100

3,000

200

300

2,714

1,200

100

1,585

360

230

251

143

6,666

i,666

1,000

Owner.

Alfred R. Clark.

shire.

City of Hallowell.

Cold Spring Water Co.

Sylvester Aqueduct Co.

Paris Hill Water Co.

L. fi. Cobb & Son.

Do.
PUBLIC SUPPLIES. 73

Water systems in southern Maine obtaining public supplies from springs Continued.

No.

1

2 

3 

4 

5

6

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29

Source.

.....do.............................

.....do.............................

.....do...... .......................

Quality.

Soft...................

.....do................

"Hard"..............

Soft...................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

Soft ..................

....do.................

....do.................

Soft ..................

Soft...................

Soft. ..................

Soft ..................

.....do................

.....do................

Method of distribution.

Direct pressure. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Reservoir. 

Direct pressure. 

From tank pumped by windmill. 

Direct pressure. 

Do. 

Pumped to reservoir by windmill.

Direct pressure. 

Direct to standpipe. 

Direct pressure.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Standpipe. 

Do.

COMMUNITIES USING SURFACE SUPPLIES.

Of the 148 communities having public water supplies in the southern part of the State, 109 use water from lakes, ponds, rivers, or 

brooks. In a description of underground-water supplies it is important for purposes of comparison to record what communities are 

using surface sources. Moreover, towns sometimes change from 

surface to underground sources or vice versa. For these reasons a 

table of the communities using surface sources is appended.

Water si/stems in southern Maine obtaining public supplies from surface sources.

No.

2 

3

4

fi

8

q

10

11

1?

13

14

15

16

17

IS

Community.

Auburn. ..........

Bath..............

Belfast............

Bethel.............

Biddeford .........

Brewer .........

Buckfield... .......

County.

Androscoggin. ....

Waldo............

.....do............

Oxford............

York..............

Oxford............

Population.

50

12,951

21,850

10,477

722

10,145

2,000

4,835

379

Owner.

Auburn Aqueduct Co. ....

Public Works Co..........

Belfast Water Co..........

Bethel Water Co.. ........

Co.

Water Co.

sioners.

Source.

Jordans Pond. 

Lake Auburn. 

Lake Cobbosseecontee.

Penobscot River. 

Eagle Lake. 

Lake Nequasset. 

Adams Pond. 

Little River. 

Belgrade Lake. 

China Lake. 

Chapman Brook. 

Saco River.

Adams Pond. 

Penobscot River. 

South Pond. 

Silver Lake. 

Mirror Lake.

Sebago Lake.
74 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

Water systems in southern Maine obtaining public supplies from surface sources Cont'd.

No.

19

20

2122

23

24

2.S

2fi

27

28

29

30

32

34

3fi

37

38

39

40

42

44

46

47

48

49

51

53

54

55 

56

58

,W

60

61

62

65

66

67

68

69

70

77

78

79

80

81

Community.

Cape Neddick.....

Cape Porpoise .....

Chisholms Mills....

Damariscotta......

Dexter. ...........

East Lamoine .....

Eastport. .........

Ellsworth... ......

Ellsworth Falls....

Fairfield. ..........

Falmouth F o r eside. 

Farmingdale ......

Farmington. ......

Freeport. ..........

Fryeburg..........

Gardiner. ........

Glencove ..........

Gorham ...........

Great Works......

Hallowell. .........

Hastings..... ....

Hebron ............

Hulls Cove........

Kennebunk .......

Kennebunk Land-.

ing. 

Kittery..... .......

Kittery Point .....

Kingfleld.. .....

'Lamoine Beach....

Lewiston ..........

Mechanic Falls.... 

Milford............ 

New Castle ........

North Berwick ....

Newport... .......

Norway ...........

Oakland.... .....

Ocean Bluff.......

Ogunquit. ........

Old Orchard.......

Oldtown.. ........

Orono ...... ....

Phillips...........

Portland ..........

Rangeley. .........

Randolph .........

Richmond.........

Rockland .........

Do.............

Rockport. .........

Rockville.... .. .

Saco. ..............

County.

York..............

.....do............

Lincoln ...........

Penobscot.... .....

Hancock ..........

.....do............

Cumberland ......

Franklin ..........

Cumberland.......

Oxford............

Kennebec.........

Cumberland.......

Penobscot.........

Kennebec.........

Oxford..........

.....do............

Hancock ..........

York............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Androscoggin .....

.....do............

Androscoggin..... 

Penobscot.--. ..... 

Lincoln ...........

York..............

Oxford. ...........

York.............

.....do............

.....do............

Penob-^ot........

.....do............

Cumberland ......

Franklin..........

Kennebec.. .......

Sagadahoc........

Knox.............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

York..............

Population.

420

800

170

5,311

4,297

400

3,800

175

1,200

759

5,501

117

2,7i4

200

500

177

2,100

170

1,500

400

700

100

23,760

1,250

1,850

1,500

850

350

2,034

2,500

375

1,000

5,763

3,257

674

2,208

50,145

563

8,150

8,150

2,314

150

6,122

Owner

Twin Village Water Co...

.....do....................

.....do...... ..............

.....do.....................

.....do....................

sioners.

Co.

Mechanic Falls Water Co . . 

Public Works Co., Bangor. 

Twin Village Water Co. ...

Newport Water Co. .......

Norway Water Co. ........

Oakland Water Co ........

Mousam Water Co ........

.....do....................

Biddeford and Saco Water Co. 

Public Works Co., Bangor.

.....do....................

Portland water commissioners.

Gardiner water district. . . .

Richmond waterworks. . . .

Camden and Rockland

Water Co. 

Rockland Water Co. ......

Water Co.

ter Co.

ply Co.

Source.

Moose Hill Lake.

Little Pond.

Blunts Pond.

Stream. 

Do.

Stream.

way, N. H.

Stream.

Stream.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Blunts Pond.

Waterhouse Brook. 

Penobscot River. 

Little Pond.

springs. 

Pillsbury Pond.

Pond.

Do.

Do.

Sebago Lake.

Cobbosseecontee

Stream. 

Kennebec River.

Do.

S&co River
COMPOSITION OP UNDERGROUND WATERS. 75

Water systems in southern Maine obtaining public supplies from surface sources Gont'd.

No.

82 

83 

84 

85

86

87 

88

89 

90 

91 

92 

93

94 

95

96 

97 

98

99 

100 

101 

102 

103 

104

105

106 

107 

108 

109

Community.

South Paris.. ..... 

South Portland. . . .

South West Harbor 

South Berwick. . ..

Southport

County.

Waldo............

Oxford...........

York.............

Lincoln . ._

Springvale York _ _ _ .

Squirrel Island .... 

Stockton Springs . .

Waterville........

West Kennebunk. 

Wilton............

Winter Harbor. ...

York..............

York.............

.....do............

Hancock.. ........ 

Waldo............

York.............

.....do............

Population.

ioo

1,457

6,287

720

1,000

4,266

2,000 

50

600

2,600

10,000 

7,283

350 

2,000 

156

600

250 

500

Owner.

Estate of Frank Jones. ....

Portland water commissioners. 

South West Harbor Water Co. 

South Berwick Water Co. . 

Skowhegan waterworks . . .

Springvale Aqueduct Co. .

Camden and Rockland 

Water Co. 

Public Works Co., Bangor. 

Kennebec water district. . . 

Portland water commissioners. 

Mousam Water Co. ....... 

.....do....................

Grindstone Neck Water 

Co.

York Shore Water Co. . . . .

York Shore Water Co. . . . .

Source.

Half Moon Pond. 

Long Pond. 

Norway Lake. 

Sebago Lake.

Long Pond.

Two Brooks. 

Brook 1 mile from 

village (in part). 

Adams Pond. 

Littleflelds Pond. 

Adams Pond. 

Half Moon Pond. 

Outlet of Day Mountain Pond. 

Long Pond. 

Mirror Lake.

Penobscot River. 

China Lake. 

Sebago Lake.

Branch Brook. 

Do. 

Varnums Pond. 

Lake Nequasset. 

China Lake. 

Birch Harbor Pond.

West Branch Lowes 

Brook. 

Lake Nequasset. 

Chase Lake. 

Do. 

Do.

COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS.

GENERAL EXPLANATIONS.

Classes of analyses. The analyses reported in the table on pages 

77-87 include all chemical analyses (mineral analyses) of Maine well 

and spring waters that could be obtained. They may be grouped in 

four classes:

(1) "Field assays," or approximate analyses of half-pint samples 

made in the field by F. G. Clapp, G. C. Matson, and B. L. Johnson, of 

the United States Geological Survey.

(2) Analyses of 1-gallon samples shipped to Prof. F. C. Robinson, at 

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me., and analyzed by him.

(3) Analyses made by W. W. Skinner, of the United States Department of Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work between 

the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry.

(4) Analyses made by other persons.

The first group of analyses are designated "assays" for the reason 

that they were made with a field outfit to obtain a general idea of the 

character of the water. a They do not pretend to be refined analyses, 

and are published only because it was impracticable, on account of

oLeighton, M. O., Field assay of water: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 151, 1905.
76 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

expense, to make more than 70 analyses of the second group, and only 

10 of the third group had been made.

In order that the reader may form a graphic idea of the proportions 

of the different ions in various rocks and localities, the analyses of the 

second group have been plotted on Pis. IV, VI, and VIII.

Recomputation of analyses. The analyses made by the United States 

Geological Survey are uniformly reported in ionic form and parts per 

million. Analyses obtained from miscellaneous sources, however, 

were originally given as parts per million, parts per 100,000, or grains 

per gallon, and were mostly reported in the form of the chemical 

compounds in which the minerals are supposed to exist. Chemical 

research shows that there is no certainty that the elements are combined in this form, the compounds given in most analyses being 

mainly theoretical. For this reason all analyses which were not 

expressed according to the standard method when received by the 

writer were recomputed into ions and parts per million, and they 

are expressed in this form in the table.

Omission of sanitary analyses. Few sanitary analyses are included 

in this report, although hundreds of them have been made b}r the 

state board of health and other analysts. The reason for this omission is that sanitary analyses record only those constituents of a 

water which may be present \)y reason of its pollution or the entrance 

of organic matter in other ways. The substances reported in a mineral 

analysis of water, however, are with few exceptions, derived from 

materials dissolved from rocks or surface deposits, and are at all times 

nearly the same for a given well or spring, varying only with the 

amount of rainfall, the height of the water level, or, in the case of 

a well, with the age of the well. The substances reported in a sanitary analysis are chlorine, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates substances 

that are formed during the decay of organic matter, and consequently 

are present in soils, sewage, and other wastes. The amount of these 

impurities varies from time to time according to local conditions.

Much has been written in scientific journals regarding the value or 

worthlessness of a sanitary analysis. The best chemists of the world 

now agree that it is of value only when considered in connection 

with other matters, such as the location of the well or spring with reference to sources of pollution. As the present paper is designed for 

permanent reference, and as sanitary analyses of any water vary from 

time to time, only a few such analyses are given here. Others may 

be found in the annual reports of the state board of health, to which 

interested persons are referred.

DETAILS.

Tables. The following tables contain nearly 300 analyses of well 

and spring waters. The well table is subdivided according to the 

kind of rock penetrated.
Analyses of well waters in southern M

[Parts per million.] 

WELLS IN GRANITE.

Locality.

Androscoggin County:

Cumberland County:

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Hancock County: 

Edeii. .................... 

Greening's Island, Northcast Harbor.

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Crotch Island, Stonington.

The Settlement, Stonington 

Do......................

Kennebcc County: Augusta. 

Knox County: Vinalhavcn.. 

Lincoln County:

Damariscotta ............. 

Damariscotta Mills. .......

Pemaquid Harbor. .......

Do......................

O wner.

Clias. Gould and W. F. Trask 

F. II. Abbott...............

J. K. Martin.................

J. H. Lea...................

Edw. Morrell ...............

C.H. Abbot................

Crabtreo & Uaney .......... 

.....do......................

Ryan- Parker Construction 

Co.

.....do......................

Glue factory ................ 

J. W. P. Gowdy............

Mrs. G. C. Chapman. ....... 

G. W. Waltz................

C. A. Farrin ................

Miss E. F. Genthner. .......

Type.

Drilled....

...do......

Drilled. . . . 

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do...... 

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do...... 

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

Blasted . . . 

Drilled. . . .

...do......

...do...... 

...do...... 

...do......

Blasted . . . 

Drilled....

...do......

3 Depth (feet).

125

72 

125 

108

87 

88

37 

25 

51 

51

67 

07

300 

93-i

279

30 

230

52

87 

64

25

"o 

O

4

2 

0

11 

45 

39

6

0 

0 

23

26

4 

0

0

0

22

56 ....

1 Total solids.

698

206

81

Organic and volatile matter.

:|

18. 17 

74

5.2

196 27

364 67

156

136 

42 

4,056

129 

919

419

48

19 

18 

1,046

31. 1 

8.5

8.3

ii 5

11.2

i94. 7

29 

272

23.8 

13.7

100 10. 9

» F, Field assay by F. G. Clapp, G. C. Matson, or B. L. Johnson; R, F. C. Robinson, analy

b Includes lithium (Li), trace; carbonate radicle (COs), 30. ("Apollo water.") 
Analyses of well waters in southern Maine 

WELLS IN SLATE.

o

fc

31

33

34

35

'39

40

41

45

47

49

51

M

57

58

60

fff,

Locality.

Cumberland County:

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Hancock County:

Do...... . .............

Do......................

Kennebec County:

Do......................

Gardiner. .................

Owner.

.....do......................

W. D. Pennell..............

C. W. T. Goding............

Co.

M. R. Griffith...............

R. W. E. Shaw. ............

Ilaskell Silk Co.............

.....do......................

Seminary. 

.....do......................

II. M.Hodgdon..... ........

Chas. HoDkins. .............

Type.

Drilled. . . .

...do......

...do......

...do......

. .do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

Drilled. . . .

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

Depth (feet).

115

66

120

96 '

67

70

135

40

60

106

&204

35

178

505

161

40

200

200

86

216

216

307

308

65

42

77

107

80

34

*4 

o

§

?o

n

9

1

a

g

1?

33

Total solids.

140

120

88

183

52

100

2,008

142

644

177

140

145

344

129

116

53

109

258

Organic and volatile mattr.

22

14

30

40

22

48

26

192

0.5

90

13

60

9.6

10

4U

Silica (SiOs).

9.0

16

8.8

4

11

12. 1

135

19

15

8.9

15

20
CO

64

65

67

68

69 

70

71

79

 70

74

*7C

7fi

77

7ft

79

80

fti

09

oo

84

«5

.86

.87

88 

89

QO

95

96

97

98

99

101

102

in*?

105

106

Do......................

Do............-----.....

Do......................

Do......--...--.-.-.....

Knox County:

Penobscot County:

Do......................

Do.........-.---...--...

Do...........----.-..-..

Do......................

Do........-----.........

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do..........--.----.....

Do......................

Do......................

Do........-..----.......

Do......................

Do.---....--............

Do---.-----.-...........

Do......................

Do......................

Do.......................

Do......................

Do...--------..-........

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Stetson ...................

C. M. Bailey Sons & Co .....

Franks. Wood.............

pital. 

High School................

.....do... ...................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do. .....................

.....do......................

.....do......................

house. 

.....do......................

C. H. Scribner.. ............

L. D. Babb.................

C. L. Philbrick.............

Town well

F. P. Abbott................

...do......

...do......

Drilled. . . .

...do......

...do...... 

...do......

Drilled. . . .

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

Drilled....

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

96

65

30

30"i

175 

200

16

290

290

30

217

217

217

217

35

247i

120

180

79

72

200J

203

38

33

16

711

63

57

75+

m

28

6

4

11

60

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

67

69

?,0

15

?

4

227

217

834

150

491

iso

441

436

86

233

242

439

93

......

424

74

165

20

150

124

37

62

190

21

58

40

103

92

11

37

16

17

10

ii

6.7

*8. 1

12

8.3

« Carbonate radicle (CO3), 40.

b Well plugged at 145 feet; salt water.

c Carbonate radicle (COs), 84.

^ E. L. Robinson.

' Chas. Harrington.

f Carbonate radicle (CO3 ), 140.

a Ora W. Knight.

ftH. D. Evans.

* Includes som

i A12 03 .

k When drilled 

I With suspend
80 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

ISApmy

««S3?mo,L

 (10) auuoiuo

 Cos)

 ( SOOH) aioi

.(X) ^

: 5, : : «£ ^ p^g -f^ «£ p^^g ^p^-

: :" s i~ : :

10 cc 10 co o r>- cc ?\

g ^ i i ^ -^

co CO ; ; ^-C

3 : -Q

^H 1^ CO "

i*' O O

:S^

«*Z

^£S

i cr

»

: : : : ,o : : : : : : : t.

H) umISau§BH ! i ! = ^ i i

 (BO) urnpiBO

./QJ "i uOJT ^ o - -o oo

 (8O!IV+1: O!a.i) 

sapixo uirm 

-mihre pire uoaj

-BIOA puB OIUB§JO

'SPHOS IB|OX

... 1C . .

' ' ' o

!o*^o

0

' C

01

^^

: : : : -S : i : j :2 S

: :_ ^,r : :

 ' S t- ' 01 ' '

: : s| 23 i :

1C O O O

t^ X 31 (I9dj) \\\dBQ : g^;g 5 ^2

a

t*a)

i? 

^ 

o

hJ

 ox

' ^ b£ O ^ C O O

: CQ : P : :

E C.McFarlano . ............ ....... 

' G. CHaynes.. 1 ............. .\V. RJIunnowoll. i.......... .....LF. Taylor. J. ................ .... Horace Chenerv. ...-.-.-...... Maine Northern Seaport . .....

R. Co. 

R. ABoit.... ............Islesboro Landand Im-.....

o S s p ! «' ; o ; 

|l|l| «^| I 0

CO CO ?

b- 00 OS O I I'M CO -^ 

O OOl i l i T f rH - I

i i is

3 ; :-

;°03

S8«

o o o o

Seaport .

i : : :.s

Do----............ Do................ 

Jackson ............. Kidders Point. ...

S3S2

S

s

is

01 t01

Ol

S3-

io

+3

01 OO

_

i^2

O! CO . 

CO . O .

01 ... .(^ .01

: icoi :

' XX ' 

|i6 S*-

j 0101 i

i ^ CO '

i -- i

. cSi o

ooo?

3 O Ol

0 C

f

Monroe ............. Do

0

Northern MaineSeaport i ..... 

R. Co.

Searsport ...........

3SS

8

^

1W. EGrinnell.............. .... Northern MaineSeaport .....I 1 ,.

0 0

QQ

Ol 0)

oJ'^t

Oh;C

S o c

'E^TT

. t- .CO

 CO .50

.00 . ^

oi -

 01

:^

O 

' CM

1C

 9* 

O

.

 §

|5"

0)

j R..Co. 

.....' Chas. Harmon ...... Chase............ S....... J. K.Downs........ ...... Northern Maine fe...... R. Co.

c

Troy...... Winterport Do..---. Stockton Si

! 10 '^H

:g :g

 Ol i-H

^

;^

o_c

Roland Thaxter.... ...

...do........... 

1, Kittery

York County Cutts Islanc Do......

Ol Ol Ol Ol

!

o to

: :

0 0

 a -a

Horace Mitcheli..... .....Chas.. Hoyt estate...... 

"E 

Kittery Poi 

Ogunquit00 C^ O ^H 

Ol fM CO CO

 S §

.« c
WELLS IN AREAS OF COMPLEX.

m

m

5s 134

3

H 1 >,/ 

\3 139

 > 1 49

1 4S

144

140

148

3 49

150

152

i ^d

Knox County:

Lincoln County:

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Do......................

Sagadahoc County:

DO.....:................

Waldo County:

E. F. Wilder.. . ............ .do. .....

W. A. Elliott. .............. ...do.. . ...

W. G. Hubbard............. ...do... ..

Co.

6 r>

46

1°0

75

119

51

180

no

162

10 ......

14......

189

13!......

188

25 .....

0......

115

5 ......

7......

8

69

0 145

.... 234

22

26

28

39

82

10

12

17

9 1

WELLS IN IGNEOUS ROCKS OTHER THAN 

155

156

157

158

159

160

Knox County:

Do......................

Washington County:

Do......................

Kittery.

F. S. Mead.................

G. W. Wheelwright. ........

.....do......................

.....do......................

Drilled....

...do......

...do. ....

...do...... 384

0

?,5

W.

2,057

90

414

355

6.8

42

22

10

48

aSOt less thmi 35 ports per million.

b A12O3 .

c Temporary, 34; total, 89.

d Ora W. Knight. / Temporary, 35.

g Temporary, 25; total, 59.

h Tem

* Wel
Analyses of well waters in southern Maine C

WELLS IN CLAY.

'A

161

I (.3

165

1fi6

167

LocalitV.

boro.

ton.

Hancock County:

Do......................

boro.

bunkport.

Owner. Type.

Dug.......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

^

03 

03

£

a

Q

wi

16

16

30 ±

tJ

0

O

0

3(1

101

9

5

2

"c3

O

H

03

O

g.2

O

^

o

a

«

02

WELLS IN TILL (BOWLDER CLAY).

168

169 

170 

171 

173 

174

Cumberland County: Portland. 

Hancock County:

Washington County: Jonesboro.

Unknown. ... Due....... 12

N W Pagf

...do......

...do......

...do......

...do......

16

22

8 

54

7

33 ... . . ...

0 ...... .......

38 .... .....

0,

WELLS IN SAND AND GRAVEL.

175 

176

177

Androscoggin County: 

Auburn............ .......

Cumberland County:

E. H. Libby... .............

T?rnnswifVlr and Tonsham

Water District.

Open...... 

Driven... .

...do......

27 

35

25

0

0

55 12 
COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS. 83

P5 P5P5

0 0

od iri

. . OO O"" ' OO

O ..... TH . .

S : : : : : S : :

:::;:: 2 : :

S3 : : : : § : :

 m OO O | OO

| i» 82 Sfr

! 1 j-) ! ! oj'O g 

o o o S o o * & £ o-d-o p/e-d 'C o ft

: : :o : : ftwo

.,.>>,. . : ^

O (N TH O - O O

3 S3 :2

oc^

O O 5O O

CO 1CCO i CO

: i i 8 :fe°

j ! 3S?5TH

c ! | ^ ! ; !

.fe ° °' &5 S £

03 . , . , . ,

w> ', ! ! ! '. o

3 j j j j $

i ; 3 '. J^ £a ' ' « 1?

H^ g^-e. 541 ^.^gg 

as : : ,£ |K?S

THO

'

°°

^ o

ii

' O

0*

Berwick WaterCHarbor York Bi

03 

HH1

H

is

t> 

O

|gj

r^ 

^

Wo

Vj

c> o oc

3 : :

in . .

: :

: -1"

: : :i

Drilled... 

...do....... 

; > ^

C. M. GolT...... Mrs. Ethelbert NDr. MThoma A. 

oo

oo on 

 o c^

n coc^

P OQ

S. W.Thaxtor.. CoW)..... DB

R. Nowcomb.

- d S"

n 

Oxford CountRumford F

90 05 O TH N

000000 000000

And bu

: :S g rtfc; 

: -n o §f?

' ' '^ «

: ; >» ^ 03 03 >> xiil 11*1 1 

o 

i 

. 

;s 

. .-O-d 5 ".P« o

§3«'S|'5W2'S 

§« l^l'3 ^

o w "o-O

03 rt

rH H

" a C3 

 S^ B

e^s

d'g-'o .
Analyses of spring waters in southern M

[Parts per million.]

No.

203 

203ai

204

205 ! 206

206a'

206b'

207 i 208

208a

209

210 

210a

211

211 a

212

213

214

214a 

214b

215

216

217

218

219

Locality.

Androscoggin Connty:

Do...............

Do. .............. 

Durham. ..........

East Turner. ......

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Cumberland County:

Do................

Fahnouth Foreside.

Owner. Xairo of spring.

Sarnoar Carbonating 

Co. 

Pejepscot Spring 

Water Co.

..--.do................

Windsor Mineral 

Spring Co.

Highland Mineral 

Spring Water Co.

Hiram Kicker & Sons. 

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

Alfred C. Clark.......

Total solids.

-e

Organic and volatile 

matter.

Pejepscot. ........

Sylvan ...........

Keystone Mineral . 

.....do............

&86

29 

51 

104

3.1 

""tr.

fi7 .....

Cliff............. J 30......

American Chalybeate. 

Highland Mineral.

.....do............

-....do............

.....do............

f\n

Underwood Spring 

Corporation.

174

84 

82

38

65'......

68 . ..

63 4.0

242

18 

36

38

0.3 

0

Silica (SiOs).

Iron andluminum ox- ides (FesOs+AlsOs).

"3"

PH 

1

hH

. . ... 3. 4 . . . . .

12

19

5.1 

(0 

12

5.6 

5.6 

18

11

13

0.2 

16

19 

19

3.1

1.1 

2.2

(/) 

1.9

tr.

2.2

"6." 7"

8.3

tr.

24 0.4 

15

9.9 (i) .....

0. 6 0. 05

6. G 

8.6

..... 0. 09

Calcium (Ca).

0. 

14 

1.

15

12 

2.

42

27

5.

1.

5.

8.

8.

14

14 

16

0 

32 
COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS. 85
, Analyses of spring waters in southern Maine 

No.

247

248

249

250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

259a 

260

261

262

263

264

Locality.

Kennebec County 

Continued. 

Litchfleld ..........

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Knox County: Rockland, in bottom of 

limestone quarry. 

Lincoln County:

Oxford County:

Do...............

Milton plantation..

Do...............

Do...............

Do...............

Rumford Falls.....

Owner.

Forest Springs Water 

Co. 

.....do................

.....do................

Consolidated General 

Mineral Water Co. 

.....do................

Mount Zircon Spring 

Co. 

Paris Hill Water Co...

.....do................

.....do................

Rumford Falls Power 

Co. 

United Miner al 

Springs Co.

Name of spring.

Forest No. 2......

Forest No. 3......

Hallowell .........

Vienna Sparkling.

Ticonic Mineral . . .

Boothbay Medicinal.

Samoset Mineral . .

Mount Hartford 

Mineral. 

.....do............

Mount Zircon .....

CrockerHill(publicsupplv)/No.l. 

Crocker Hill (public supply XNo.2. 

Crocker Hill(public supply )/No.3. 

Mount Mica Mineral. 

Cataract ..........

Total solids.

alOO

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234

212

86

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COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS. 87

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Mineral. 

Cold Bowling.... Wawa Lithia. .Olde Yorke..... Scarboro Mineral. White Sand......

Heirs ofChas. Parsons, .i. ........................ G. PandFrank An-.

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million. Forfull 208. analysis ts seeper «.

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Mn), trace;(Rb), radicle, Temporary, strontium (Sr), rubidium lithium (Li), phosphate k 0.01;02. 2.5.9; permanenl 

Includes CaCl 181. * p 2

Paris. Include servoir, No. fromresidence M.Atwood, lithium (Li), of Geo. at3.TO 

Include Br, 195. trace. n p 

Include lithium (Li a than less6 SOi 3.5 par 

cAl. 

d Include manganese For fullanalysis < see / Nos.and from12re For analysis full a see
88 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Total solids. The total solids constitute the residue left on evaporation of a water sample. Those reported in southern Maine well 

and spring waters range from 13 parts per million in a spring at 

Naples to 4,055 parts in a well at North Haven. The high percentage of mineral matter in the North Haven water and in several other 

wells near the sea which show abnormally high solids is generally due 

to an admixture of ocean water that penetrates inward along joint 

cracks in the rocks. With one exception, the highest amounts of 

total solids in southern Maine which are believed to be due to the 

natural composition of the water are somewhat under 500 parts per 

million and are found in several widely scattered wells drilled in slate 

in Penobscot and Somerset counties. The minimum of total solids 

in slate is 52 in a well at Portland. The figures in Aroostook County 

slates (and " slated limestones") in northern Maine are higher, ranging between 200 and 800 parts per million. A single well at Bangor 

reports 834 parts per million.

In granite one well at North Sullivan reports 364 parts per million, 

and one in Waldoboro 419 parts. These figures are high for granite, 

as the total solids in granite waters generally run below 200. Most 

springs issuing from sand and gravel give low figures, many running 

below 30. One spring, at South Freeport, reported only 2.8 parts per 

million of total solids, but this figure is probably wrong.

The reports of the State board of health contain many sanitary 

analyses which show the amount of total solids in spring waters, but 

as the springs are mostly private ones, and as the material from 

which they issue is not known, or known only through correspondence, the analyses would be of little value in this report, and only two 

or three are given.

Organic and volatile matter. Organic and volatile materials are 

much greater in amount in the waters analyzed than might be 

expected in deep-well and spring waters. It should be noted, however, that some of the highest figures occur in analyses for which the 

name of the chemist is not known, and hence their accuracy is open 

to doubt. Normally, with a few exceptions, the organic and volatile 

matter ranges from 5 to 100 parts per million in wells, and from 0 to 

30 parts in springs. An exceptionally large amount of " organic and 

volatile matter" may be due to pollution of the water, to water 

of crystallization, or to volatile mineral components..

Silica. The amount of silica in Maine waters is always low. As 

shown by the diagrams, it ranges from 7 to 25 parts per million for 

well waters, exclusive of the wells where it can be attributed to sea 

water. In spring waters the silica runs from 0.24 part to 21 parts. 

The highest amount, 21 parts, occurs in the Blue Hill Mineral Spring.

Iron and aluminum oxides. The figures for iron and aluminum 

oxides are much more constant than those for any other ion or group
COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS. 89

of ions. With the exception of iron when reported alone, they are 

the lowest of all the materials commonly estimated. (See lowest 

line in Pis. IV, VI, and VIII.) In well waters from granite and similar rocks these minerals run from 1 to 8 parts per million; in those 

from sand and gravel, 1 to 2 parts; in spring waters, 0.2 to 9 parts. 

The highest amounts occur in spring water from a limestone quarry 

at Rockland.

Iron. Most of the analyses reporting iron separately from aluminum are field assays, and in them iron is generally found to be 

absent. Most Maine waters are destitute of iron in appreciable 

quantities. As half a part per million of this mineral is recognizable 

to the taste, it will be seen that much iron would make the waters 

unusable. The greatest amount reported, 5 to 10 parts per million, 

is in the wells of the Northern Maine Seaport Railroad Company in 

Waldo County. This amount of iron in a water would make it 

undrinkable; hence it is probable that the figures given for iron 

in these wells may include alumina,

A number of mineral springs also report high iron, and to some 

of these the statement just made may possibly apply. As a rule, 

the amount of iron in springs of this State runs below 1 part per 

million. The Blue Hill Mineral Spring, which is said to issue from a 

rock containing a large quantity of iron, contains only 3.2 parts per 

million of this mineral.

Calcium. Calcium, a constituent of lime, is one of the mos't abundant ingredients. It is generally highest in limestone, and runs 

from 40 to 160 parts in the areas of calcareous slates. Exceptional 

figures are much higher. The lowest known figure for calcium in 

slate water is 4. In granite it ranges from 1 part per million in a 

well on Greenings Island to 62 parts in a North Sullivan well. In 

gravel waters the amount is from 3 to 6 parts. In springs it ranges 

from a mere trace to 42 parts.

Magnesium. In waters where calcium occurs magnesium also 

is found, but generally in much smaller quantities. In granitewaters it ranges from 2 to 10 parts per million, in slate from 1 to 30, 

and in sand and gravel from 1 to 5. In calcareous slates in northern 

Maine the amount of magnesium runs from 15 to 40 parts. In spring 

waters the amount of this element is very uncertain, running as 

high as 14 parts, but being in most springs below 3. The analysis of 

limestone water from Rockland shows 22 parts of magnesium, nearly 

as many as of calcium 29. In two analyses, those of the Highland 

Mineral Spring at Lewiston and the Keystone Mineral Spring at 

Auburn, magnesium without calcium is reported. This is evidently 

a mistake, and it is possible that part of the solid matter reported as 

magnesium is in reality calcium.
90 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Sodium. Sodium is one of the constituents of common salt and of 

sea water, which explains why it is so high in certain analyses. 

Normally it runs from 7 to 60 parts per million in granite, from 3 to 30 

parts in slate, and from 1 to 10 parts in gravel. In spring waters 

it is variable, but seldom exceeds 20 parts. In most Maine waters 

sodium is much lower than calcium, as shown by the diagrams. In 

sea water, however, sodium far exceeds calcium and magnesium in 

amount. The fact that in analysis No. 155 calcium is much in excess 

of sodium indicates that perhaps the high total solids may not be due 

entirely to sea water, as would appear at first inspection of the 

diagram.

Potassium. Smaller quantities of potassium than of sodium are 

found in most waters. The element is usually in equilibrium with 

chlorine, as is sodium, and it is also found in sea water. In granite 

the amount ranges from 0.5 to 13 parts per million, in slate from 

0.8 to 17, and in sand and gravel it is below 3. In two well waters 

the amount of potassium is reported greater than that of sodium. In 

spring waters it runs from 0.2 to 15 parts.

Bicarbonate radicle. All carbonates occurring in Maine well and 

spring waters are believed to exist in the bicarbonate or acid-carbonate 

form, as several hundred tests for the normal or alkaline carbonate resulted negatively. The figures in the bicarbonate radicle column are 

mostly the results of field assays made according to the standard 

method of the United States Geological Survey, 0 and are approximate only. The tests made show the amount of bicarbonates to 

range from 9 to 143 parts per million in granite, 20 to more than 500 in 

slate, 40 to 167 in clay, 16 to 80 in bowlder clay, and 10 to 128 in 

sand and gravel. One report from a well in slate gives 765 parts per 

million. The higher figures, while somewhat scattering in distribution, are mostly from the northeastern quarter of the State. In 

Aroostook County none of them are under 100 and many exceed 300 

parts per million. In spring waters the bicarbonate radicle is generally low, one refined analysis showing only 0.14 part. In a few 

springs the bicarbonates exceed 100 parts per million.

Carbonate radicle. -Most of the analyses of spring waters and a few 

analyses of well waters made by chemists not connected with the 

United States Geological Survey report calcium, sodium, and other 

carbonates. There is no way of determining from these analyses 

what proportion of the carbonates exist in the form of the normal 

carbonate radicle and what proportion in the bicarbonate form. In 

recomputing the results, therefore, it has been necessary to express 

them simply as " carbonate radicle" (CO3 ), though these are probably 

all bicarbonates (HCO3 ). Although normal carbonates are not known

oLeighton, M. O., Field assay of water: Water-Supply Paper TJ. S. Geol. Survey No. 151,1905, pp. 

66-69.
COMPOSITION OF THE UNDERGROUND WATERS. 91

to have been found in Maine waters, they can not be said with certainty to be absent.

Sulphate radicle. All sulphates occurring in Maine waters have 

been recomputed to the sulphate radicle (SO4 ). Small amounts of 

this compound occur in most waters, and in some they are high. Tn 

granite they range from a mere trace to 36 parts per million, in clay 

from 0 to 53 parts, and in gravel and sand from 0 to 11 parts. In 

spring waters the sulphates range from 0 to 37 parts, but are generally 

below 10.

Chlorine. Chlorine, a constituent of common salt, is one of the 

most variable components of natural waters. It ranges in the 

Maine waters analyzed from less than 1 part per million to as high as 

1 ; 790 parts in one well which was invaded by sea water. The highest 

chlorine that is believed to be due to the composition of the rock is 

somewhat under 200 parts. In some portions of the country (as in 

places in New York State), where the rocks contain salt, however, 

the waters are high in chlorine. Normal chlorine lines and the limitations of their use are explained on pages 27-28. In the majority of 

well waters the chlorine is above the normal as given for the local 

surface waters. In most deep wells which are properly cased this 

is due to chlorine dissolved from the rocks and in open wells to the 

entrance of surface waters.

Hardness. The hardness of waters may be classed as temporary, 

due to the carbonates and bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium; 

or permanent, due to sulphates, chlorides, or nitrates of the alkali 

earths. A large part of the hardness in Maine waters is temporary 

and can generally be removed by boiling, which precipitates the 

hardening constituents. Aside from the analyses made by the 

state board of health, few tests for hardness have been made.. In 

general the waters outside of Aroostook County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties are soft; and when they are described by 

residents or in the table at the end of the report as "hard" the term 

is used only relatively, with reference to softer waters in the same 

region. The total hardness of waters in southern Maine ranges up 

to 300 parts per million, the highest figures being shown in Penobscot 

County, where the rocks are slightly calcareous. The hardness of 

spring waters, however, seldom exceeds 20 parts. The reports of 

the state board of health include several hundred analyses of spring 

waters which give the hardness. Few of these are published here, 

as the material from which the spring issues is known only through 

correspondence.

Lithium. Few tests for lithium in Maine waters have been made. 

One or two well waters which issue from granite report traces of this 

element, and amounts up to 0.01 part per million are reported to 

have been found in spring waters issuing from granite and gneiss.
92 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Other substances. In a few analyses tests have been made for 

other elements. Manganese, strontium, rubidium, phosphates, 

arsenates, and borates have been found as mere traces. Tests for 

bromine and iodine have resulted negatively. None of the substances mentioned have been found in quantities large enough to 

give the water medicinal properties. The most complete analyses, 

showing something in respect to the probability of finding the rarer 

elements in spring waters, are those made by the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture.

DESCRIPTION OF UNDERGROUND WATERS BY 

COUNTIES.

ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Androscoggin County is situated in the southwestern part of Maine, 

on both sides of Androscoggin River. It is one of the smallest 

counties in Maine, having a length of 40 miles, an extreme breadth 

of 25 miles, and a total area of only 480 square miles. The population, according to the census of 1900, was 54,242. Lewiston is the 

largest city, having a population of 24,997. Auburn, the county 

seat, on the opposite side of the river from Lewiston, contained 13,971 

inhabitants. This county is moderately hilly, ranging in altitude 

from 100 to more than 800 feet.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rocks of Androscoggin County consist-for the most part of complex intrusions of granite and gneiss 

in schist, but a strip along the eastern border of the county, north 

of Lisbon, is underlain by slate. In the vicinity of Lewiston and 

Auburn the rocks consist mostly of hard gneissic schist or graniticgneiss, cut by small granite dikes. In most places within this strip 

the rock is distinctly bedded, but the strike and dip are extremely 

variable, the strata being much contorted in places. In some 

localities the joints are open and the rock is decomposed, allowing 

penetration of water downward; in other places the rock is dense, 

and all the cracks are tightly closed. This probabl}" accounts for 

the failure of several deep wells at Auburn and Lewiston. Farther 

away from the boundary of the slate area, and in some places near 

its border the rock is true granite. A map of Androscoggin County 

showing the distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies forms PI. XI.

Surface deposits. The greater part of the uplands of the county 

is covered by bowlder clay and irregular gravel deposits, locally of
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XI

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth

 ^- Flowing well 

«L Important spring

4. Community having public supply 

T" from surface sources

D Community having public supply 

from springs

 Other important towns

Livermole Falls " ~

ll P.

isbon 

Falls

15 MILES

MAP OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having

public supplies.
AXDEOSCOGGTN COUNTY. 93

considerable thickness. Along the rivers, however, rather extensive lowlands consist of clay rising to a maximum elevation of about 

200 feet. At Lewiston a number of brickyards make use of this 

clay. At Lewiston Upper Station the clay is 20 feet thick and in 

places is overlain conformably by stratified sand and underlain by 

coarse gravel. In other parts of Lewiston the clay is more than 30 

feet in thickness. Gravel underlies the clay in the vicinity of Lisbon Falls and Lewiston, and probably nearly everywhere in the 

Androscoggin Valley. Many flat sand and gravel deposits extend 

along the valle}" of Little Androscoggin and other rivers and surround the principal lakes and ponds. The total thickness of these 

deposits varies greatly, but in extreme cases along the valleys it is 

as much as 60 feet. On the highlands the drift is thinner, generally 

not more than 5 to 15 feet thick.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells. The majority of the wells of Androscoggin County 

are open surface wells, but some driven wells are used, and in Lewiston, Auburn, and Lisbon Falls there are a few drilled wells. The 

open and driven wells vary in depth from 10 to 35 feet, and in the 

valle}Ts the}" are generally successful, so far as the quantity of water 

is concerned, although some have been dug to rock without success, 

and the water in many of them becomes very low or gives out in a 

dry season. In general dug wells are the only type of shallow wells 

which can be used on the hills, but driven wells are more satisfactory in the sands and clays of the valleys.

Drilled wells. In parts of the county where it is not possible to 

obtain water of suitable quality or in sufficient quantity from surface 

wells drilling should be adopted. Little drilling has been done as 

yet, but the method will be used more and more in future. Some 

hesitation maybe felt in regard to it at Lewiston and Auburn because 

several of the wells, including one 654-foot well, have been failures. 

It is possible that in this vicinity open joint cracks containing water 

are so rare and superficial that successful wells can not be obtained; 

but the region has hardly been fairly tested, and it is possible that in 

some parts of these cities there may be plenty of water in the rocks. 

If tests are made, it will probably not pay to drill below 300 feet. 

Most of the wells already sunk have been 6-inch wells, but one 8-inch 

well wT as drilled. The depths range from 50 to 654 feet.

Quality of water. Little can be said in regard to the quality of 

water in Androscoggin County, as few analyses have been made. 

Field assays of the water from dug wells at Auburn and one at 

Mechanic Falls show a very low mineral content. A drilled well in
94 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

granite at South Poland gave 98 parts per million of total solids. A 

well in Auburn, location not known, reports 112 parts per million of 

total solids. Throughout the county the water is soft, but in drilled 

wells it is less so than in the surface wells. In nine springs, the waters 

of which have been analyzed, the total solids range between 29 and 

154 parts per million. In one driven well and one drilled well the 

water is said to overflow the surface.

Uses. In all parts of the county the chief use of well water is for 

domestic and farm purposes, and it is seldom used for anything else. 

At Lewiston, however, water from gravel is used in Bates's mill for 

bleaching purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION.

Lewiston and Auburn. At Lewiston and Auburn wells drilled in the 

solid rock have generally been failures. A well of the Standard Dry 

Plate Company, corner of Bates and Pine streets, Lewiston, found 

very little water. A well belonging to Mr. John Picket, now deceased, 

on Highland street, Auburn, got water, but is now abandoned. One 

of the most conspicuous failures in Maine is a well belonging to the 

Turner Center Creamery in Auburn. This well was drilled by an 

experienced driller to a depth of 654 feet, but absolutely no water 

was found below 8 feet from the surface. The first 90 feet was 

through gravel and clay, the rest in gneiss. The quality of water, 

where found, is generally good. Analyses of well waters in Auburn 

are given in the table on pages 82, 83 (Nos. 175 and 196).

The plant at Bates's mill, Lewiston, consists of 15 driven wells 

ranging in depth from 30 to 40 feet. The formation at the mill consists of 20 feet of gravel ("made ground") resting on about 5 feet of clay, 

below which lies 2 feet of gravel containing a plentiful supply of water. 

The gravel bed slopes to the south and appears at the bottom of all 

these wells and also at the bottom of a 65-foot well owned by the 

same company, situated 200 feet beyond the last well of the system. 

The water tastes strongly of iron. It is used in bleaching, and the 

pumps are run fifteen hours a day, pumping an average volume of 

350 gallons a minute.

Dug wells are far more common than driven wells in this vicinity, 

and, except in the clay areas, are generally of moderate depth and 

are fairly satisfactory if protected from pollution. In the clay areas 

wells should be driven or drilled through the clay into the underlying 

sand and gravels, which generally contain plenty of water. Some 

open wells are blasted in rock, the chief value of this method being 

to furnish a reservoir for the water of the overlying drift. At North 

Auburn there are a few dug wells 40 to 60 feet in depth, most of them 

many years old. Several drilled wells are reported within the town
ANDKOSCOGGIN COUNTY. 95

limits. A few dug wells and springs are pumped by windmills. In 

the southern part of the town there are considerable areas of sand 

plain in which water can be easily obtained at shallow depths. Dug 

wells have been used mostly thus far, but some persons are now using 

driven wells. Several commercial mineral springs are situated in 

these towns and will be described under the appropriate heading. (See 

pp. 96-99, 103.) The public supply of Auburn and Lewiston is 

taken from Lake Auburn. This would be excellent water if properly 

protected, but unless the building of cottages and pleasure resorts on 

the lake shores is regulated and boating is stopped the supply will 

soon become dangerous for drinking.

Poland. The conditions in the town of Poland vary greatly. Considerable areas in the eastern part of the town and in the vicinity of 

the ponds consist of sand and clay plains, but a large part of the town 

is hilly. Open wells are the rule, being generally dug to bed rock, 

and some of them are blasted into the rock itself as much as 4 to 10 

feet. Only one drilled well is known. This is situated 700 yards 

from Poland Spring and was drilled in granite in the hope of tapping 

the spring supply. Needless to say, the attempt failed. The analysis of water from this well is given in the table (No. 2).

Mechanic Falls. A number of years ago test wells were sunk at 

Mechanic Falls to depths of 30 to 60 feet through clay and fine sand, 

in order to get a public supply. A little water overflowed the surface, 

but the amount was too small, so the wells were abandoned. As the 

village lies on broad clay and sand plains bordering Little Androscoggin River, the water is here abundant and is easily obtained by 

dug and driven wells. The water is obtained on top of the clay, but 

if this is penetrated a more abundant supply of better quality will be 

found. It is possible, even, that flowing wells may be obtained in 

places. Driven wells are recommended in preference to dug wells 

wherever practicable, but all forms of wells should be sunk through 

the clay.

Lisbon. Along the river at Lisbon water is found in shallow wells 

in sand resting on clay. Several wells drilled in granite at Lisbon 

Falls were sunk to depths ranging from 50 to 187 feet, and all but 

one were successful as regards quality of water. Only one field 

assay (No. 1 of the table) is available to show the mineral content of 

the water here.

East Livermore. At Livermore Falls one or more shallow drilled 

wells have been sunk, but no information is at hand regarding them.

Other towns. In the towns of Danville, Minor, Webster, Wales, 

Greene, Turner, Leeds, and Livermore no wells are known to have been 

drilled, the type generally in use being the ordinary open wells used 

at most farmhouses.
96 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Commercial mineral springs are more abundant 

in this county than in any other county of Maine, no fewer than seven 

springs reporting sales of water being situated within its borders. 

These are as follows:

Crystal Mineral Spring, Auburn. 

Highland Mineral Spring, Lewiston. 

Keystone Mineral Spring, East Poland. 

Pejepscot Spring, Auburn. 

Poland Spring, South Poland. 

Sabattus Springs, Sabattus. 

Windsor Mineral Spring, Lewiston.

In addition to these there are several other springs of interest, 

the water of which is not sold.

Crystal Mineral Spring. The Crystal Mineral Spring is owned 

by the Samoar Carbonating Company, of Lewiston. It is situated 

on a sloping hillside 3 miles southwest of Auburn depot, and the water 

issues from undulating deposits of stratified sand, known as kames, 

which rest on a bed of clay. The water is collected in a cementlined and glass-covered masonry tank, about 8 feet square and 4 feet 

deep, inclosed in a spring house where the water was formerly bottled. 

It is now hauled to Lewiston and bottled there, being mostly carbonated for soda water and ginger ale, and sold under the trade name 

Samoar water. The temperature of this water at the spring is 47° 

and the measured overflow is 6 gallons a minute. The water has no 

color, odor, or taste, and on account of its situation distant from 

houses there is no chance for pollution. The analysis, recomputed 

from that given in the circular issued by the owner, is given in the 

table (No. 203a).

Glenrock Mineral Spring. The Glenrock Mineral Spring is situated 

in the town of Greene, 2| miles south of the post-office. It is owned 

by A. B. Parker & Sons, of Greene. The water issues from gravel 

deposits on a gentle slope in an open field. The spring is incased in 

granite curbing cemented to an impervious stratum, and is reported 

to flow 18 gallons a minute, not varying according to season. The 

temperature is 47^°. The water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, 

and is of excellent quality. It is used as a table and medicinal water 

by many families in Lewiston and Auburn. The analysis of the 

water is given in the table (No. 206b), the composition being taken 

from the circular issued by the owners and recomputed according to 

the standard method.

Highland Mineral Spring. The Highland Mineral Spring is situated 

on a southward-sloping hillside in the city of Lewiston, about 3 miles 

northeast of the post-office. It is owned by the Highland Spring 

Water Company, of New York. The hill on which the spring is
ANDKOSCOGGIN COUNTY. 97

situated is composed of gneiss and schist cut by pegmatite dikes, and 

a covering of 1 to 5 feet of bowlder clay overlies the rock. The 

water occurs in a vertical 6-inch crack parallel with the stratification 

of the gneiss, entering from the direction of the summit of the hill 

on the north side of the spring. The water is believed to be derived 

from the rain and snow falling on the hillside within a few hundred 

feet of the spring, being held in the drift and the upper crevices of the 

rock until it emerges at the spring. The spring is reported to flow 

20 gallons a minute in a wet season, but diminishes somewhat during 

the summer. The temperature averages 42°, varying a little during 

the year.

The spring is inclosed with a granite curbing, and the whole is covered with a small spring house. The bottling house is 50 feet away. 

The situation is almost ideal for a mineral spring, as the hill rises 100 

feet or so above it and is covered mostly by thick woods. There are 

110 houses on the hill except two cottages on the summit, several 

hundred yards from the spring, separated from it by a small ravine. 

These are occupied for a month in summer by the treasurer of the 

company a prominent New York physician and as every precaution is taken in respect to drainage, there is practically no danger of 

the spring water becoming polluted. The water is bottled near by 

and shipped to New York and other cities. Valuable medicinal 

properties are claimed for it by the owners. The water retails in 

New York for $2 a 5-gallon carboy, or the same rate for a case of 12 

quarts. This is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.

Several analyses have been made of this water (Nos. 209, 210, and 

210a of the table), but the most complete is that made by W. W. 

Skinner, of the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of 

Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters 

conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry. 

The proportions of the various constituents are as follows:

Analysis of water from Highland Mineral Spring.

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° C. and 760 mm. 

pressure):

Carbon dioxide (C02 ), free................................ 38. 2

Carbon dioxide (C02 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness....................................... 4.2

Parts per 

million. 

Phosphoric acid radicle (P04)................................... None.

Metaboric acid radicle (B02).................................. None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4)................................... Xone.

Silica (Si02 )................................................... 11. 40

Sulphuric acid radicle (S04 )...........'...................... 4. 65

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3 ).............................. 22. 90

Nitric acid radicle (NO3 ).................................... None.

59969 IRR 223 09 7
98 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

Parts per 

million. 

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2 ). .................................. None.

Chlorine (Cl) ............................................... 2. 20

Bromine (Br)................................................ None.

Iodine (I).....__..._.......................-................. None.

Iron £ftid aluminum (Fe and Al)............................. .35

Manganese (Mn)............................................. None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................ 5. 86

Magnesium (Mg)............................................. .94

Potassium (K).............................................. 1. 21

Sodium (Na)................................................ 2. 79

Lithium (Li)................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4)........................................... . 021

Oxygen to form Fe2O3 and A12O3 .............................. .......

52. 321

Free ammonia............................................... .02

Albuminoid ammonia........................................ .05

Nitrogen as nitrates ......................................... Traces.

Nitrogen as nitrites.......................................... None.

Oxygen consumed........................................... 1. 50

Keystone Mineral Spring. The Keystone Mineral Spring is 

owned by E. H. Pratt, of East Poland. The spring is situated 

on a gently sloping hillside in the eastern part of the town of Poland, 

about a mile north of Empire Road station on the Grand Trunk Railway. The water issues from a nearly horizontal seam 4 feet or so 

from the surface, overlain by a bed of granite and underlain by 

gneiss. The beds of the gneiss strike N. 30° to 40° W. and dip 35° 

NE. The hill rises 10 feet higher within 100 feet southwest of the 

spring and 25 feet higher 200 feet north of the spring. To the east 

is a little valley; to the southwest lies an undulating sand plain a 

quarter of a mile in extent. The water apparently comes from the 

southwest, where it is caught on this sand plain, sinks into the underlying rock, and finds its way along the contact plane between the 

granite and the gneiss.

This spring is willed with a granite curb and inclosed in a bottling 

house, and is well protected from pollution. The temperature in 

the basin is 50°, the water being probably warmed somewhat by contact with the air. There is no color or odor and little, if any, taste. 

The measured overflow is a trifle over 3 gallons a minute and is 

reported to fluctuate very little with the weather or the season. 

The water has been analyzed, and the composition reported by the 

owners and recalculated into ions and parts per million according to 

the standard rules is given in the table (No. 206).

The best analysis of this water is one made by W. W. Skinner, of 

the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture, 

in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters conducted 

by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry. This 

analysis is as follows:
ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY. 99

Analysis of water from Keystone Mineral Spring. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° C. and 760 mm1 , 

pressure:

Carbon dioxide (C02), free.................................. 9. 2

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness........................................ 10. 9

Parts per

million.

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4 )-................................. None.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2)................................... None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO^).................................... None.

Silica (SiO2).................................................. 11. 60

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO4).................................. 3.43

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3 )................................ 59. 53

Nitric acid radicle (NO3 ).........................'.............. .88

Nitrous acid radicle (N02)..................................... None.

Chlorine (Cl)................................................. 5. 20

Bromine (Br)................................................. None.

Iodine (I)...................................................... None.

Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al).................................. .39

Manganese (Mn).............................................. None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................. 14. 72

Magnesium (Mg).............................................. 3.11

Potassium (K)................................................ .84

Sodium (Na.)................................................ 4. 23

Lithium (Li).................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4)............................................. ......

Oxygen to form Fe2 03 and A12O3 .............................. ......

Free ammonia................................................ None.

Albuminoid ammonia........................................... None.

Nitrogen as nitrates............................................ .20

Nitrogen as nitrites........................................... None.

Oxygen consumed............................................ 6. 50

Keystone Spring water is bottled and mostly peddled in Lewiston 

and Auburn, but some is shipped by rail. Examination of the 

spring shows it to be probably secure from danger of pollution.'

Pejepscot Spring. Pejepscot Spring is situated on Golf Hill in 

Auburn, about 1J miles northwest of the post-office. The water is 

reported by the owners to issue from a bed of sand near the base of 

the hillside. It is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, and is reported to 

flow about half a gallon a minute. It is put on the market for 

medicinal and table use. The analysis given in the table (No. 204) is 

recomputed from that furnished by the owners.

Poland Spring. Poland Spring is the best-known spring in Maine. 

It is owned by Hiram Ricker & Sons (Incorporated) and is situated 

on Ricker Hill at South Poland. This is a hill of considerable size, 

rising 300 feet above the surrounding valley and consisting almost
100 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

entirely of granite and granite gneiss, covered only by 1 to 30 feet of 

hardpan or bowlder clay. On top of the hill stands the Poland Spring 

House, a famous summer resort.

On the north and east sides of the hill the formation is typical 

granite, but on the soutli and west slopes it is much more gneissic in 

character. The spring is situated on the east slope of the hill, 84 

feet below the summit. In the immediate vicinity of the spring the 

rock is in few places more than 3 feet below the surface, and much of 

the surface is bare rock which slopes with the hill. The water issues 

from cracks in a dike of porphyry which is about 10 feet wide at the 

spring and strikes about N. 80° W., as nearly as can be estimated. 

This dike has been traced by the owners of the spring for a distance 

of 200 feet and its width diminishes at the southeast end to about 1 

foot. Its other relations can not be determined without excavation, 

but it is reported to hade slightly into the hill. The spring itself is 

covered by a glass case and protected from too close intrusion by a 

marble wall surmounted by an iron grating. By looking down 

through the glass cover a number of narrow cracks a small fraction of 

an inch in width can be seen running parallel with the sides of the 

dike. The surface of the dike is weathered rather whitish and is 

somewhat decomposed. It is from this part of the dike that the 

water emerges.

No pains or expense have been spared b}^ the owners of the Poland 

Spring to collect every available gallon of the water which emerges, 

and to protect the spring from all possible pollution. A trench was 

once excavated along the dike for many feet, and the dike covered 

with cement, to prevent the exit of water anywhere except in the 

spring. The curbing has been carefully cemented to the rock to 

prevent all surface wash, and over the spring has been built an 

elaborate and expensive marble spring house. The hotel stands on 

the summit of the hill several hundred feet distant, and all drainage 

from the hotel and stables is carried in tightly jointed pipes down 

the opposite slopes.

Poland water has no color, odor, or taste, and is very low in mineral 

matter, as shown by the analyses given in the table (Nos. 212, 213, 

214, and 214a). The first and second analyses are reported by the 

owners of the spring and the various constituents have been recalculated into the ionic form and parts per million, according to the 

standard method.

The best analyses of the Poland Spring water were made by W. W. 

Skinner, of the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of 

Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters 

conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry. 

One of these, made in 1905, has been published,0 but is repeated here.

i llaywood, J. K., Mineral waters of the United States: Bull. No. 91, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chemistry, 

1905, pp. 32-33.
ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY. 101

Analysis of Poland Spring ivater. 

[W. AV. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° ( 1 . and 760 mm. 

pressure): 

Carbon dioxide (CO2), free............................... 5. 6

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness...................................... 8. 8

Parts per 

million.

Silica (SiO2 )................................................ 24.1

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO4) ................................. 3. 6

Bicarbonic acid radicle (IICO3 )............................... 48. 4

Carbonic acid radicle (CO3 ).................................. .......

Nitric acid radicle (NO3 )..................................... 5. 89

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2 )................................... .0032

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4 j................................ Trace.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2 ). -............................... None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4 ).................................. None.

Chlorine (Cl)............................................... 5.0

Bromine (Br)............................................... None.

Iodine (I).................................................. None.

Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al)............................... .4

Manganese (Mn)............................................. None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................ 13.9

Magnesium (Mg)........................................... 2.1

Potassium (K)............................................. 2.4

Sodium (Na)................................................ 6.9

Lithium (Li)........................................... Minute trace.

Ammonium (NH4 ).......................................... .008

Oxygen to form SiO3 and Fe2O3 ............................. 1.2

133.9012

Free ammonia.............................................. .008

Albuminoid ammonia....................................... .051

Nitrogen as nitrates.......................................... 1 -33

Nitrogen as nitrites......................................... .001

Oxygen required............................................ .45

HYPOTHETICAL FORM OF COMBINATION.

Parts per

million.

Ammonium chloride (NII4C1)................................ 0.024

Lithium chloride (LiCl)................................. Minute trace.

Potassium chloride (KC1)................................... 4.6

Sodium chloride (NaCl)...................................... 4.6

Sodium sulphate (Na2SO4).................................. 5.3

Calcium phosphate (Ca3 (PO4 ) 2 ).............................. Trace.

Sodium nitrate (NaNO3 )..................................... 8. 07

Sodium nitrite (NaNO2 ).................................... . 0048

Sodium bicarbonate (Na(HC03 ))..... ...................... 4. 4

Magnesium bicarbonate (Mg(HC03 ) 2 )...-......-.............. 12. 6

Calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3 )_,)..'.......................... 46.1

Ferric oxide (Fe2 03 ) and alumina (A12O3 ) ..................... .6

Calcium silicate (CaSiO3 ).................................... 7.3

Silica (SiO2)................................................ 20.3

113. 8988
102 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

The second analysis by the Bureau of Chemistry was made at a 

later date and has not been previously published. The various constituents are as follows:

Analysis of Poland Spring water. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° C. and 760 mm. 

pressure):

Carbon dioxide (C02 ), free................................. 2.10

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness........................................ 10. 20

Parts per 

million. 

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4 )................................. Traces.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2)................................... None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4).................................... None.

Silica (Si02).................................................. 15. 40

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO4 ).................................. 3. 29

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3 )................................. 55. 63

Nitric acid radicle (NO3)....................................... 3. 98

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2)..................................... None.

Chlorine (Cl)............"..................................... 5.90

Bromine (Br)................................................. None.

Iodine (I), .j.................................................. None.

Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al)................................. .32

Manganese (Mn)............................................. None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................ 14. 37

Magnesium (Mg)............................................. 2. 38

Potassium (K)............................................... .90

Sodium (Na).................................................. 6. 34

Lithium (Li)................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4)............................................ . Oil

Oxygen to form Fe2O:i and Al2O:i .............................. .130

108. 651

Free ammonia................................................ .01

Albuminoid ammonia......................................... . 005

Nitrogen as nitrates .......................................... .900

Nitrogen as nitrites........................................... None.

Oxygen consumed............................................ 4. 00

The volume of flow of the Poland Spring is reported to be about 8 

gallons a minute. The temperature averages 42° and rarely varies 

2° the year round. It is little affected by rain, and then only after 

the lapse of considerable time. The spring water is used for drinking 

at the Poland Spring House and the Mansion House near by and is 

bottled and shipped.

The Poland Spring is said to have been accidentally discovered in 

1845. The hotel was built in 1876. In 1906 a fine plant, consisting 

of a spring house and bottling works, was installed at a cost of more 

than $100,000. In the vicinity of the Poland SDring are situated a
ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY. 103

number of other springs from which some water has been sold. One 

of these waters, sold near by, went for a while by the name of 

"Poliska water." Some years ago a well was sunk on the west side 

of the hill in an attempt to tap the Poland Spring, but without 

success.

Cliff Spring. The Cliff Spring is situated one-fourth mile west of 

East Turner, and the water is sold in Lewiston. The flow is reported 

to be 1J gallons a minute.

'Windsor Mineral Spring. The Windsor Mineral Spring, owned by 

the Windsor Mineral Spring Company, of Boston, is situated 3 miles 

northeast of Lewiston post-office, on the slope of a rock hill which 

rises 100 feet or more behind the spring. The surface deposits consist of several feet of bowlder clay. The water is said by the owners 

to issue from rock. The formation is pegmatite, gneiss, and schist. 

The slope of the hill is grassed over and covered in part by an orchard. 

The only buildings in the vicinity are a house and barn, situated 500 

feet horizontally along the hillside, thus giving no opportunity for 

pollution by drainage. The flow is reported to be 5 or 10 gallons a 

minute and to be invariable. The temperature is said to vary 2° 

or 3°.

The water is sold in Boston, New York, and other cities for table 

and medicinal purposes. Some of it is carbonated. The charge for 

still water is $1.50 a 5-gallon carboy. The spring is well protected 

by a cement curbing and is covered by a small spring house.

This water contains 154 parts per million of total solids. The 

complete analysis, recomputed according to the standard system, 

from the analysis reported in the company's circular, is given in the 

table (No. 208).

Lake Auburn Mineral Spring. An important spring is situated on 

the northwest shore of Lake Auburn, at the foot of a gentle bowlder 

clay and gravel slope, near the lake. Formerly the site of this spring 

was used for a summer resort and there was a large hotel here, but 

a few years ago the hotel was destroyed by fire and it has not been 

rebuilt. The spring is still covered with a small spring house, and 

many people from the village of North Auburn come here for drinking 

water.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

Several communities in Androscoggin County Lewiston, Auburn, 

Mechanic Falls, Livermore Falls, Lisbon Falls, and Lisbon Center 

have public water supplies. The last two mentioned are, however, 

the only ones using underground sources.

The village of Lisbon Center has a public supply owned by Mr. 

Herbert G. Spear, the water being derived from springs. The supply 

is distributed from a tank through galvanized-iron pipe, and the 

water is called good. The amount used per day is reported to be
104 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

1,500 gallons. The pressure is 15 pounds. The water mains are 

about 1 mile in length, and there are 30 taps. There is no fire service. 

Lisbon Falls obtains its supply by direct pressure from two springs 

owned by the Sylvester Aqueduct Company.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Cumberland County lies in the southwestern part of the State, 

bordering on Casco Bay and extending inland toward the New 

Hampshire line. It has a length north and south of about 45 miles 

and a breadth east and west of about the same distance, and covers 

a total area of 1,014 square miles. The population according to the 

census of 1900 was 100,689. This county contains Portland, the 

largest city of Maine, which in 1900 had a population of 55,167. The 

count}r includes many large lakes, especially in the western part, 

the largest being Sebago and Long lakes and Thompson Pond. 

It contains nearly the whole of the Presumpscot River system, Saco 

River follows the western edge for 16 miles, and Androscoggin River 

near its mouth borders the eastern corner for a similar distance. The 

county is relatively hilly, ranging in altitude from sea level to more 

than 1,300 feet above sea level in the northwestern part. Along the 

coast are scores of islands, large and small, which are utilized extensively as summer resorts. A map of Cumberland County, showing 

the distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities 

having public supplies, forms PI. XII.

In the interior districts of Cumberland County the prevailing type 

of well is the old-fashioned dug well, but in the vicinity of Portland 

and on the various islands of Casco Bay drilled wells are abundant 

and are generally successful. The range in depth is from 30 feet to 

more than 800 feet, the most common depth being between 50 and 

100 feet. A few drilled wells in the vicinity of Portland and a number 

of driven wells on the flood plain of Androscoggin River near Brunswick overflow.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Character and distribution of rock types. As in Androscoggin County, 

the prevailing type of rock is granite. Only the region in the southern 

part of the county, lying between Sebago Lake and the sea, and small 

areas along the coast and on the islands, consist of slate and schist. 

These areas include Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarboro, South Portland, Gorham, parts of Windham, Westbrook, Deering, Freeport, 

and the island portions of Cumberland and Yarmouth. In the extreme northeastern part of the county, in much of Harpswell and in 

the eastern half of Brunswick, is an area of ''complex" in which
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XII

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth 

Flowing well

*y Important spring

Community having public supply from surface sources

| | Community having public supply from.springs 

Community having public supply from wells 

Other important towns

L.L.POATES ENGR'G CO.. N.Y.

9

1.5 20 MILES

MAP OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies.
CTJMBEELAND COUNTY. 105

granites and gneisses alternate with slates, schists, and other rocks, 

which can not be subdivided in mapping.

Along the coast between Cape Elizabeth and Brunswick the rock 

varies in nature from hard, gneissic, and locally almost granitic rock 

to a very soft and schistose formation. The prevailing strike is northeastward, and this peculiarity accounts for the northeast-southwest 

elongation of the islands in Casco Bay. In general, the stratification 

and cleavage coincide rather closely in strike, although they may vary 

considerably in dip. Here and there the strata are much contorted, 

but the cleavage is generally rather uniform and for the most part 

nearly vertical, although in places it is considerably inclined. On 

Peaks Island the strike averages N. 40° to 60° E., and the dip ranges 

from 30° to 60° NW. The cleavage there is parallel to the dip. In 

many places the cleavage planes are open and would seem to allow 

opportunity for considerable water to penetrate downward into the 

rocks.

The mainland of Portland and parts of Deering and Westbr«ok 

differ considerably from the coast and islands, being composed of 

nearly pure slate which shows little trace of schistosity. This is the 

general type of slate found farther inland in Maine. In Portland and 

vicinity the slates are cut by intruded trap and granite dikes. At 

many places near its borders the granite contains masses of slate, 

and, like the slate, it is cut by dikes of trap. This indicates that the 

slate was the first rock formed, that is was intruded by great masses 

of molten granite, and that later both slate and granite were intruded 

by small masses of basic rock in the form of dikes which may now be 

seen cutting those rocks.

The joint cracks in the vicinity of Portland correspond in trend 

to those developed in other parts of the State. On the other harbor 

islands the main joints trend approximately N. 30° E., and N. 70° W. 

At Woodfords they are irregular. Some are nearly vertical, and the 

most persistent hade is toward the northwest, but a few vertical joints 

run in an east-west direction. One of the best exposures of this slate 

can be seen in a large ledge at Fish Point, in the Grand Trunk Railway yards at Portland.

On the islands in Casco Bay the cleavage is inclined at a high angle 

with the stratification, the latter being much contorted. In places 

the cleavage and stratification correspond, but such agreement is 

generally accidental. The strike of the cleavage is N. 40° E., and the 

hade is from 30° to 90° NW. In places the rock is very shaly. The 

joint cracks at these places are very irregular, but one system runs 

between N. 20° W. and N. 50° W. These joints are rather numerous, 

but not persistent. The rock contains a great many quartz veins.

The structure of the slate and its adaptability for holding water 

are shown by phenomena recorded in the drilling of wells at Portland.
106 UNDERGROUND WATEES OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

In one well the drill dropped several inches when water was struck 

at a depth of 288 feet.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Cumberland County are 

very diversified in nature. In the towns bordering the coast there 

are large areas covered by clay, which in many places is in turn overlain by flat sand deposits. The upper surface of the clay is not flat 

but undulating, so that the overlying sand is not everywhere of the 

same thickness. Along the coast the clay does not in general rise 

more than 60 feet above tide, but in the valleys of Presumpscot and 

other rivers it is in places as high as 150 feet. The clay and sand 

plains are several square miles in extent. The clay is also underlain 

in many places by sand and gravel in which water may generally be 

found. A typical section showing the relations of the clay to the 

other deposits is exposed at Portland.

Typical section of drift at Portland.

Feet. 

Dark-brown clay with a few bowlders............................... 10

Fine stratified sand............................................... 8

18 

Another type of section is as follows:

Section of drift near Westbrook.

Feet. 

Coarse heterogeneous gravel....................................... 5

Stratified dark-brown clay........................................... 6

Fine horizontally-stratified sand.................................... 3

Coarse semistratified gravel........................................ 5

19

The following section is exposed in a cut in Munjoy Hill on Washington street, Portland:

Section on Munjoy Hill, Portland.

Feet.

1. Coarse gravel................................................ 3

2. Stratified gravel............................................. 10

3. Stratified, contorted, and eroded clay......................... 5

4. Hard blue bowlder clay ..................................... 10+

28+

On top of No. 3 in this section a large amount of water can be seen 

seeping out of the hill. On the east side of the hill there are great 

gullies from which springs issue, apparently on top of the same bed. 

As a reservoir is situated on the summit, it is possible that the water 

has its source in leakage.

A few exposures in the city of Portland show that the upper part 

of both hills on which the city is built consists of gravel, while rock 

forms the core at depths of 100 feet or so below the summit. Considerable areas in Portland outside the peninsula consist of clay rising 

to a maximum height of 100 feet above tide. Generally these clays
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, 107

are underlain by sand or gravel which may contain water. In some 

of the brickyards considerable water seeps out of the clay near its 

base. The top of Bramhall Hill is reported to have once been a 

swamp, and the water which seeps out around both sides of the hill 

probably comes from this source. Springs are reported to have once 

been abundant on this hill.

Away from the coast the drift is thinner. On the highlands it is 

generally of the ordinary type of bowlder clay, from 1 to 10 feet or 

more thick. About Sebago Lake, however, and in some of the 

broader valleys there are flat sand deposits of considerable thickness. 

Some undulating sand and gravel deposits are found on the highlands.

Buried valleys, In most places the stratified drift deposits are underlain by rock at no considerable depth. Elsewhere, however, along 

ancient buried river valleys, the clay is of great thickness. Such a 

structure is found underneath Fore River between Portland and 

South Portland, where borings made during the construction of 

Vaughan's bridge showed the bed rock descending with a fairly regular 

drop from sea level at Portland to 110 feet below tide on the South 

Portland shore. A short distance south of this place the rock 

reaches the surface again and outcrops near Cape Elizabeth depot. 

In the construction of Vaughan's bridge two rows of 13 borings each 

were put down as tests. A sample record of the strata passed through 

is as follows:

Record of boring at Vaughan's bridge, Fore River, Portland.

Feet.

1. Water......................................................... 11.9

2. Soft black silt.............................................. 21.4

3. Soft silty sand and peat...................................... 21. 0

4. Very soft blue clay with silt................................. 52. 8

5. Coarse gravel and sand, hard................................ 2. 4

6. Slate. 

109.5

No. 3 is nearly pure peat in some borings; in others it is made up 

largely of sand. It is reported in only 10 out of the 26 borings, and 

when mixed with sand has a thickness of 5 to 30 feet, rising within 

33 feet of mean low water. No. 4 is typical blue clay, and its surface 

rises from 55 feet below tide at South Portland to low-water level at 

Portland. No. 5 is a stony bowlder clay.

The two kinds of buried valleys, those in the clay surface and those 

in the underlying bed rock, indicate that Fore River was the outlet 

for a stream of some size both before and after the deposition of the 

clay. It is probable that rock valleys of this kind extend many miles 

inland at several points along the coast, although they can not be 

traced on the surface owing to the great thickness of glacial drift. 

It may be expected that water supplies will be found by drilling wells 

in these filled valleys at some distance back from the coast.
108 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. In Cumberland County, as nearly everywhere 

else in Maine, open wells are by far the most abundant type. The 

most common depth is probably 25 feet, and the wells are usually dug 

in bowlder clay or gravel. As a rule they are fairly successful, but 

the quality, volume, head, and persistence of the water vary greatly. 

A few wells, such as some of those driven on the flood plain of Androscoggiii River for the towns of Brunswick and Topsham, obtain flows 

of water from a depth of 25 to 35 feet. This is possible only in a few 

favored localities. In some localities wells driven through soft clay 

into the underlying sands and gravels obtain water of good quality. 

Drilled wells are generally successful.

Drilled wells. In Cumberland County there are no deep wells sunk 

exclusively in drift; however, the borings for Vaughan's bridge in 

Portland go to a depth of 110 feet below tide before striking rock. 

This suggests the possibility of getting water along similar buried 

valleys. It may be worth while to mention the case of the Merrimac 

Valley in Massachusetts, where a number of wells were drilled into 

the gravels underlying the clays at considerable depths and a few 

flowing wells were obtained. Although there is no certainty that 

similar wells could be obtained in Maine, it is probable that wells sunk 

at any point along the old valleys would obtain plenty of water.

In Cumberland County the number of drilled wells which have been 

sunk is somewhat over 120. The diameter of these wells varies from 

4 to 8 inches according to the situation and the quantity of water 

desired, but the common diameter is 6 inches. The depth ranges from 

40 feet in a few wells to 830 feet in an unsuccessful well drilled at the 

Maine General Hospital.

Quantity of water. The most common depth of well is 50 to 100 

feet, and the depth to the principal vein of water is generally within 

the same limits. Some wells, however, find the principal water vein 

as deep as 200 feet. The wells are most closely grouped at Portland 

and on some of the islands in Casco Bay and in the town of Standish. 

Most of them are successful, although in a few no water was obtained, 

and a few wells are reported along the coast in which the only result 

was salt water which had probably penetrated inward from the sea. 

The quantity of water found varies greatly, from less than a gallon 

to 60 gallons a minute. The common capacity is not more than 10 

gallons a minute. The best wells known in the county are at Portland. Generally the wells are permanent, but it has been necessary 

to drill a few of them deeper, and some have been abandoned because 

of decrease in supply.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 109

Quality of water. As elsewhere in Maine, the quality of the water 

is dependent largely on the kind of rock in which the well is drilled. 

It is found that the lowest amount of total solids is generally obtained 

from granite, although typical hard blue slate of the type found on the 

mainland at Portland generally gives water of moderate mineral content. Where the rocks are more schistose, however, and especially 

where they are mixed with trap and granite, approaching the type 

known as " complex," the water is of poorer quality, generally being 

higher in sulphates and carbonates and more commonly containing 

iron. There is probably no place in Cumberland County where the 

water is so highly charged with mineral matter as to be unsuitable 

for use in boilers, but sea water has penetrated and ruined a few wells. 

Generally the well waters of this county are low in mineral matter, 

and where kept safe from pollution by organic matter they are perfectly satisfactory for drinking. The table of analyses on pages 77-83 

shows that the total solids in rock wells in this county run from 25 to 

more than 600 parts per million, with one higher report (2,008) due 

to sea water. The ordinary amount of total solids is from 100 to 150 

parts, and the hardness from 16 to 176.

Uses. Most of the wells in Cumberland County are used for domestic supplies. In Portland, however, they are used in several office 

buildings for both drinking and boilers and in a number of factories. 

On the islands of Casco Bay they are used to supply summer cottages. 

Several of these islands have installed public supplies from rock 

sources. Brunswick has a supply from deep wells in gravel and sand. 

Most of the wells of the county are pumped by hand or by windmill, 

but those used for public supply and some private wells are pumped 

by power. Several of the forts in Casco Bay are supplied by wells.

Flowing wells. In Cumberland County 10 flowing wells are reported, 

exclusive of the wells of the Brunswick and Topsham water district, 

which flow at times. Most of these are situated on the islands of 

Casco Bay, but one of them is in Gorham and one in Westbrook. 

The greatest head is about 3 feet above the surface, and the greatest 

yield is about 2 gallons a minute. With few exceptions the water 

is suitable for any use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

City of Portland. The drinking-water problem is not pressing in 

the city of Portland, for the reason that an excellent supply is obtained 

from Sebago Lake, a body of water so large that it is little affected 

by any polluting influence. However, the number of summer cottages and hotels situated on the lake and its tributaries is increasing 

rapidly, and several steamboat lines are run regularly on the lake. 

It is feared, therefore, that the water may in time become dangerous 

if no precautions are taken to stop the increase of contaminating
110 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

influences. (See p. 125.) But at present the water supply of the 

mainland portions of the city is excellent, and the advantage of wells 

lies principally in a saving of water bills. Several companies and 

individuals have drilled deep wells for that reason, and on the islands 

of the harbor a number have been sunk for supplying summer 

cottages. In all, more than 30 drilled wells have been sunk within 

the city limits.

The deepest well known to have been drilled in the State of 

Maine was sunk in 1902 at the Maine General Hospital, on Western 

Promenade, overlooking the union station. This well was sunk to 

a depth of 830 feet. It was drilled by an experienced driller, who 

contracted to supply 16 gallons of water a minute, the price of 

the well being $2,000. Only 3 gallons a minute were obtained, and 

this was not sufficient for the hospital needs. The driller requested 

permission to "shoot" the well with 200 pounds of dynamite, but 

his request was refused and the well was abandoned.

This well was situated 150 feet distant from a successful well 505 

feet in depth at the same hospital, which obtained 13 gallons of water 

a minute and cost $3,290, including the engine and pump. This well 

was sunk in 1902 to a depth of 100 feet. A year later it was deepened to 505 feet, its present depth. The first 24 feet of this well is 

through gravel, the next 76 feet through clay, and the rest through 

slate. It yields more than 21,000 gallons of water a day, and the 

water is of very good quality. The analysis (No. 45) shows 177 

parts per million of dissolved solids. The sanitary analysis showed 

the water to be perfectly safe.

In the well drilled for Mr. D. F. Emory the following strata were

encountered:

Record of D. F. Emory well, Portland,

Feet. 

Fine sand........................................................ 12

Gravel and sand.................................................. 30

Hard "sandstone "............................................... 10

Rock........................................................... 76

128

In a 298^-foot well belonging to Burgess, Forbes & Co. the strata 

were 'as follows:

/Section of Burgess, Forbes & Co. well, Portland.

Feet.

Gravel.......................................................... 14

Clay............................................................ 65

Clay and gravel................................................ 18

Clay............-.--...--.-.----....--/..---.-...-.-.-.-...-.... 52

Slate.......................................................... 61

<' Granite"...................---..--..-...-.................... 88J

298J
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Ill

If the "granite" is really granite, it indicates the extreme irregularity in distribution of this rock beneath Cumberland County.

One of the best wells in the city is that belonging to Mrs. Mary J. 

Frazer, at the corner of Franklin and Fore streets. This is a flowing 

well 210 feet deep, in slate. It is pumped by a windmill and is 

reported to yield 25 gallons of water a minute and to supply drinking 

water for a large number of tenements in the vicinity. Water was 

obtained at a number of different depths, but the best vein was 

tapped at the bottom of the well. The owner reports the use of this 

well as a great saving in expense over city water. It is a fine, clear 

water, and contains 25 parts per million of total solids, a lower amount 

than exists in the water of any other deep well in the city. An 

interesting feature regarding this well is that although it is situated 

but a few hundred feet from the sea, where the normal amount of 

chlorine is over 6 parts per million, only 1.4 parts of chlorine were 

found in this water. This may mean that the water comes from a 

source some distance inland.

An unsuccessful well was drilled in 1887 for the Consolidated 

Electric Light Company of Maine, on Plum street. This well is 8 

inches in diameter. Salt water was struck at 140 feet from the surface, and the well was drilled to 204 feet in the hope of getting water 

of better quality. It yielded 65 gallons a minute, and the well could 

not be pumped dry, but the water was too salty for use. The well 

was then plugged at a depth of 145 feet. An analysis was made, 

and the result showed the total solids to amount to 2,008 parts per 

million, of which 1,912 were readily soluble and 96 insoluble by 

heating. The water was rather alkaline and contained a trace of 

iron. The analyses showed that there was less calcium carbonate" 

than before plugging and that nearly all the magnesium carbonate 

was shut off; the sodium chloride increased considerably. The 

water has great tendency to scale and corrode the boilers. As the 

total solids in this water do not approach the amount in sea water, 

it can not be pure ocean water, but is considerably diluted with rock 

water.

Another unusual well is the one belonging to Mr. James P. Baxter, 

at Baxter Block. Mr. Baxter reports his well water to be better 

than Sebago water, because the latter will show a slight sediment on 

standing, whereas that from his well will not. This well nearly 

flows. It is said that when the drilling had reached a depth of 76 

feet no water had been found, but at that depth the drill suddenly 

dropped for a distance of more than 80 feet through a cavernous space. 

If this report is accurate, it is probable that a vertical joint crack of 

considerable size was encountered.

The well drilled for E. T. Burrowes & Co. is 106 feet deep and 

becomes a flowing well in the spring. Analysis of this water showed 

pollution by sewage, and it is not used for drinking.
112 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

On account of the general use of Sebago water in Portland there 

are few dug wells within the city limits. The former town of Deering 

now belongs to Portland and has for years used the city supply. 

There are a few dug wells in the vicinity of Woodfords, but these are 

not used for drinking water, as the population has become too dense 

to make water from shallow wells safe. In quality the Portland 

water is very good, as regards both purity from pollution and low 

mineral content. The analyses of waters from 11 deep wells in the 

city are given in the table (Nos. 37 to 47).

Peaks Island, Portland. The shore of Peaks Island consists almost 

entirely of bare rock and bowlder clay, but the interior, rising at 

points to a height of more than 80 feet above tide, is covered in places 

by sand and clay which are locally 20 feet or more in thickness. 

The rock consists of slate and sandy schist striking northeast and 

having a nearly vertical dip. In hardness the rock varies greatly, 

as it is cut by a great many small veins of quartz.

There are many open wells on the island, the most common depth 

of which is 15 feet, and these generally afford plenty of water. The 

capacity of some of them has been increased by blasting a few feet 

in ledge. On account of the increasing summer population of the 

island surface wells are no longer safe. Wherever practicable their 

use should be discontinued and deep wells or the public supply be 

substituted.

Drilling on the island is comparatively easy, and a number of 

deep wells have been sunk. Their depth ranges from 45 to more 

than 200 feet. The best wells on the island are the two drilled for 

the Peaks Island Water and Light Company, which are 202 feet 

deep. These wells are connected by a natural fissure below the 

surface and together will yield 85 gallons a minute with the pumps 

running twenty-four hours a day.

On Peaks Island there is one flowing well, belonging to Mr. C. W. 

T. Goding, of the Casco Bay Steamship Company. The mouth is 

only a few feet above tide. This is an 8-inch well, 135 feet deep. By 

pumping, it yields 52 gallons of water a minute. No failures are 

known on the island, but two or more wells obtain only 2 or 3 gallons 

a minute each. A few people have used springs, but these are now 

abandoned. Two analyses of deep-well waters on this island are 

given in the table (Nos. 35 and 36).

Great Diamond Island, Portland. The surface of Great Diamond 

Island is mostly bowlder clay, with slaty ledge outcropping in a 

few places. The west side of the island is low; the east side is high 

and rocky. The rock is similar to that on Peaks Island, but is more 

slate than schist. Many wells here, even including two of those belonging to the water company, are only open wells a few feet in depth, 

some of them blasted 2 or 3 feet into the ledge. Two wells drilled
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 113

on the western shore for the Diamond Island Association were successful; they yield 12 and 15 gallons a minute and now supply about 

60 buildings, mostly cottages. The water is found at a depth of 

about 100 feet in gneiss. Analysis No. 31 gives the composition 

of water in one of these wells, and No. 32 is a field assay from the 

other.

At Fort McKinley, on the north end of Great Diamond Island, 

seven wells have been drilled at various times for the United States 

Government. They range from 95 to 302 feet in depth, and water 

is found at depths of 80 to 100 feet. Two or more of them were 

abandoned because of insufficient supplies, but the rest yield a 

maximum amount of 4 to 40 gallons a minute. The detailed description of these wells may be of benefit in future deep drilling on neighboring islands.

Well No. 1, 97£ feet deep, overflowed the surface before pumping. 

The test showed 25 gallons a minute. Well No. 2, 95 feet deep, 

situated 150 feet east of No. 1, taps the same vein, and before pumping the water overflowed the surface. In the test it showed 30 gallons 

a minute by pumping, and when pumped with No. 1 it will supply 

48 gallons a minute. Well No. 3, situated 150 feet south of No. 1, 

is 265 feet deep. The test showed 15 gallons a minute. Well No. 

4, situated 300 feet northwest of No. 1, is 302 feet deep and supplied 

14 gallons a minute in the test. In wells Nos. 3 and 4 the water 

stands at 15 to 20 feet below the surface. The pumps are down 

125 feet and 150 feet, respectively. In these wells 15 to 18 feet of 

drift was penetrated on top of the rock; the remainder is schist, 

much of which contains pyrites. The total capacity of all four 

wells during the wet season of 1902 and 1903 was 84 gallons a minute. 

The total capacity during the dry season of 1904 and 1905 was 30 

gallons a minute. In dry seasons wells Nos. 1 and 2 can be exhausted.

Little Diamond Island, Portland. Little Diamond Island is situated just south of Great Diamond and is connected with it at low 

tide by a sand bar. So far as the structure of the rocks is concerned, 

it is but a continuation of Great Diamond Island. On Little Diamond one well has been drilled to a depth of 170 feet and obtains 4 

gallons a minute from 160 feet below the surface. Most of the wells 

on this island are dug wells less than 20 feet in depth. These are 

perfectly safe if situated on the uphill side of all houses. At the 

east end of Little Diamond Island is a light-house at which the 

Government has a well 171 feet deep. The water in this well is 

salty and contains total solids amounting to 460 parts per million, 

the chlorine being 397 parts, carbonates 80 parts, and sulphates also 

high. The unusual composition is due probably to a considerable 

admixture of sea water.

59969 IKK 223 09 8
114 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

House Island, Portland. House Island consists of solid rock round 

the sides, but there is some drift on top. On this island a single 

well was sunk to a depth of 170 feet. It is reported to supply 15 

gallons a minute.

CusJiing Island, Portland. Cushing Island is the most southerly of 

the group of islands in Portland Harbor, and is about a mile in 

length. The cover, of till, is 1 to 5 feet or more in thickness, and the 

underlying rock is schistose gneiss of varying degrees of hardness. 

This island is a better collector of water than some of the others, 

because it has a few depressions in the surface and less bare rock. 

The principal system of joint cracks here strikes N. 40° to 50° W. 

and hades N. 25° from the vertical, the joints being from 3 to 10 

feet apart. A second system strikes N. 80° W. to N. 70° E. and hades 

N. 10°. The third system, probably sheet joints, strikes north and 

south and dips toward the west at 20° to 30° from the horizontal. 

Along the shore a great many irregular joints can be seen.

On this island there are several private wells which strike water 

at depths of 80 to 275 feet, and the United States Government has 

drilled four or more wells at Fort Levett. There are a few dug wells 

on the island, but most of the residents use water from a drilled well 

belonging to Mr. Cushing.

The most extensive drilling on the island was for Fort Levett. 

Here several wells have been sunk and abandoned. Official records 

have been kept of only the three most recent ones. Well No. 1 

struck rock at 18 feet and was cased to 28 feet. Its total depth is 

277.2 feet. A forty-eight hour test on January 4, 1906, showed 

30 gallons of water a minute. The rock resembles hard mica schist 

or quartzite. The pump barrel is down 150 feet. When pumped 

the water falls below this level. Well No. 2, drilled in 1906, is 326 

feet deep. It penetrates 11 feet of soil and clay and is cased to a 

depth of 74 feet. The water level before pumping stands within 20 

feet of the surface, but while pumped it stands 300 feet lower. On 

the test this well supplied 10 gallons of water a minute, but this was 

not considered enough, and a new well was drilled. Such a well 

should not be abandoned, as 10 gallons a minute is a good yield in 

Maine. Well No. 3 struck rock at 15 feet and is cased to 27 feet. 

The water stands 20 feet below the surface. On January 3, 1907, 

it was 176 feet deep, but no report has been obtained since it was 

completed.

Long Island, Portland. The rock on Long Island is mostly schist, 

which splits easily along the bedding planes, standing nearly vertical 

The island contains a great many cottages, but no public supply is 

used. The only wells are of the old-fashioned open type.

Cow Island, Portland. A flowing well is reported to have been 

drilled at Fort Lyon, on Cow Island,in 1906. The natural flow was 6
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 115

gallons a minute, and the capacity by pumping is reported to be 

40 gallons a minute.

Gorham. A number of drilled wells have been sunk in the town 

of Gorham, and so far as known they have been successful, as regards 

both quality and quantity of water. The deepest well is that of Mr. 

J. H. Rines, in the eastern corner of the town. This well was drilled 

all the way in solid rock. The drilled wells are about a dozen in 

number, and range in depth from 40 to 307 feet, generally supplying 

enough water for domestic purposes from a formation which is mostly 

slate. In the eastern part of the town the dug wells average 15 feet 

in depth and contain, as a rule, 5 or 6 feet of water in the dry spell, 

though some of them dry up. One dug well is more than 60 feet 

deep, in till, and for fifty years has never been known to be dry. The 

analysis of water from a 66-foot rock well is given in the table (No. 30).

WestbrooJc. The formation at Westbrook is for the most part 

slate, but the northern part of the town is underlain by granite. 

The bed rock is only a few feet below the surface. In that section 

the wells are open wells, only 10 to 20 feet in depth. Many wells go 

dry during the summer, but those blasted a few feet in ledge give 

plenty of water.

In the vicinity of Saccarappa there are two flowing wells, one 

owned by Mr. Rufus Jordan, the other by the Haskell Silk Company. 

These wells are both 216 feet in depth and obtain their flows near 

the bottom of the well. The surface rock is slate, but one or both 

wells are reported to enter granite. It is possible that the flow may 

be caused by the penetration of water downward from the hills 

along the contact between the granite and the slate, but this conclusion has not been definitely proved. The composition of the 

water in the flowing wells is given in the table (Nos. 51 and 53).

CTiebeague Island, Cumberland. Chebeague Island is the largest 

of the islands in Casco Bay, being more than 3 miles in length. Like 

other islands of the bay, it consists mostly of schist, but the surface 

of the interior is made up in part of sand. It is easy to get water from 

shallow wells, and for that reason only one drilled well has been sunk 

on the island. The depths of the dug wells are only 6 to 20feet. The 

water is mostly safe for drinking. The abundance of water on this 

island is due to the thickness of the drift covering and to a swampy 

depression which lies on the high land of the interior. The only 

drilled well is owned by Mr. E. A. Ballard. This well was drilled to 

a depth of 52 feet and obtained plenty of water. Later it was sunk 

to 80 feet, and still later to 301 feet. The latter extension was unsuccessful, not increasing the supply. The water is good and clear, 

and the supply has increased in volume through natural causes since 

the well was drilled. The amount is small, but is sufficient for 

domestic purposes at the cottage.
116 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Little (Jhebeague Island, Cumberland. Little Chebeague Island 

bears the same relation to Chebeague Island that Little Diamond 

Island bears to Great Diamond. Little Chebeague is connected with 

the main island at low water by a sand bar. All over the island 

the drift is thick, 40 feet or more of it being exposed in a nearly vertical 

cliff on the north side. On top of this bluff, not many feet from the 

edge, a well was drilled to a depth of 197 feet. Rock was struck at 

about 100 feet. The water is good and was at first plentiful, but the 

supply has diminished until now there is not enough to supply one 

family. Another well should be drilled to the east of this, and it is 

believed that there is an even chance of obtaining a better well. On 

this island a dozen or more cottages use open wells.

Windham. The town of Windham is rather hilly, and the rock 

consists mostly of slate and schist. The wells are nearly all open 

wells, 10 to 40 feet in depth, but at South Windham two drilled wells 

have been sunk. One of these was a failure owing to improper casing; the other well supplies plenty of water for three or four families. 

Most of the people in the village use Sebago Lake water, as the 

Portland aqueduct runs near the village. A few springs emerging 

from gravel have been used in the vicinity, and the mills obtain 

water from this source. There is plenty of water in the gravel, and 

its quality seems to be very good. Some of the dug wells run dry 

during the summer.

Scarboro. The greater part of the town of Scarboro consists of 

broad sand and clay plains rising from sea level to 100 feet or more 

above tide. On these plains the water level is only a few feet below 

the surface and excellent soft water can generally be obtained by 

driven wells, at a cost of only $12 to $15. The size of pipe commonly used is 1J inches.

In this town drilled wells are generally unnecessary, but on the 

hills and in some localities where the rock approaches the surface 

it is necessary to drill. On the road running from West Scarboro 

to Portland several wells have been drilled, which range in depth 

from 50 to 200 feet. They generally yield plenty of water for a 

house and farm. One of them, on the H. J. Libbey estate, gave 3J 

gallons a minute for three and one-half hours in the test. In this 

part of town there are a number of dug wells 15 to 20 feet in depth. 

The formation on the hills and underneath the drift is slate.

In West Scarboro the deep wells are good, but most of them are 

less than 50 feet in depth. A number of springs in the vicinity are 

used to supply houses in the village. Some wells are bored in clay, 

and a few of these have been unsuccessful. Most wells here, however, suppty enough water for a family from a depth of 30 to 35 feet. 

The best water is obtained by penetrating the clay.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 117

At Pine Point Beach the wells are only 10 to 15 feet deep, driven 

in sand. On Blue Point Hill the wells are all dug, and some of them 

fail in summer. On Prouts Neck the formation is all rock. Conditions there have not been investigated, but it is probable that water 

can be obtained by deep drilling.

Cape Elizabeth. The coast of Cape Elizabeth is very high and 

rocky and is greatly appreciated as a summer resort. The few wells 

that have been drilled along the coast range in depth from 60 to 120 

feet, supplying summer cottages. The Shore Acres Land Company, 

however, has a well 151J feet deep, which supplies a number of 

houses with good water. Away from the coast the wells are mostly 

shallow and are driven or dug in sand and gravel. In quality the 

rock water is generally good. An analysis of water from a 115-foot 

well at Cape Cottage reports 140 parts per million of total solids. The 

calcium here is 43 parts per million, which is high for southwestern 

Maine.

South Portland. The coast of South Portland is mostly bold and 

rocky, like that of Cape Elizabeth. The surface varies from rocky 

hills to plains of clay overlain by sand. Nearly the whole town uses 

Portland water, and there is little demand felt for drilled wells. 

Several shallow wells on the clay plain penetrate the underlying 

gravel and obtain water of good qualitj'. No drilled wells are 

reported. An interesting set of borings made for Vaughans Bridge 

is described under Portland (p. 107).

Falmouth. The surface of Falmouth is made up of cla}T and sand 

plains rising to an altitude of 100 feet, broken by low hills of schist 

and granite. Throughout the town the wells are shallow and the conditions are variable. Part of the town is now using Sebago Lake 

water. In the southern part a number of drilled wells have been 

sunk, some of them more than 100 feet, and the chances for water 

have been found to be fairly good.

At Falmouth Foreside the Underwood Mineral Spring is situated.

Clapboard Island, Falmouth. On Clapboard Island a single well 

has been drilled by Mr. S. F. Houston. It reached a depth of 210 feet. 

No information regarding this well has been received.

Standish. In the town of Standish much drilling has been done, 

18 wells having been put down by a single driller. The wells range 

in depth from 40 to 90 feet. The drilled wells are mostly open wells 

which have been deepened because of previous insufficient supply. 

The volume of water is still small, but is sufficient for all farm purposes, in some wells amounting to 10 gallons a minute. Some of 

these wells can not be pumped dry, but most of them are exhausted in 

a short time.

The well of Mr. Frank H. Rand was originally a 30-foot open 

well, blasted 22 feet in ledge. There was little water, and the owner
118 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

drilled to a depth of 60 feet, striking a pocket of water, which soon 

gave out. The well was afterwards deepened to 79 feet and obtained 

10 gallons a minute. Most of the wells have been drilled in rock, but 

several near the village of Sebago Lake penetrate nearly 40 feet of 

sand. As a rule the water comes from crevices in a schistose rock. 

One shallow drilled well in Standish contained so much iron that it 

was not used. The only evidence of the composition of water in this 

town is derived from a field assay (No. 50).

Bridgton. The town of Bridgton is believed to be entirely underlain by granite. In the village and town much drilling has been done 

at various times, 14 wells having been sunk by one driller. The 

depths range from 40 to 290 feet. So far as known, the wells of moderate depth have been successful, and a 200-foot well seems also to 

have been satisfactory. A well 290 feet in depth, however, was 

drilled for the Bridgton Aqueduct Company and yielded very little 

water. This is one of many examples showing the uselessness of 

sinking wells below 200 feet or so in granite. At North Bridgton 

and elsewhere wells are dug and seem to be mostly satisfactory. Several field assays (Nos. 3, 4, 6, and 7) of water from Bridgton wells 

have been made, but only one complete analysis (No. 5).

Harrison. Several wells have been drilled at various times in the 

town of Harrison, one of them, high on a hill, being 90 feet deep and 

successful. Other wells as several at Bolsters Mills were only 

about 40 feet deep and obtained water, but were abandoned in favor 

of a spring supply which is now used by that village. On the hills 

many people use excellent springs which issue from bowlder clay and 

are pumped by windmills to houses higher up.

Otisfield. Several drilled wells have been sunk in Otisfield, and 

the conditions seem to be favorable for obtaining undergroundwater supplies, but no data are at hand.

Brunswick. Brunswick is an example of a city with a good water 

supply, taken from driven wells on the flood plain of Androscoggin 

River, as explained under the heading "Public supplies." Formerly 

the river water was used and typhoid fever was epidemic; later the 

water was purchased from Bath. So far as safety is concerned private wells are now unnecessary. In case individuals or companies 

desire to sink wells, they will probably succeed in getting sufficient 

water, either from shallow wells sunk through the surface sands and 

clays into underlying gravel or by drilling into rock. The former 

source is recommended for. manufacturing establishments in situations where the surface deposits are of sufficient thickness.

Harpswell. This part of the Maine coast is so uniformly rocky, 

and it is so difficult to get water from dug wells, that many people 

at their summer cottages have resorted to the ancient custom of using 

cisterns and rain water. Few people in Harpswell use drilled wells.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 119

At the extreme end of Mere Point is one well 67 feet deep, in schist, 

which furnishes enough water for all the families a dozen or more 

having cottages on the end of the point. An analysis of the water 

from this well is given in the table (No. 33).

Freeport. The public supply of Freeport village comes from Frost 

Gulley Brook. In the town a number of wells have been drilled 

to depths varying from 100 to 200 feet. They could not be pumped 

dry during a twenty-four-hour test and were used for some time, but 

were abandoned when the public supply was instituted. The well 

water is obtained in gneiss. Several wells at South Freeport, about 

100 feet deep, obtain enough water for domestic uses from granite. 

Casco Castle at South Freeport obtains its supply from a spring situated 2 miles south of the hotel. Otherwise South Freeport uses 

shallow wells.

Other towns. In the towns of Baldwin, Sebago, Naples, and New 

Gloucester some drilled wells have been sunk, but they are rare and 

scattered. In Casco, Raymond, Pownal, Gray, and North Yarmouth 

no drilling is known to have been done, and only open wells, with 

perhaps a few driven wells, are used.

SPRINGS.

General statement. In Cumberland County springs are abundant. 

The topography is varied, the covering of drift is in many places 

thick, and springs seep out along the bowlder-clay hillsides. In the 

country districts water is pumped from some of these springs by 

windmills or hydraulic rams to houses on the hills above. Where 

springs are not situated within limits of pollution from neighboring 

houses the water is generally of good quality. One small village 

Bolsters Mills uses springs for a public supply. In many parts of 

the region covered by clay and sand plains it is common to find 

springs emerging from sand overlying clay. Some of these springs 

contain surprisingly small amounts of mineral matter and many are 

entirely free from organic matter.

The commercial mineral springs in Cumberland County which report sales are as follows:

Paradise Spring, Brunswick. 

Pownal Spring, New Gloucester. 

Raymond Spring, North Raymond. 

Underwood Spring, Falmouth Foreside.

Paradise Spring. Paradise Spring is situated in the eastern part 

of the town of Brunswick and is owned by D. D. Gilman & Bro., of 

Brunswick. It is renowned as having been a favorite resort of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The spring lies at the foot of a steep sand bluff, 

rising above the flood plain of Androscoggin River, not far from the 

waterworks of the Brunswick and Topsham water district. It is
120 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

supposed that the spring water percolates out of the sand above its 

contact with the clay, as seen in a number of roadside springs in the 

vicinity. The water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It has a temperature of 43° in winter and 45° in summer, and the stream coming 

out of the small pipe in the bank is reported by the owners to supply 

about 8 gallons a minute. This yield is said never to vary. The surroundings are wooded, and there are no buildings in the vicinity, 

so the spring is perfectly free from danger of pollution. The chemical 

composition is reported in analyses 217 and 218, recomputed from 

those reported in a circular issued by the owners. The total solids are 

only 18 parts per million.

Formerly Paradise Spring water was sold in Brunswick, but since 

the new city water system was installed there has been no demand 

for mineral water and the owners have gone out of the business. The 

price at which it was marketed was 75 cents a 5-gallon carboy. There 

is no spring house or other improvement at the spring.

Pownal Spring. The so-called Pownal Spring is situated at New 

Gloucester, on rather high land, and there is believed to be no chance 

for pollution. The water is reported to flow from solid rock. Some 

years ago the Pownal Spring Hotel Company was incorporated and 

the water was analyzed with a view to establishing a hotel near the 

spring. The analysis, as recomputed from that reported in the company's circular, is given in the table (No. 221). The total solids 

amount to only 20 parts per million. The owners claim valuable 

medicinal properties for the water.

Raymond Spring. Raymond Spring, situated at Northllaymond, 

about one-eighth mile northwest of North Raymond post-office, was 

for twenty years prior to 1905 known as Wilson Spring. It is reported to issue from a fissure in granite about 100 feet below the 

summit of a hill. Formerly there was a hotel here, but some years 

ago it was burned. The flow is large and is said to diminish only 

slightly in dry seasons. The water is clear and sparkling, odorless, 

and tasteless. As there are no houses near by, it seems to be perfectly safe. It is used for drinking and medicinal purposes and is 

shipped and sold at 30 cents a gallon. The owners claim medicinal 

properties for it. An analysis of the water reported in a statement 

issued by the owners, recomputed into ions and parts per million, is 

given in the table (No. 222).

Underwood Mineral Spring. Underwood Spring is situated at 

Falmouth Foreside, a few feet above sea level and only a short distance from the shore in a gully, the sides of which consist of clay. 

It is owned by the Underwood Mineral Spring Company, of Portland. 

The water is believed to issue from sand directly on top of the clay. 

The spring is bricked up, and the upper of its two openings is covered 

by a large glass pyramid. The water is colorless, odorless, and taste-
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 121

less. The flow is reported by the owners to be 140 gallons a minute, 

and the measured temperature is 46°. A large hotel is situated on 

the sand plain above the spring, several hundred yards distant from 

it. The locality is used as a resort, and the water is bottled and shipped 

for medicinal and table use. A 5-gallon carboy delivered on the train 

or in Portland sells for 75 cents. " Soft " drinks are also made. The 

bottling house is situated on the shore of the bay and the water flows 

directly from the spring to this place. The mineral analysis of the 

water, recalculated from the analysis of the water reported by the 

owners, is given in the table (No. 219).

Summit Spring. Summit Spring is situated on very high land in 

the northern part of the town of Harrison. It is the site of a hotel, 

and formerly was extensively used. The yield is reported to be 38 

gallons a minute and the temperature 46°. The analysis shows the 

total solids to amount to 68.9 parts per million.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. The largest water supply in Cumberland 

County comes from Sebago Lake, whence it is carried by an aqueduct 

to the city of Portland. The surrounding towns also use this water 

where the Portland aqueduct lines are conveniently situated. Of the 

15 communities in Cumberland County which have public water supplies 7 are supplied from surface sources, 4 from wells, and 4 from 

springs. Six of the communities having surface supplies use Sebago 

Lake water. These are Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, 

Westbrook, Gorham, and Falmouth Foreside. Freeport obtains its 

Water from a brook.

The most important underground-water supply in the county is 

that of Brunswick, which has combined with Topsham, in Sagadahoc 

County, to install a supply obtained from driven wells on the flood 

plain of Androscoggin River. Peaks Island, Great Diamond Island, 

and Gushing Island, in Portland Harbor, have public supplies from 

drilled wells. The communities using spring supplies are Yarmouth, 

Yarmouthville, Bolsters Mills, and Casco. All these supplies are described in detail below.

Brunswick and Topsham. Formerly the public supply of Brunswick was taken from Androscoggin River, and typhoid fever was 

prevalent in the village. That system was abandoned, and until 

recently water Was purchased from the Woolwich Water Company, 

which supplies Woolwich and Bath from Lake Nequasset, in Woolwich. 

This supply was regarded as unsatisfactory; consequently, in 1904 

a water district was established, embracing the towns of Brunswick 

and Topsham, with a population of about 7,300 persons to be served, 

and a new source of supply was sought in driven wells.
122 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

A test well, driven to hardpan on the flood plain of Androscoggin 

River 1J miles east of the Brunswick post-office, yielded an abundance 

of good water. Thereupon a number of other wells were driven in 

the same vicinity, 50 of which constitute the source from which the 

supply is taken. These wells are situated along a straight line extending a distance of about half a mile on the flood plain, not more than 

10 feet above the river. Back of them rise several terraces, the 

highest of which is about 60 feet above the surface on which the 

wells are situated. At the base and along the sides of these terraces 

are many springs, the best known being the Paradise Spring, described 

on pages 119-120. The flood plain is composed of recent river 

deposits and is in places marshy. The upper terraces are composed 

of marine clays overlain by sand. The water seems to follow the 

upper surface of the clay beneath the sands and gravels, seeping out 

wherever the covering is thin or broken and saturating the sands and 

gravels to such an extent that they form practically an exhaustless 

reservoir. The facts that the water surface in the wells is considerably 

higher than the surface of the river and that its analysis is different 

from that of the river water show that the latter is not its source.

The wells are all of about the same character. They are 2J inches 

in diameter, with a depth of 25 to 35 feet, depending on the height of 

the surface above the river. The principal water bed is very coarse 

sand from 5 to 10 feet thick, overlain by 15 to 20 feet of finer sand 

and 3 to 6 feet of sand and clay. Underlying the water bed is a considerable depth of " hardpan," consisting of clay and sand. A test 

well was driven 155 feet, when bed rock was apparently encountered, 

as it was impossible to drive farther. Under normal conditions the 

water in the wells rises within a foot of the surface, but in the spring 

and after heavy rains some of the wells flow, yielding about 5 gallons 

a minute. In order to estimate the capacity of the wells a test was 

undertaken, beginning September 21, 1904, and continuing night and 

day for thirty days. Nine wells were connected with a fire pump 

having a 10-inch cylinder and a 12-inch stroke. The result of the 

tests showed an average yield of 1,003,732 gallons daily. The total 

yield from the entire series of wells is estimated at about 5,000,000 

gallons daily.

The water supplied by the wells is as soft and excellent in quality 

as any other public supply in Maine. Analyses, recomputed into ions 

and parts per million from those reported by the company, are given 

in the table (Nos. 177-179).

From the wells the water is pumped to a standpipe, 145 feet above 

the town, having a capacity of 650,000 gallons. The mains are 13J 

miles in length. There are 80 fire hydrants in Brunswick. The 

average pressure is 60 pounds. About 5,000 people are supplied 

with water.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 123

Peaks Island, Portland. A large part of Peaks Island is supplied 

by a water system owned by the Peaks Island Water and Light Company. The water is obtained from two drilled wells situated close 

together near the south end of the island, not far from the village. 

The wells are sunk in solid rock and are unusually satisfactory for 

drilled wells, as explained under the description of wells on Peaks 

Island (p. 112). They are pumped by two steam pumps. The 

test showed that 50 gallons a minute could be obtained from the 

older of the two wells, this being the full capacity of the pump. 

During the test the water surface was lowered 35 feet. The test of 

the newer well showed 110 gallons a minute for seven hours, when the 

water gave out. There is, however, a plentiful supply of water in 

the two wells, and they can be pumped together at the rate of 75 

gallons a minute day and night. The water mains belonging to this 

company are about 7 miles in length. Two miles of these are "under 

frost," or buried deep enough so that they can be used during the 

winter. The other 5 miles are " above frost" and for the most part 

on the surface. The pipes used are 8, 6, and 4 inches in diameter. 

The owner, Mr. E. E. Rounds, reports that 255 takers are on his 

books. Most of these people are cottage holders, and they have 

unlimited use of the water at $10 a year. Seven hotels are on the 

system, and some of these pay as much as $100 a year. The water 

of the company has been analyzed, but the analysis has not been 

received by the Survey. From a sanitary standpoint the water is 

believed to be as pure as could be desired. The pressure on the 

main street is 60 pounds.

At the north end of Peaks Island there is a smaller system of 

waterworks, owned by the Beacon Hill Water Company, which has a 

drilled well 70 feet in depth pumped by a hot-air pump. More than 

30 buildings ai£ reported to be supplied by this system.

Great Diamond Island, Portland. Great Diamond Island is largely 

supplied by a water system owned by the Diamond Island Association. The water is obtained from wells, 2 of them being ordinary 

dug wells and 3 others being drilled to a considerable depth in solid 

rock. The dug wells are little used, as the water has been found not 

very good. The drilled wells are pumped by hot-air engines and 

windmills. The supply is adequate for the island except sometimes 

in the summer season, when it is necessary to resort to private wells 

or to the surface wells owned by the company. It is supposed that 

about 60 cottages are supplied with water from these sources. The 

supply is satisfactory except that in summer the water becomes so 

warm, owing to the pipes being laid on the surface of the ground, 

that it is not used for drinking. In consequence of the position of 

the pipes the supply has to be discontinued during the winter. An 

analysis of water from one of the drilled wells is given in the table
124 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

(No. 31). Other data relative to the wells will be found on pages 

112 113. From the wells the water is pumped to a tank situated on 

the hill in the center of the island, the capacity of the tank being 

60,000 gallons and the pressure 30 pounds. A smaller tank is situated 

near by. There is no fire service. About 10,000 gallons a day are 

used.

Cushing Island, Portland, A hotel, stable, and about a dozen cottages on Cushing Island are supplied by a 275-foot well owned by 

Mr. Francis Cushing. The water is pumped by a deep-well steam 

pump through 2J-inch pipe to three tanks on top of the hill. The 

well and pump are inclosed in a pump house, and the pump is operated eight to nine hours a day. At one time it was tested five days 

continuously without failure, and the yield was variously reported 

at 40 to 70 gallons a minute. The water is fine and clear and has a 

measured temperature of 52°.

Yarmouth and Yarmouthville. These villages have a public water 

supply from springs belonging to the Forest Paper Company, but 

the system is owned by the town. The springs are reported to issue 

from sand at the base of a rocky hill at a rate of 100 gallons a minute. 

The water is distributed from a standpipe 100 feet in height and 50 

feet in diameter, its capacity being 265,000 gallons. The pressure is 

60 pounds. The water is good, and 130,000 gallons a day are used 

for farm and domestic purposes. There are 8 miles of mains, 800 

taps, and 57 fire hydrants, and the system supplies 2,000 people. So 

far as known the supply is satisfactory. Royal River furnishes an 

emergency supply.

Bolsters Mills. More than 20 families and the stores at Bolsters 

Mills are supplied by two springs situated just east of the village. 

The springs issue from bowlder clay a few rods distant from the base 

of a high gravel moraine. The springs proper are dug holes, 3 by 3 

feet in size and 2 feet deep, with an outlet pipe and strainer in the 

bottom. They are owned by Mr. Alfred R. Clark. The water is 

reported to be of very good quality; and as there are no buildings 

above, there is no chance of pollution. The springs are covered with 

protecting sheds.

There is plenty of water here for all purposes, but some care is necessary not to waste it in dry seasons. Water rates are $6 a year for 

either one or two faucets. About two-thirds of the houses in the 

village use the public supply.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

In an investigation like that of the underground waters of Maine 

it is gratifying to see that in some districts the value of drilled wells 

is appreciated. In the vicinity of Portland a number of manufacturing establishments and tenement owners are using drilled wells and
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 125

thereby saving water bills. On the neighboring coasts and islands 

of the harbor there is a large summer population, and these people 

are using a great many drilled wells. Such is also the case in a few 

summer-resort districts away from the coast. In general excellent 

supplies of pure water are obtained, and very few failures have been 

encountered. The proportion of successful wells shows that there is 

plenty of water for domestic use in the rocks, although the supply is 

not always sufficient for hotels. As might be expected, there have 

been a number of failures, but the chance of success in any locality is 

far greater than the chance of failure. Drilled wells are so much 

safer and so much more satisfactory when an adequate supply is found 

that it would seem desirable to search for water in this way much 

more extensively than has been done.

The success of well drilling in the vicinity of Portland has been so 

marked that it seems safe to recommend sinking wells on islands of 

the harbor where as yet they have not been drilled. For example, 

on Long Island the residents are using the common open wells, as 

of old. A number of people on Peaks Island and some of the other 

islands use wells of the same type. These may be safe in the 

country, but are hardly safe in a summer-resort island having a large 

population. A public water system could be installed on other 

islands at a comparatively small cost, as has been done on Peaks 

Island and Great Diamond Island. The water obtained by deep 

wells will be safe for drinking, and three or four wells will probably 

give a sufficient supply for any of the largest islands.

It may not be amiss to emphasize in this connection a precaution 

regarding Sebago Lake water, to which reference was made on pages 

109-110. This lake has for years been supplying the city of Portland 

and several adjacent towns, and the water has been found to be one 

of the best surface supplies in the State. There is more water than 

can ever be utilized, and the lake is so large that contaminated water 

now entering any particular part of it would be so diluted as to cause 

little danger to the inhabitants of the city. It must be remembered, 

however, that there are already a number of cottages and hotels 

along the shores of Sebago Lake and its tributaries, and that these 

are springing up more thickly every year. At least two steamboat 

lines run on the lake regularly, and it is used for fishing and bathing. 

Every precaution should therefore be taken to keep the lake in a sanitary condition and to prevent the increase of cottages and hotels 

along the shores. The best plan would be for the city or the State 

to acquire and hold the lake as a public reservation in care of a park 

commission, as has been done with several large reservoirs in Massachusetts and other States.
126 UNDERGROUND WATEES OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Franklin County is situated in western Maine, its north end bordering on the Canadian line and its west end separated from New Hampshire by a distance of about 12 miles. The county has a length from 

north to south of about 85 miles and an extreme width of 30 miles. 

Its total area is 1,764 square miles, and its population, according to 

the census of 1900, was 18,444, the least next to Piscataquis County. 

This county contains no cities or large towns; Farmington, the county 

seat, has a population of 1,251. Less than two-thirds of the county 

is situated in the territory covered by this report, but the region 

farther north contains few features of importance to a report of this 

nature. The county is one of the hilliest in Maine, and contains 

numerous lakes and ponds, of which the largest situated entirely 

within the borders of the county is Rangeley or Oquossoc Lake. A 

large lake, Mooselookmeguntic, lies on the boundary between Franklin and Oxford counties. A stretch of Androscoggin River, less than 

5 miles in length, cuts across the southern corner of the county, and 

Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic lakes lie near the headwaters of the 

same river, but with these exceptions there is no large stream within 

the borders of the county. Sandy River, a tributary to the Kennebec, flows through the south-central part of the county, and Dead 

River, with its numerous lakes and small tributaries, is a conspicuous 

feature of the north end of the county, which is far famed for its fishing grounds. In altitude Franklin County ranges from 355 feet on 

Androscoggin River near Chisholms Mills to 3,388 feet at the summit 

of Mount Abraham. The central part of the county is very mountainous, and contains few villages and few lines of transportation. 

The Maine Central Railroad extends as far as Farmington, through a 

fairly settled district, but the region north of Farmington is reached 

only by the Sandy River, Phillips and Rangeley, and Franklin and 

Megantic railroads, narrow-gage lines, which extend north as far as 

Carrabasset and northwest as far as Rangeley and several summer 

camps, the latter of which are reached by unimportant branches. 

Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic lakes are also reached by the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway, which runs northward from Rumford Falls, in Oxford County, as far as Oquossoc, on the western edge 

of Franklin County. A map of this county showing the distribution 

of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies forms PI. XIII. This report considers only the region south of 

the forty-fifth parallel.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XIII

Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 60 feet in depth 

 ^ Important spring

Community having public supply from surface sources

| | Community having public supply from springs 

 Other important towns

i i i 1,5 20 MILES

MAP OF SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies.
SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY. 127

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rock formations of Franklin County 

are not well known, but are supposed to consist almost entirely of granite and slate, with slate predominating. An area of granite enters the 

southwest corner and crosses the county in a northeast direction, the 

band having a width averaging less than 10 miles. This granite is 

quarried at Jay, on the Maine Central Railroad. It does not extend 

north of Dryden. A small granite area enters New Sharon from the 

east and heads for the area in which Jay is situated, indicating that 

these two areas may be connected at no great depth below the 

surface.

The known distribution of the rocks in this county can probably 

be best described by stating the areas in which they cross the several 

lines of transportation. North of the most northern outcrop at Dryden, on the Maine Central Railroad, the formation is entirely slate 

as far as Strong, on the Phillips and Rangeley Railroad. In the 

vicinity of Phillips, however, there is a patch of granite several miles 

across. Beyond Phillips no more granite is encountered until the 

railroad turns west, just north of East Madrid, in the mountain region. 

An area of granite is crossed here for about 10 miles, beyond which 

the rocks are slaty as far as Rangeley. Rangeley Lake is situated 

entirely within the slate area, but from this lake southward, along the 

Portland and Rumford Falls Railway, the formation is granite as far 

as Houghton, just beyond the borders of this county. On the Franklin and Megantic Railway the formation is supposed to be entirely 

slate from Strong the junction of the Phillips and Rangeley and 

Sandy River railroads northward as far as Carrabasset. Here, however, an area of granite is entered and continues to the end of the 

railroad at Bigelow. The village of Stratton, 7 miles northwest of 

Bigelow, is situated in the granite area. West of Stratton, however, 

the rocks are believed to be slaty in nature. In the extreme northern 

part of Franklin County, extending from a point near Beaverpond 

as far. as the Canadian border and westward to the Oxford County 

line, is another area of granite. As a great part of Franklin County 

consists of wilderness, the detailed geology of this county is unknown.

Surface deposits. -In Franklin County the drift deposits are generally thick in the valleys and very thin in the hills. On Sandy River 

and some of the smaller streams there are extensive sand plains of 

unknown depth. In the vicinity of Farmington these are underlain 

at a few feet by clay, probably an extension of the same clay deposit 

which follows Kennebec River for so many miles. Irregular sand and 

gravel deposits are widespread over the county and are generally underlain by bowlder clay, which also forms the surface over much of the 

uplands.
128 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Franklin County is so well provided with springs that wells are less 

numerous than in other parts of Maine. Dug wells are, however, 

common in the valleys, especially in the southeastern part of the 

count}^. The general depth of the dug wells is from 10 to 30 feet, 

though a few are more than 40 feet in depth. They are mostly sunk 

in drift, but a few wells have been blasted in rock. Most of the wells 

in this county give plentiful supplies of water, and, as the population 

is not large, few wells are contaminated. No drilled wells are known 

to have been sunk in the county.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION.

Farmington. The town of Farmington, the county seat of Franklin County, is situated on a sand plain bordering Sandy River and 

high above it. It formerly had a public supply from an infiltration 

well situated 30 feet from the river. As this did not furnish sufficient 

water for the village, a portion of the supply was drawn from the 

river. Most of the inhabitants used this water until recently, and 

few people in the village have wells. The supply is now derived from 

Varnum Pond. On the outskirts of the village are situated many 

dug wells, one of which reaches a depth of 58 feet. This well is 

reported to pass through 10 or 15 feet of sand, underlain by clay, 

which extends to the bottom of the well. It contains about 50 feet 

of water the year round. That the clay underlying the sand is very 

irregular in elevation is shown by a road section southeast of town in 

which the clay rises sharply through a height of 15 feet or so and 

reaches the general level of the plain. Between Farmington and 

Farmington Falls attempts have been made to drive wells in the clay, 

but all trials have failed, owing to clogging of the screens by fine clay 

particles.

With the foregoing exception the wells at Farmington are mostly 

less than 25 feet in depth and few exceed 35 feet. They are dug in 

sand and gravel and generally rest on clay. The rock in the vicinity 

is a dense slate, striking northeast and southwest and having a 

vertical dip. Between Farmington and Strong the supplies are 

derived mostly from springs, as the hillsides are steep and spring 

water is generally easily obtainable.

SPRINGS.

General statement. As Franklin County is very hilly, it has 

numerous springs, and it is not likely that there will ever be any 

serious lack of water except locally. Springs are used by many 

families in the country districts for domestic supply, and at least 

two villages use them for public supplies. Within the county are
SOUTHERN FKANKLIN COUNTY. 129

at least three so-called mineral springs, one of which ships water 

regularly by railroad, and a second has done so in the past. These 

springs are as follows:

Carrabasset Mineral Spring, Carrabasset. 

Knowlton Soda Spring, Strong. 

Rangeley Mineral Spring, Rangeley.

Carrabasset Mineral Spring. Carrabasset Spring, belonging to 

the Carrabasset Mineral Spring Water Company, of Boston, is 

situated on the bank of a small stream 10 feet above water level, on 

the Franklin and Megantic Ilailway, a short distance south of Carrabasset station. It issues near the base of a sand plain which rises 

only 10 feet higher at its central point, about 250 feet away. The 

spring was formed by digging a well 15 feet deep to a soft, shalelike 

rock. The water is reported to come from the rock. It is colorless, 

odorless, and tasteless, and has a temperature reported to be 46° in 

summer and 42° in winter. The flow is 5 gallons a minute after a 

storm and 1\ gallons a minute during a dry spell. It is said that 

after a heavy rain an hour or so elapses before the spring is affected. 

The water is used for drinking at a farm and two cottages situated 

near by and is bottled and shipped to Boston as a table and medicinal water. The price is 25 cents a gallon, or $1 for a 5-gallon 

bottle. A part of the water is carbonated. The company runs a 

bottling establishment on the spot, and the spring is well protected 

by curbing on all sides. An analysis of the water, recalculated from 

that published in the company's circular, is reported in the table 

(No. 230).

Carrabasset Spring No. 2. Not far from the Carrabasset Mineral 

Spring, on the opposite side of the river, is a spring, owned by the 

same company, which issues from the side of a high eskerlike 

ridge. The analysis of this water is given in the table (No. 231). 

No water is yet shipped.

Knowlton Soda Spring. The mineral spring belonging to Mr. R. 

W. Knowlton is situated in South Strong, 7 miles north of Farmington. According to the owner, the spring emerges from a rocky 

hillside at the rate of 8 gallons a minute. It is reported by the 

owner to have valuable curative properties. The spring is covered 

by a three-story building, where the water is bottled. An analysis, 

recalculated from an analysis furnished by the owner, is given as 

No. 235 in the table.

Rangeley Mineral Spring. The Rangeley Mineral Spring is 

owned by the Rangeley Lake Hotel Company, and is situated a 

short distance from the Rangeley Lake House, on a gentle bowlderclay slope at least 50 feet above the highest part of the town of 

Rangeley and 60 feet or more below-the crest of the hill. The

.~)!»!»H!) IKK -2'J.:> ()!>-- -0
130 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

water seeps out of the hillside in a small stream. It has no coloi 

odor, or taste and is very cold. As the spring house is always closec 

the volume of flow could not be measured. The water is pipe 

through a 1^-inch pipe to the Raiigeley Lake House, where it i 

used for all drinking and cooking purposes. It has sometimes bee 

shipped to Boston. Xo improvements have been made, with th 

exception of digging out the spring to a depth of about 8 feet, stonin 

it up with bowlders from the field, and building a small spring hous 

over it. The water has been used since the hotel was started ii 

1896. It is probable that many other springs of good quality coul< 

be obtained on the same hillside. The analysis reported by th 

owners of the spring, recalculated into ions and parts per million, i 

given in the table (No. 234).

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. In Franklin County public water supplies ar< 

not common. Several towns, including Farmington, Phillips, Range 

ley, Strong, and Kingfield, use water from surface sources. Farm 

ington Falls has a supply from springs.

Farmington Falls. The water system of Farmington Falls is i 

gravity supply from springs situated in sand and gravel hills near th( 

town. These springs have been in use for about thirty years. Nc 

pumping is necessary, and the water is brought to town in a 1-incl: 

pipe, which is lead except where it crosses the river, that portion beinr 

made of iron. The system is owned by the Farmington Falls Aqueduct Company, consisting of thirteen shareholders, who paid $10C 

each at the time of its establishment. These persons and four other 

families use the water for domestic purposes, the four outside families 

paying $8 a year each. The water is of excellent quality and nevei 

gives out, but in dry seasons it is occasionally rather IOWT . A field 

assay resulted as shown in analysis No. 233 of the table.

Strong. The Strong Water Company was installed in 1905 to 

supply the village. The wells in town had been satisfactory, but 

it was thought advisable to put in this supply for the sake of the 

additional conveniences. The water is taken from a small pond a 

few acres in extent situated on the slope of the mountain west-southwest of Strong. There are 75 faucets and 12 fire hydrants in the 

village, and seven-eighths of the people are said to use the public 

supply. The pond is reported to be 600 feet above the village. It 

gave at first a pressure of 200 pounds, but now it has been regulated 

to 80 pounds, which is sufficient. This water, from a high source on 

the mountain, is excellent in quality.

Rangeley. Rangeley has a public water supply from Cascade 

Brook, on the flanks of Saddleback Mountain. The water is good; 

but, notwithstanding this fact, about half the inhabitants use dug
HANCOCK COUNTY. 131

\vells 10 to 30 feet in depth. The Raiigeley Lake House has a fine 

supply piped to the hotel from a spring on the hill. Other springs 

could be obtained and used if desired, but the present public supply 

seems entirely satisfactory.

Kingfeld. Previous to 1898 the village of Kingfield used dug 

wells 10 to 25 feet in depth, and typhoid fever was prevalent. In that 

year a public supply was installed from Tufts Pond Brook, and the 

typhoid suddenly disappeared. The water is now excellent and few 

wells are used.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

The water supplies of Franklin County are so uniformly excellent 

that suggestions regarding their improvement may be considered 

unnecessary. Several villages, however, of which the largest is 

Rangeley, draw water largely from dug wells situated within their 

limits. In all such villages no time should be lost in installing a 

system of waterworks, either from some mountain brook of which 

the water is perfectly safe from pollution, or from springs, or drilled 

wells, or other safe wells. As yet no deep wells have been drilled in 

Franklin County. The reason is obvious they have been unnecessary in most places. In towns like Rangeley and Farmington, however, which have not entirely satisfactory systems of waterworks, it 

would be possible to obtain water by drilling wells through the 

gravels and underlying clays into the bed rock, and such supplies 

would be safer for drinking than the ordinary dug wells situated within 

the town limits.

HANCOCK COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Hancock County lies in southeastern Maine, bordering on Penobscot, Bluehill, and Frenchman bays and including a large number of 

islands. Its western edge is formed by Penobscot River. This 

county is about 90 miles in extreme length from north to south, about 

50 miles in greatest breadth, and has a total area of 1,390 square miles. 

According to the census of 1900 its population was 37,241. The 

largest city is Ellsworth, with 4,297 inhabitants, but Bar Harbor has 

a large summer population and is an important place during a few 

months of the year.

Hancock County can be said to consist of three sections the island 

region and the adjacent inhabited region, which together comprise 

about one-half of the area, and the wild lands, which make up the 

other half. The wild lands are confined to the area lying north of the 

Maine Central and Washington County railroads, which cross the 

center of the county. The only other transportation line on land is a 

branch of the Maine Central Railroad which enters Bucksport, the
132 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

northwestermiiost town in the county, from the north. Ihe surface 

configuration of Hancock County is very diverse. Much of the coast 

is low and consists of gently sloping rock ledges or of clay or bowlderclay plains, but on Mount Desert Island many of the cliffs are precipitous, and there are mountains that rise to an extreme altitude of 

about 1,500 feet. Inland from the coast, especially in the region 

situated north of the railroads, there are many mountains, some of 

which reach elevations as high as 1,200 feet. Throughout the 

county are scattered numerous lakes and ponds. A map of this 

county snowing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and 

communities having public supplies forms PI. XIV.

The water conditions of Hancock County vary greatly. Away 

from the coast most of the wells are dug wells, which give fair supplies. 

On the coast and on many of the islands, however, water is harder to 

obtain and drilled wells are the rule, especially in the summer resorts.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION* TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The prevailing rock in Hancock County 

is granite, which, however, is irregularly distributed. It forms the 

greater part of the islands, although the northwestern part of Deer 

Isle, the coasts of Mount Desert, and many smaller islands are composed of other rocks. Castine, Brooksville, Sedgwick, and Penobscot 

are underlain in part by volcanic rocks. With the foregoing exceptions the area west of Ellsworth is granite. The towns of Ellsworth, 

Hancock, Lamoine, and Trenton, and a strip extending northward 

with an average breadth of 5 to 10 miles, supposedly as far as Amherst 

and Aurora, are underlain by slate and schist. Another small patch 

of slaty rock lies in Sorrento and the southern part of Sullivan and 

Township VII, in the southeast corner of the county. North of this 

area and covering the two eastern tiers of towns in the county an area 

of granite extends to an unknown distance, probably nearly to Great 

Pond. The north end of the county, within the area under consideration, is known to consist of slate, but north of the forty-fifth parallel 

lies another area of granite.

The structure of the granite of Hancock County is typical of Maine 

granite in general, as described on pages 29-32. The area mapped and 

described as granite in this part of Maine includes, however, small 

areas of diorite ("black granite") and similar rocks.

At Hall's quarry on Mount Desert, at Stonington, at Sullivan, and 

at Vinalhaven the granite is extensively quarried, and numerous 

exposures at these places show water seeping out of the sheet joints, 

as explained on page 31 and illustrated in PI. Til. At one place, 

near Stonington, a good spring issues from a vertical joint crack on
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XIV

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth 

Flowing well 

Important spring

Community having public supply from surface sources 

I__j Community having public supply from springs 

\_j Community having public supply from, wells

 Other important towns

ooufh 

C/l jP' > ^r?

20 MILES

MAP OF HANCOCK COUNTY.

Showing distribution of aeep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.
IIAKCOCK COUNTY. 133

the hillside. The direction of the joints is variable, but the majority 

of them trend between X. 75° E. and S. 50° E. Their size is small, 

but they seem to hold plenty^ of water in places.

The slate in Hancock County is extremely variable in character, 

at some places being hard and blue and at others consisting of a very 

metamorphic schist, much contorted and containing locally a large 

amount of iron and other minerals. Til places, as at Bucksport, the 

slate becomes very hard, dense, and quartzitic.

The detailed distribution of the rocks in a small section of southern 

Hancock County has been worked out by G. O. Smith, E. S. Bastin, 

and C. ~\V. Brown, of the United States Geological Survej^, and 

hence it is possible to describe the formations of this region somewhat more fully than those of others. A considerable part of the 

area is granite, but the intervening regions are occupied by other 

igneous and stratified rocks distributed very irregularly. The distribution of the formations that have been mapped by the geologists 

in detail is described under the various townships.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Hancock County are 

extremely variable in character and thickness. Tn Penobscot, 

Bluehill, and Frenchman bays the coast of the mainland and islands 

consists mostly of bare rock and the smaller islands are covered only 

with a thin coating of drift. In a few areas protected from wave 

action along the coast low clay plains are found, and in several 

places in Bluehill and vicinity low drumlin-like deposits of bowlder 

clay occur. On the larger islands and on the mainland away from 

the coast the drift is of considerable thickness. The bowlder clay is 

generally 5 to 50 feet or more thick, and in the valkys it is commonly 

overlain by sands, gravels, and clays. At Orland a cliff of bowdder 

clay rises 100 feet vertically above tide water of the river. In 

exceptional cases bowlder clay is underlain by sand, as in the well of 

Mr. Tom Mason, near East Orland.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION'.

Types of wells used. Certain parts of Hancock County are abundantly supplied with water from springs, but wT ells are generally more 

abundant on the coast and on the islands. Old-fashioned dug wells 

are common, and in manj^ of the county districts are preferred by 

the inhabitants on account of the large amount of wT ater contained 

in the drift. A fewT driven wells have been sunk through sand and 

clay in certain localities, and some of these have discovered small 

artesian supplies.

Drilled wells. Along the coast and on the islands the most popular 

and best tvpe is the drilled well, of which more than 170 have been
134 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

sunk to depths exceeding 50 feet. The prevailing size used is 6 

inches and the depth varies from 30 to 675 feet. Most of the drilled 

wells in the county have been successful in obtaining fair amounts 

of potable water. A few have been failures owing to the absence of 

sufficient water or to the penetration of salt water into the wells. 

The failures have been commonly in schist and metamorphic rocks, 

seldom in granite. Where little water is found the difficulty is 

probably due to the fact that the wells did not chance to strike a 

fissure containing water. Another well near by might meet with 

success. As the greatest amount of water in the rocks is held comparatively near the surface, it is seldom advisable to drill below 200 

feet or so. Instead, if a well reaches that depth without obtaining 

water, a second attempt should be made 50 to 100 feet away.

Quality of water. The quality of water in Hancock County is 

extremely variable, owing largely to differences in the character of 

the formations. An example of the nature of waters which are 

generally obtained from deep wells in sand is shown in No. 184 of the 

table (p. 83), where the total solids are seen to be only 66 parts per 

million. Several dug wells in till have been tested by field assays in 

Orland, Eden, and Sorrento, and are low in mineral content. The 

amount of chlorine in some of these wells indicates possible pollution.

The wells in granite, of which four laboratory analyses have been 

made, give total solids from 81 to 364 parts, the lowest amount being 

found in a well on Greenings Island near Southwest Harbor, and the 

highest in the Crabtree & Havey well at North Sullivan. The 

chlorine in these four wells varies from 17 parts in a well at The 

Settlement, Stonington, to 140 parts in the Crabtree & Havey well. 

As these are deep drilled wells, not subject to pollution, the chlorine 

is probably a natural constituent of the rock. Sulphates range from 

a trace up to 25 parts per million, with one report of 104 parts. 

Carbonates run from 8 to 70 parts, and calcium, magnesium, sodium, 

and potassium are present in moderate amounts. In several analyses 

a little iron is reported, but this is not generally found in granite. 

The analyses of granite waters in Hancock County are tabulated on 

page 77, Nos. 9 to 19.

Three complete analyses have been made of waters in slate in 

Hancock County (Nos. 55, 56, and 57). One is from a 308-foot 

well in the village of Bucksport, the second is from an open well 

a few feet distant, and the third from a well in Hancock. The first 

two of these analyses show 116 and 53 parts per million of total 

solids, respectively. An interesting feature regarding these wells is 

that while the water of the deeper one is more than twice as high in 

total solids as that of the open well, the chlorine is the only constituent 

which is highest in the latter. This feature is strong evidence of 

pollution in the open well. Water from a slate well in the village of
HANCOCK COUNTY. 135

Orland contains a little iron, and much iron is known to be contained in schists in some parts of the county. Near North Penobscot 

a well so situated is so strong in iron as to be almost useless.

Many wells along the coast have been ruined by the entrance of 

salt water from the sea. This occasionally happens in granite, but 

is much more common in slate. An example in the town of Sorrento 

is described on page 67.

Quantity of water. Although it is unsafe to depend on the figures 

given by well drillers and owners as a guide to the amount of water 

likely to be furnished by a well, they are of some use as a general 

guide to the amount which may be expected. Wells in this county 

report all yields up to 100 gallons a minute, those commonly reported 

being only 3 to 5 gallons a minute, which, however, is plenty for all 

domestic purposes. A few wells gave too little water to be used. 

Most of the drilled wells hold out from year to year, when sunk deep 

enough, but dug wells often run dry. In a drought several years ago 

many of them gave out.

Uses. The water of wells in Hancock County is used mainly for 

domestic supplies, and drilled wells are fairly common at summer 

cottages. In Castine, Southwest Harbor, Sorrento, and Stonington, 

however, they have been sunk for public supplies. At Sorrento a 

driven-well system has been abandoned for a surface supply, and the 

Stonington well was never used. At Hancock Point an abandoned 

mine shaft is used for public supply. At Brooklin a canning company has a drilled well; at Stonington granite quarries use them. 

The wells of Hancock County are commonly operated by hand pump, 

but many are rigged with windmills ;md a few are pumped by steam, 

gasoline, or hot air.

Flowing wells. Several flowing rock wells are known in Hancock 

County. A number at Hancock flow from a bed of gravel confined 

underneath clay, and a similar local basin is situated near the village 

of Sorrento.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Ellswortli. As Ellsworth has a satisfackny public supply from a 

pond, very few wells are now in existence in the city. There are no 

drilled wells. The rock formation is slate and schist, and as drilled 

wells in these rocks are generally successful elsewhere it is probable 

that here too they would meet with success. At Ellsworth Falls 

water can he seen seeping out of joint cracks in slate, and this indicates the availability of water for wells in these rocks.

Bluenill. The part of the town of Bluehill lying northeast of the 

village and extending nearly as far as North Bluehill, the region 

lying southwest of Bluehill Falls and extending eastward to South 

Pond, and a small section in the extreme northwest corner of the
3() UJX'DEJtUm(HT NJ> \VATEKS OF SOl'THERN MAINE.

town are underlain by granite. A strip just east of the granite area, 

in the western part of the town, consists of diorite, diabase, and 

gabbro. Long Island is made up of granite as far north as Deep 

Cove; otherwise this town, including the north end of Long Island, 

the whole of Bluehill Neck, the vicinity of Bluehill village, and North 

Bluehill, is composed of schist.

Several deep wells have been drilled in this town to supply summer 

cottages along the shore. Dr. A. M. Thomas has a well 140 feet in 

depth, in gneiss. Unfortunately the water is very turbid, owing to 

the entrance of clay through crevices in the rock. The supply is 

sufficient, as the water can not be lowered by pumping and yields 

2,500 gallons in three or four hours per day, but on account of its 

quality it can be used only for the stable. The well belonging to 

Mrs. Ethelbert Neviii at Bluehill Falls is reported to yield 7J gallons 

of water a minute. On account of the great amount of iron contained 

in the rocks over large areas in the town of Bluehill, it is probable 

that some wells here will fail to get water. Analyses made of 

the two above-mentioned wells did not, however, show any iron. 

The amount of carbonates was high for Hancock County, being 92 

and 110 parts per million, respectively. Where the rock consists of 

granite, gneiss, or hard, compact slate the water will generally be of 

good quality. In the vicinity of Bluehill village most of the wells 

are dug to ledge and some are blasted, getting good water. Bluehill 

Mineral Spring is situated in this town.

Sedgwick. The town of Sedgwick is nearly all underlain by granite. 

In the southern part of the town, extending from Benjamin River 

westward along the coast to the Punchbowl, is a strip of volcanic 

rocks. Between the villages of Sedgwick and North Sedgwick 

stretches another strip, which consists of schists. In the vicinity of 

Bluff Head is a small area of schist, and between Bluff Head and 

the northern corner of the town lies a small area of diorite.

No drilled wells are known in Sedgwick. The dug wells are 8 to 20 

feet in depth, and most of them get plenty of water in drift. A few 

run dry in summer. The water is commonly of good quality.

Brooklin. The portions of Brooklin lying south of Brooklin village, 

and including the end of Five Point and the islands of the town, are 

granite. North of Brooklin village the town is entirely underlain by 

schist.'

Several deep wells have been drilled in the vicinity of the little 

settlement known as Haven. These are from 50 to 112 feet in depth 

and find plenty of water that is reported to be of good quality for 

domestic purposes. One of the wells here, owned by Noah V. Tibbitts, is reported to supply 20 cottages. This well is 87 feet deep, 

and a number of veins of water were found. A drilled well of the 

Brooklin Packing Company supplies a sardine factory and near-by 

houses.
HANC'OC'K COUNTY. 137

( 1astine. The rocks of the peninsula of Castine are entirely volcanic, and consist mostly of a stratified variety known as tuff. The 

village of Castine is supplied wTith water chiefly from deep drilled 

wells, but in part by springs. Many people continue to use dug wells, 

which generally yield plenty of water, but which, being situated in 

the heart of the village, are clearly subject to contamination. The 

Castine Water Company has four wells, 58, 70, 80, and 110 feet deep, 

situated on one of the highest hilltops of the peninsula. On another 

hilltop a well 675 feet in depth was drilled by the same company. 

This is an 8-inch well and one of the deepest in Maine. The first 

water was found at 425 feet and rose within 25 feet of the well mouth. 

The well is reported to yield about 13 gallons a minute through the 

day, but is not very satisfactory on account of its poor construction. 

Further data regarding these wells are given under "Public supplies" 

(pp. 147-148). The fact that the last-mentioned well was sunk to a 

depth of 425 feet without striking water indicates that wells in this 

section will probably not all be successful. This statement is emphasized by the result of the well drilled for the Acadian Hotel Company 011 

the hillside on which Castine is built. In July, 1906, this well was 

down 227 feet and the test with the hand pump showed a yield of 

only about 1 gallon of water a minute. As the owner did not consider the yield sufficient, he was advised to discontinue this well and 

start a new one a short distance away.

Bucks port. At the Eastern Maine Conference Seminary, Bucksport, a well was drilled to a depth of 308 feet. Water was struck at 

about 100 feet and a second seam at about 300 feet. In the spring 

of the year when it was drilled water overflowed the surface, and the 

well supplied several gallons a day of excellent water. It is pumped 

by a 3-horsepower gasoline engine. Analyses of water from this 

well and from an open well a few feet distant are given in the table 

(Nos. 55 and 56). It is interesting to note that all the constituents 

are higher in the deep-well water than in that from the shallow well, 

with the exception of chlorine, which is higher in the open well. 

This indicates the probability of contamination in the open well. 

In another part of Bucksport two wells, 30 and 80 feet deep, were 

drilled only 3 feet apart, in quartzite, and connected by blasting. 

Only one of these is pumped. The supply is not large, but is sufficient for domestic purposes.

Orland. In the town of Orland several drilled wells have been 

sunk, with varying results. The best well in town was that drilled 

for Mr. Tom Mason at East Orland. This well started on a gently 

sloping hillside consisting at the surface of bowlder clay containing 

numerous large bowlders. Instead of striking rock at a few feet, as 

might have been expected, the drill went through 87 feet of sand 

and gravel and then struck an excellent supply of water directly on
138 UNDERGROUND \VATKRS 'OF SOUTHERN MAINK.

top of a bed of clay. The water is clear and cold, and 8 gallons a 

minute can be pumped. The well is very low in mineral matter, as 

shown by analysis No. 184 in the appended table.

A well drilled for Mrs. A. W. Hutchins, near North Penobscot, was not 

so successful. The rock is here a hard, traplike formation containing 

a considerable quantity of iron. This well was dug 12 feet in bowlder 

clay, blasted 8 feet through ledge, and then drilled 57 feet, making a 

total of 77 feet, striking water at 67 feet. The water tastes very 

strongly of iron. (See analysis No. 59.) It can not be used for 

washing because it stains everything with which it comes into contact, and iron is precipitated from the water when it is left standing 

for some time.

At the village of Orland three wells have been drilled to depths 

varying from 40 to 70 feet. One of these was abandoned because of 

the large amount of iron contained in solution and the supposed 

connection of the well with the river. A second well gives plenty 

of water, which has a slight iron taste, but not enough to interfere 

with domestic use of the water. The quantity of iron is not more 

than half a part per million, and the other minerals are low, as shown 

by a field assay (No. 58). That the water is highly prized is shown 

by the fact that eight families use it in seasons when the surrounding 

dug wells run low. The water is reported to be softer than when the 

well was first drilled, seventeen years ago. This well is situated on 

a point of rock which projects into the river and on which a number 

of cottages have been built. Across the river the formation is quite 

different, a steep bluff of bowlder clay being exposed for a height of 

about 100 feet. It is improbable that much wT ater could be obtained 

from this material. Throughout the town of Orland dug wells are 

the prevailing type. They do not often give out, but frequently 

get very low. Where not polluted the water is of good quality. An 

example of the quality of water in till is given by a field assay (No. 

170). The well from which this water was taken supplies six to 

eight families during a drought. Generally, however, water is not 

so abundant in till.

Stonington. The wells of Deer Isle are all op'en wells except in 

the vicinity of Stonington, where a number of drilled wells have been 

sunk. At Stonington the sanitary conditions are very poor, only 

five wells having been drilled; the rest of the people use dug wells 

and springs, the water of which is polluted and dangerous. The 

town is thickly settled, is growing rapidly, and has no sewerage 

system. The formation is entirebr granite, and hence the results 

obtained in drilling here have a rather important bearing on the 

occurrence of water in granite in general.

Two of the most successful wells in the region were drilled in 1906 

at Mr. J. C. Rogers's quarry at ''The Settlement" to supply water
HANCOCK COUNTY. 139

for quarrying; operations. The first well was 93 feet 8 inches in depth, 

passing through 27 distinct ''beds" of rock. The thickest mass of 

rock uninterrupted by joints measured 14 feet, but some were only 

a few inches in thickness. The thickest bed was encountered about 

midway from top to bottom of the well. This well supplied 62 

gallons of water in seven minutes, but the supply was not considered 

sufficient and a second well was drilled 50 feet distant. It was sunk 

to a depth of 279 feet and intercepted the same water-bearing fissures 

as those found in the first well, as was proved by the fact that pumping the second well lowered the water in the first. A week's test 

was made on these wells. They are said to connect 60 feet below 

the surface, and will yield 60 gallons a minute. A field assay of the 

water of the first well and a laboratory analysis of that of the second 

are given in the table (Nos. 18 and 19).

In the village of Stonington Mr. Samuel Goss has a well 67 feet in 

depth, also drilled in granite, which supplies his hotel. A field analysis 

of this has been made (No. 15). The Goss well supplies also fifteen 

or twenty families, and the water is used for watering lawns, etc. 

Ten years ago the Pine Lake Water Company sunk a well on the 

summit of Thurlow Hill, near the village, for the purpose of procuring a public supply for the village. The well was drilled to a depth 

of 183 feet, and is reported to have yielded 18 gallons of water a 

minute, but was plugged and has never been used. The Guyer & 

Torey well was drilled to a depth of 67 feet to supply two families, 

and a windmill and tank were installed and pipes run to the houses 

before it was discovered that the supply was too small to be used. 

The Sunset House, Acadian House, and a dozen residences are supplied by a good spring situated on a hill outside the village. The 

result of a field assay of this water is given in the table (Xo. 240).

In one quarry at Stonington the approximate amount of water 

issuing from the granite can be calculated from the amount pumped 

out of the quarry. The writer was informed by the foreman that 

more than 3,000 gallons accumulate daily in the bottom of the quarry 

from the joints. Near this quarry a good spring issues from a vertical 

joint which is said to be as wide as a common pencil. The crack is 

situated on the hillside below the quarry, but as it was covered it 

could not be seen.

One of the difficulties in quarrying granite on the smaller islands 

near Stonington is lack of water. On Moose Island there is a 

small catchment area consisting of a swamp, and water is obtained 

from a dug well near by. On Crotch Island the quarry of the RyanParker Construction Company is 130 feet in depth, mostly below sea 

level, and is nearly dry. In a search for water another well was 

drilled to a depth of 300 feet, but without success, except that salt 

water was encountered. The chlorine in this well was 70 parts per
140 UNDKKCKOrND WATKKS OK SOUTIIKKX MAINE.

million and the sulphates 104 parts. (See analysis No. 17.) In 1907 

a second attempt was being made for water on the opposite side of the 

island. No other drilled wells have been sunk in the vicinity of 

Stonington.

On Deer Isle there is a good chance of getting water at moderate 

depth. On the smaller islands, however, conditions are less favorable and as a rule drilling will probably not pay. In the vicinity of 

Stonington there is very little drift overlying the granite, and this 

circumstance probably explains why so little water is found by drilling 

on the smaller islands.

Deer Isle. About half of Deer Isle, comprising the area lying east 

of a line drawn from Smalls Cove through Deer Isle village and Torry 

Pond to Eggemoggin Reach, consists of granite. This area also 

includes the islands lying in that part of the town. West of the abovedescribed line the major portion of the island consists of acidic volcanic rocks. There are one or two small patches of schist in the 

northern part of the island and several areas of greenstone west of 

Deer Isle village. The Avells on this island are dug in bowlder clay 

and the depth of the deepest is 28 feet. The amount of water is 

extremely variable.

Little Deer Island consists of volcanic rocks and small areas of 

associated formations. The other islands of the town of Deer Isle in 

Penobscot Bay are made up almost entirely of volcanic rocks and 

greenstone. No drilled wells have been sunk. From the variability 

of the rocks a broad range may be expected in the character of the 

well waters.

Swans Island Plantation. Swans Island consists entirely of granite. 

No drilled wells are known to have been sunk.

Long Island Plantation. There are several islands in Long Island 

Plantation, but the only one on which a well is known to have been 

drilled is Black Island. This well was sunk to supply the granite 

quarries,.but the water is also used for domestic purposes. The depth 

is 78 feet, and it is reported to be a good well.

Eden, Mount Desert Island. Mount Desert Island consists of three 

towns Tremont, Mount Desert, and Eden. Bar Harbor is situated 

in Eden, Northeast Harbor is situated in the town of Mount Desert, 

and Southwest Harbor is in Tremont. The coasts of the island are 

generally high and rocky and much wave worn. The water supply of 

Bar Harbor and Hulls Cove is derived from Eagle Lake and is one of the 

best supplies in the State. At the fairgrounds near Bar Harbor a well 

belonging to Gen. Edward Morrell obtained an abundant supply of 

pure water at a depth of 87? feet, in granite. A large number of 

cattle are watered every day, but the supply never gives out. A 

field assay of this water is reported in the table (Ko. 9). As Bar 

Harbor has one of the best lake supplies and filter galleries in the
HANCOCK COUNTY. 141

State, there is little need for sinking wells in this village. A number 

of cottages at Schooner Head and vicinity have a supply brought in 

pipe from The Bowl, high up on Newport Mountain. Near Bar 

Harbor is a mineral spring known as Red Rock Spring.

At the village of Otter Creek, 5 miles south of Bar Harbor, two wells 

were drilled to depths of 25 and 37 feet, obtaining small amounts of 

water, in granite. Tf they had been sunk 50 to 100 feet deeper the 

supply might have been sufficient. The first of these wells was 

drilled to a depth of 25 feet, striking a vein sufficient in quantity for 

drinking but not for other purposes. An attempt to deepen the well 

was made by an inexperienced driller, who filled it with loose stones 

and afterwards lost the drill, and the hole had to be abandoned. A well 

dug in till in the southwestern part of the town gave the field analysis 

shown in No. 169. Many fine springs occur in this town.

Tremont, Mount Desert Island. At Southwest Harbor two wells 

have been sunk by the Southwest Harbor Water Company. The first 

successful well was drilled in 1891 to a depth of 125 feet. The second 

well, 36 feet distant, was drilled in ] 899 to a depth of 297 feet. These 

wells communicate at a depth of 90 feet. They could not be lowered 

by pumping, but enough water could not be obtained, owing to the 

insufficient capacity of the pumps in use and possibly also to the inadequacy of the supply, and Long Pond was resorted to as a supplementary supply. A full description of the waterworks is given on 

pages 148-149.

Many people in Southwest Harbor still use dug wells less than 30 

feet in depth. The water is of variable quality. The field assay of 

a spring which issues from the clay along the shore near the village 

is given in the table (Xo. 241). This water flows 3 gallons a minute 

out of gravel beneath clay, and is highly prized by the owners. 

The spring is said to be sometimes covered by water at high tide. In 

the northern part of town is a historic spring, made famous by Indian 

legends, and the water is highly prized by the residents and 

visitors. The spring has never been improved. In the villages of 

Tremont, Bass Harbor, and McKinley only dug wells are used. It is 

probable that deep wells here would be successful.

(rreenings Island, Tremont. On Greenings Island a well was drilled 

in 1893 for Mr. J. G. Thorp to a depth of 88 feet, in granite. This well 

is located only 100 feet from high-tide mark and 20 feet above it. The 

supply is reported sufficient. The water is pumped to a 5,000-gallon 

tank for use in the house. (See analysis No. 10.) At the north end 

of the island the cottages are now supplied by pipes laid under the 

sound from Southwest Harbor.

Quite different in results from the above is a well drilled at the opposite end of the island about 1903 for Mr. Colton. It is 110 feet deep 

and salt water was encountered at a depth of 90 feet, where the drill
142 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

struck ledge. The water is so salty that it is not used. The drill 

stuck once or twice in crevices. The occurrence of salt water on this 

island is not confined to any particular part of the island, but is believed to be largely a matter of chance. A well near this one might 

be fresh, and, conversely, a well might happen to strike salt water at 

the north end of the island.

Town of Mount Desert. Mr. L. E. Kimball, of Northeast Harbor, 

had a well drilled several years ago for the cottages there and the 

well was later bought by the water company. It was sunk to a 

depth of 189 feet. At 90 feet from the surface water commenced 

to enter the well. Several soft places in the ledge were encountered, 

and at one place the drill dropped as much as a foot. The water 

increased in volume with depth, and when the well was finished the 

test showed 60 gallons a minute for twelve hours, and it could not be 

pumped dry. The water is good, but somewhat irony. The well 

was abandoned when the public supply was installed. The rugged 

character of the town of Mount Desert makes springs very numerous. 

In the vicinity of Hall's quarn~ a number of good ones issue from 

the base of granite cliffs several feet in height. In that quarry considerable water can be seen issuing from sheet joints. At one time 

enough water for drinking was obtained near the bottom of the 

quarry.

Cranberry Isles. On Sutton Island a \vell was sunk to a depth of 

199 feet. This well will yield 20 gallons of water a minute and the 

water is of good quality. It supplies seven houses on the island.

On Great Cranberry Island a well was drilled in 1904 by Mr. Moorfield Storey to a depth of 201 feet, but it was abandoned, as only a 

very little water was found. In 1906 a second well was drilled, but 

the data regarding it have not been received.

On Little Cranberry Island a well 50 feet in depth was sunk for 

Miss Frothingham. The supply is reported to be 5 gallons a minute.

Hancock. The village of Hancock is situated on a neck of land 

which is rather flat and low. A creek flows nearly across the neck 

and on the lowland lies an area of blue clay (''flat's mud"), below 

which is sand and gravel. In the square at Hancock, in 1904, a 

hole was bored with a 2-inch auger, and a strainer was attached to 

the bottom of the pipe. Below the soil was found a hard blue clay 

containing fossil shells; below this was a 6-inch bed of fine sand, 

underlain by coarse gravel containing excellent water, which flowed 

9 feet above the surface of the ground. The water will still sometimes rise to a height of 5 feet, but the head is somewhat less than 

this in dry weather. A dug well near by is not quite so deep, but 

overflows the surface the year round. The town well averages half 

a gallon a minute. There are a few other good flowing wells in the 

vicinity, and most of them are bored. This area is a local artesian
HANCOCK COUNTY. 143

basin, only a few hundred feet across, and the head of the water is 

caused by the inclination of the gravel bed, which holds the water 

underneath the clay. The gravel bed reaches the surface east of the 

wells and is inclined downward toward the west. The wells drilled 

into the clay but not through it are less satisfactory.

The deepest water supply in the town of Hancock is the village 

supply of Hancock Point. The source is an old shaft sunk about 

1880 for a silver mine. It is 8 feet in diameter at the top and 98 feet 

in depth. The mine was unsuccessful and was abandoned, and later 

it filled with water within 4 feet of the surface. The water is said 

to be of fine quality for drinking purposes until the middle of August 

in every year, when it is reported to take on a brackish or mineral 

taste. The water is used only during the summer season.

Tn the vicinity of Hancock several wells have been drilled and 

reach depths of 30 to 70 feet. An analysis of the Jeremiah Stratton 

well, 65.feet in depth, is given in the table (Xo. 57). A few families 

use springs. Most of the wells in the vicinity are dug.

Many wells in Xorth and South Hancock are reported to have run 

dry during the summer following the earthquake shock in March, 

1903, while others which were then dry became filled with good 

water. Tn a few cases where wet and dry wells stood side by side 

the one containing water dried up and the other filled with water. 

Some wells that went dry are reported never to have recovered. 

Similar instances are reported in the town of Ellsworth. It is probable that the reports regarding these phenomena are correct, but it 

may be fairly questioned whether the cause was not a dry season 

rather than the light earthquake shock. The filling up of certain 

wells may be explained by the slow natural infiltration of water 

after they have been abandoned for some time.

The supply of the Maine Central Railroad at Mount Desert Ferry 

is from a spring 2 miles north of the village of Hancock. The Ishka 

Mineral Spring is situated in this town.

^ZZiwm. The village of Sullivan, or Sullivan Harbor, has used 

water from Long Pond since the spring of 1905. It is good, clear 

water, but sometimes tastes of algfe. In the past roost of the people 

have used wells or springs, but they are rapidly giving them up for 

the pond water, which is supposed to be of better quality. Open 

wells here obtain water in part from drift and in part from rock, and 

the supply is of variable quality and quantity. Mr. Dwight Braman 

has a 10-inch well drilled to a depth of 89 feet in granite. The water 

rises within 8 feet of the surface. It is used for drinking at the 

Manor House and is reported to have been sold. On the same estate 

is an abandoned silver-mine shaft, 120 feet deep and 20 by 15 feet in 

diameter, which is now full of water.
144 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

In the same village Capt. S. V. Bennis once had a well drilled 180 

feet in depth. This well was 6 inches in diameter at the top and 

5 inches at the Bottom. The supply of water was small and the 

well has not been used for thirteen years. The owner reported that 

the well is drilled in slate which is very dense and contains a great 

many quartz veins. The Bennis well is situated less than 1,000 feet 

from the Braman well, and the smaller amount of water encountered 

in the former may be due in part to the fact that the slate in this 

locality, as is often the case near granite areas, is very dense, containing few joints, and holds little water, whereas the granite, in 

which the Braman well was drilled, contains a great many waterbearing joints.

In the vicinity of West Sullivan several shafts of abandoned mines 

have been transformed into wells. One at West Sullivan was drilled 

40 feet and obtained good water, but on continuing it to 614 feet 

water which is too highly charged with mineral matter to be used 

was obtained and the well was abandoned. The surface wells in 

this vicinity, however, give good supplies of soft water. The public 

supply of West Sullivan comes from a spring.

At North Sullivan the conditions seem to be much better. The 

formation is of granite, and a number of wells 50 feet in depth 

obtained plentiful supplies of as good water as can be found in the 

State. Some of these wells have been blasted in rock; others were 

drilled. A comparison of the two types of wells here indicates that 

for shallow wells in granite the cost of both is about the same, but 

for deep wells the drilled type is cheaper. For both shallow and 

deep wells the drilled type is safer.

One of the best wells is that of Mr. C. H. Abbott. This well, after 

going through 3 feet of drift, struck granite and went to a depth of 

136;j feet without obtaining water. On drilling 10 inches deeper a 

seam of water was struck and a two-hour test was made; in that 

time 2,000 two-gallon pailfuls were pumped and the water was lowered only 11 inches. In the construction of the well hard galvanized-iron tubing was put down to rock, driven as hard as possible, 

and cemented to the ledge. With this construction it is impossible 

for surface water to pollute the well. The assay of this water is 

given in the table (No. 11). This granite water is a delightful-tasting, 

clear, cold water. Complete analyses of the Crabtree & Havey well 

(No. 14) and of the John M. Blaisdell well (No. 13) are given in the 

table. In the Crabtree & Havey well the amount of mineral matter 

is very high, being 364 parts per million. A view of the Crabtree & 

Havey well is given in PI. V, B.

Sorrento. The summer resort of Sorrento, situated on a peninsula 

at the southwest end of the town of Sullivan, hasagravity water suppi}' from Long Pond, taking the water from the end of the pond appo-
HANCOCK COUNTY. 145

site to that from which it is taken by Sullivan. Sorrento formerly 

had 14 driven wells, installed a dozen years ago, consisting of 2-inch 

pipes sunk from 50 to 65 feet in depth in gravel deposits a mile northeast of Sorrento. They are reported to have been nearly all flowing 

wells. They were situated in a low, swampy area a few^ hundred feet 

in extent, bordered on the north and south by rock hills and on the 

east b}r hills of gravelly till, and a small brook drained out to sea at 

the west end. Small gravel hills surround the valley, giving a head 

to the water, which is confined in quicksand below a bed of clay. The 

wells stretched along an east-west line and were 100 feet or so apart, 

ranging as much as 50 feet on either side of the center line.

At Sorrento two wells, 92 and 61 feet deep, were drilled in rock 

about fifteen years ago. Both gave salty water, but one of them was 

used for a short time. In the rock along the shore are a number of 

cracks as much as one-half inch in diameter which might allo\v passage for water into the hill and downward into the wells. The dip is 

toward the south, and it is,probable that the salt water enters the 

cracks parallel with the stratification of the rock on the north side 

of the peninsula. Drilled wells are not recommended on this smaller 

peninsula, but on the major peninsula which juts out from Sullivan 

they may meet with success. A dug well in till in the northern part 

of the major peninsula was tested by field assay (No. 171).

Penobscot. The rocks of the town of Penobscot are also very 

diverse in character. In the vicinity of South Penobscot, extending 

northward beyond Wight Pond and southward as far as North Brooksville, the formation is granite, as it also is north of Pierce Pond. 

Between Pierce Pond and the village of Penobscot, and along a narrow strip just east of Wight Pond, is a band of diorite which encircles 

the South Penobscot granite area. East of Wight Pond, with the 

exception of the narrow strip of diorite, the rocks are schist as far as 

the Bluehill line. West of Northern Bay and south of Wallamatogus 

Mountain the rocks are volcanic. As in Deer Isle, great difference 

may be expected in the character and amount of well waters.

Surry. A strip of granite of variable width extends along the 

southwestern edge of Surry, but with this exception the region southwest of the village is made up of schist. No drilled wells are known. 

It is probable, however, that in both the granite and the schist areas 

drilling will be successful.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Away from the coast Hancock County is well 

provided with springs, many of them supplying farmhouses, and 

some are pumped by windmills. At Greens Pond, in the town of

r>t)!)<><> IKK^O oi) 10
146 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Dedham, a spring supplies the hatchery and nursery of the United 

States Fish Commission, and the spring water is piped through the 

buildings. Within the limits of the county there are at least four 

important mineral springs, as follows:

Bluehill Mineral Spring, Bluehill. 

Ishka Spring, West Hancock. 

Katagudos Spring, Eastbrook. 

Mount Desert Spring, Bar Harbor.

Bluehill Mineral Spring. Two springs owned by Greely & Hagarthy, of Ellsworth, are situated in a valley about 3 miles north of 

Bluehill post-office. The water is reported to issue from a ferruginous rock with a volume of o gallons a minute. It is colorless and 

odorless, but contains some sediment. It is highly charged with 

iron and other minerals and has deposited iron about its mouth. 

The analyses reported by the owners and recomputed into ions and 

parts per million are given in the table (Nos. 236 and 237). The total 

amounts of solids in the two springs are reported as 79 and 49 parts 

per million. The water is used for medicinal purposes. The existence of this spring was noticed by Jackson as early as 1838. a

Islika Spring. The Ishka spring is situated near a hilltop 4 miles 

north of the village of Hancock. The total solids are reported as 19 

parts per million (analysis No. 242). The spring is covered with a 

house and the water is bottled for shipment.

Katagudos Spring. The spring known as the Katagudos is situated in the towrn of Eastbrook, 8 miles northeast of Franklin postoffice. The water is said to seep out of a hillside formed of surface 

deposits, with a volume estimated by the owner as about 8 gallons a 

minute. The water is said to be colorless and odorless and to have 

a pleasant taste. It is used for drinking and medicinal purposes and 

a small hotel is situated there. The owner is Mr. R. B. Lowrie. The 

analysis of this water is reported in the appended table (No. 238), 

the composition being recalculated from the analysis reported by 

the owner.

Mount Desert Spring. Mount Desert Spring water comes from a 

spring owned by Messrs. J. II. Souris and C. A. Waters. The water 

is said by the owners to issue from a fissure in granite. The flow is 

reported to vary slightly, but to average 12 gallons a minute. Much 

water is sold in the vicinity and some is shipped to a distance. An 

analysis, reported by the owners and recalculated from the original 

into ions and parts per million, is given in the table (Xo. 239). The 

water is reported to have medicinal value. The price is 12 cents a 

gallon.

a Jackson, Charles J., Report on the geology of the State of Maine, I83b.
HANCOCK COUNTY. 147 

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. In Hancock County very few villages have public supplies. The following, however, use surface water: Bucksport, 

Northeast Harbor, Ellsworth, Sullivan, and Sorrento. One town in 

the county, Castine, gets its water from wells and springs, and Southwest Harbor gets it from wells and a pond. Lamoine has a supply 

from springs, and Hancock Point uses an abandoned mine shaft. A 

deep well was sunk at Stonington some years ago for a public supply, 

but it was never used.

Castine. The village of Castine is supplied by two private water 

systems. The larger of these is owned by Mr. A. M. Deveraux, who 

has several deep drilled w^ells situated on the summits of the hills 

occupying the center of the peninsula. In addition to the wells a 

number of springs are used.

The first well was put down by a driller who promised water at a 

depth of 60 feet. The well was drilled 57 feet 8 inches, and the tools 

stuck, making it necessary to abandon the hole. It was filled with 

stones to prevent any other driller from making use of it, and a second hole was drilled 2 feet away. This one went 62^ feet, got a good 

supply of water, and continued 3 feet deeper for a reservoir. A 

third hole, 12^ feet distant, was drilled to a depth of 70 feet. By 

pumping the two successful wells it was found that they communicated and that it was only necessary to put a pump in one of them. 

The water level stands 25 feet from the surface. Another well was 

drilled 10 feet away from No. 3, to a depth of 80 feet, water being 

found at the same depth, 62 \ feet, and rising to the same level as in 

the others, 25 feet from the surface. Later, hole No. 2 was deepened 

to 110 feet.

On another hilltop a well 675 feet in depth was drilled for the samo 

water company. This is an 8-inch well and is one of the deepest in 

Maine. The first water was found at 425 feet, and filled the well 

within 27 feet of the surface. The cost was $3,500, and much 

trouble was caused by losing the drill, obtaining a crooked hole, etc., 

due to inexperienced drilling. The well is reported to yield about 

13 gallons of water a minute through the day, but is not very satisfactory on account of its poor construction.

The three principal wells belonging to this system are now pumped 

by a windmill into a cement-lined tank situated on the hilltop near 

by. The maximum capacity of the three wells is reported to be 

about 27 gallons a minute. The capacity of the tank is more than 

25,000 gallons, but the supply from the wells is seldom sufficient to 

fill it. The other well belonging to the system is situated about a 

mile from these and is also pumped by a windmill into a tank having 

a capacity of more than 30,000 gallons. The supply from this well 

also is insufficient, and the tank is never full.
148 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

As a temporary supply, to make up the deficiency of water in the 

wells, the owner has installed a system of springs. These are situated on low land in the eastern part of the peninsula, in sand and 

gravel. A system of tiling several hundred feet in length was put in, 

extending 6 to 10 feet from the surface downward into the clay on 

which the sand rests. This system catches the water held in the 

sand by the impervious clay below and is reported to give 10,000 to 

20,000 gallons of water a day. The water is pumped by steam to a 

reservoir or tank near by, and thence to a reservoir on the hill near 

the deepest well.

Mr. Deveraux reports that 150 water takers are on his system. 

This includes two hotels, one of which recently put clown a drilled 

well for the purpose of obtaining its own supply. Unfortunately this 

well was a failure. With the wells and springs constituting the public supply there seems to be plenty of water to meet the demand for it. 

The spring system, however, is reported to be only temporary, and 

the owner contemplates installing a system of driven wells instead. 

Mr. Deveraux's company is sometimes known as the Castine Water 

Company.

The other company in Castine is known as the Castine Aqueduct 

Company. The water is taken from springs in gravel, and is used by 

a few persons. A number of people in the village prefer the use of 

dug wells, as of old. Many of these wells are in poor locations and 

unsafe. They should be abandoned.

The price charged for water in Castine by the Castine Water Company has recently been raised from $7.50 to $10 a year. On account 

of this increase many people have given up the public supply and are 

depending on the dug wells. The price charged by the Castine Aqueduct Company to its patrons in the lower part of the town is $6 a 

faucet. 

Southwest Harbor. The village of Southwest Harbor has a water 

supply taken from two sources, both owned by the Southwest Harbor Water Company. Until recently most of the water was taken 

from two drilled wells situated on the summit of the hill just west of 

the village. These wells and the conditions of water in them are 

described on page 141. The first well used was 136 feet deep and 

pumped 45 gallons a minute. The second, 20 or 30 feet from it, was 

sunk to a depth of 297 feet. The windmill was first situated over 

the old well, and an 8-horsepowTer gasoline engine was also established to pump both wells. As both the windmill and the engine 

were insufficient to pump the two wells to their fullest capacity, a 

secondary water supply was installed from Long Pond. Another 

well, 125 feet deep, was never used.

The water from the wells and pond is pumped to a standpipe 225 

feet above tide, the capacity of which is 107,000 gallons, and it can
rK COUNTY. 149

be pumped full in seven hours of continuous pumping by means of a 

windmill. The pressure is reported to be 90 pounds on the main 

street. The length of pipe connecting the village of Southwest Harbor with Long Pond is about 2J miles. In addition to this the company has 1 mile 'of pipe extending to the steamboat landing and 

probably half a mile in the village. All these pipes are underground. 

The mains extending to Long Pond are 2 inches in diameter and the 

rest are one-half inch. Surface pipes extend to the village of Manset 

and to a great many cottages in the vicinity of Southwest Harbor. 

A 1-inch pipe runs below the sound to Greenings Island. Five fire 

hydrants are reported in the village of Southwest Harbor, but there 

are none in the outlying villages.

The majority of the people in Southwest Harbor use the water 

supplied by the company. A few, however, use dug wells. There 

are estimated to be 150 consumers, over 50 of whom, however, are 

summer residents. The rates are $10 a faucet in private houses and 

$7 in stores. During the winter all inhabitants except those on the 

lines which are buried use well and spring waters. The chief reason 

given for having so much pipe above ground is that ledge at many 

places lies close to the surface and to lay pipe in it would be very 

expensive. The water has been analyzed and is considered of excellent quality. The amount of sickness in town seems to have decreased since the waterworks were installed.

Lamoine. Twenty families in the village of Lamoine are supplied 

by the Cold Spring Water Company. The water seeps out of sand 

deposits, and is pumped by windmill into a reservoir.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

Most of the towns in Hancock County seem to appreciate the 

value of pure water supplies. Stonington, however, while growing 

rapidly, has as yet no such supply. The people of this town use 

dug wells and springs almost entirely, and many of these are in 

situations where they are sure to be polluted from surface drainage. 

There are no sewers in the town, and altogether conditions are insanitary. It seems important that the dug wells and springs should 

be abandoned as rapidly as possible and a public water supply 

installed. This might be obtained from any one of several sources, 

among which are Burntland Pond and other ponds on the south 

end of the island. If none of these supplies are satisfactory it seems 

probable that a number of wells drilled in granite at a safe distance 

outside the village, away from the shore, would furnish plenty of 

water. There is always an uncertainty whether rock wells will 

obtain sufficient water for a village, however, and a pond supply 

should be obtained if practicable. There is plenty of water in the 

granite of Deer Isle for ordinary domestic purposes, and even for
150 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE,

small manufacturing and other establishments. Individuals or companies that can afford to do so will be wise to sink wells for drinking 

water.

In most of the summer-resort districts of the county, especially 

on the islands, drilled wells are rather commonly used. Although 

some have been failures, there have been, on the other hand, a surprising number of successful wells drilled on islands where it would 

seem that the supply of water in the rocks must be small. In most 

localities the best method of obtaining water for cottages is by drilled 

wells. These should not go to a depth of more than 200 feet, as deeper 

drilling is generally of little avail.

A number of wells situated near the coast, and especially on the 

small islands, have been unsuccessful, owing to the entrance of sea 

water, which has ruined the wells. In certain wells fresh water has 

first been encountered, and by continued drilling to obtain a greater 

supply salt water has been struck; in others salt wT ater has been 

struck first, the fresh-water seams existing at greater depths. Sometimes the water of the well is fresh, but by long-continued pumping 

becomes salt. In any of these cases, wT here both salt and fresh water 

veins are struck, it is possible for experienced drillers, by proper 

manipulation, as described on page 67, to close off the salt water 

and redeem the well.

KENNEBEC COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Kennebec Count}' lies in the south-central part of Maine, on both 

sides of Kennebec River and directly east of Androscoggin and Franklin counties. It has a length from northeast to southwest of 50 miles 

and a maximum breadth from east to west of 35 miles. Its area 

is 880 square miles, and its population according to the census of 

1900 was 59,117. The chief cities are Augusta the state capital 

with 12,379 inhabitants: Waterville, with 10,899; and Gardiner, 

with 5,501. The county is well provided with railroads, being 

crossed by a line of the Maine Central Railroad along Kennebec 

River and another line 5 to 15 miles west of the river, meeting the 

river line at Waterville. From Waterville the railroad runs northeastward to Burnham, and a branch extends north as far as Skowhegan, in Somerset County. The Somerset Railroad extends from 

its terminus at Oakland northward to Moosehead Lake, in Somerset 

and Piscataquis counties. A narrow-gage railroad the Wiscasset, 

Waterville and Farmington runs southeastward from Winslow to 

Wiscasset, in Lincoln County, and a branch of this railroad runs 

from Weeks Mills to Albion. The surface of Kennebec County is 

rather hilly, but is not so much so as some of the other counties in 

the State. The elevation ranges from sea level along Kennebec
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XV

 Successful well over 50 feet 

in depth

 ^- Flowing well

 ^ Important spring

4- Community having public 

"r supply from surface sources

D Community having public 

supply from springs

>^*\ Community having public 

V_X supply from wells

 Other important towns

i i i I i i

20 MILES

MAP OF KENNEBEC COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.
KENNEBEC COUNTY. 151

River to more than 700 feet on some of the hills. The tide on Kennebec River penetrates as far inland as Augusta. Within the county 

are a great many lakes, which are mostly utilized for summer resorts. 

The largest body of water in the county is Great Pond, in Rome 

and Belgrade. Throughout the county the open well is the prevailing type, but some drilling has been done. A map of this county 

showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies forms PI. XV.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

KELATIOX TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. A large part of the county is underlain by slate. There is, however, a small patch of granite, about 

5 miles in breadth, lying in the common corner of Manchester, Hallowell, and Augusta, and most of the area south of Gardiner consists 

of a complex of slate, schist, and gneiss, which can not be separated 

on any map.

Structural relation of the rocks. Throughout nearly the entire 

county the slate strikes very uniformly northeast, and the dip of 

the strata and that of the cleavage are nearly vertical. The rock 

ranges from very shaly, or even fissile, to hard and dense, and in some 

places it is schistose.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Kennebec County differ 

greatly in character and thickness. Along Kennebec River and up 

many of the side valleys there is considerable clay, which rises to 

elevations of more than 200 feet. In places this clay is underlain 

by gravels from a few inches to 50 feet or more in thickness. Elsewhere the clay is overlain by sand. On the hills the deposits are 

mostly till from 1 to 50 feet in thickness. In places, however, 

rather extensive morainal deposits are found on the hills, as in the 

vicinitv of Augusta.

CEXKRAI. INSCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. The most common type of well in Kennebec 

County is the old-fashioned open well. These wells range in depth 

from 5 to 50 feet, and are dug in gravel or bowlder clay. They are 

generally successful, but often run dry in summer. The water is 

generally of good quality except where the wells are so situated 

as to become polluted.

Drilled wells. About 35 drilled wells have been sunk in the 

county, ranging in depth from 30 to 560 feet, the most common depth 

being about 100 feet. The wells are mostly 6 inches in diameter, but 

three or more 8-inch wells have been sunk. In general the shallower
152 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

of the deep wells have been successful, but a greater number of water 

veins and consequent larger supplies are obtained by going 100 to 200 

feet. It happens that the largest supply reported was obtained from 

a well which went down more than 300 feet. This well got 50 gallons 

a minute at that depth. It seems worth the expense to drill as deep 

as this if sufficient water is not obtained nearer the surface. The 

deeper supplies in the slate have not been prospected, for the reason 

that plenty of water is obtained at shallower depths, but it would be 

well to drill a few test wells when more water is needed.

Quality of water. Where unpolluted the well waters of Kennebec 

County are mostly good. The total solids as reported in four analyses 

range from 170 to 258 parts per million, but the amount of lime is 

never great enough to cause serious trouble in boilers. The only two 

complete analyses of slate waters in this county are given in the 

appended table (Nos. 62 and 67), but a number of field assays and 

other tests have been made (Nos. 60 to 70). Analyses 243 to 254 

give the composition of several commercial spring waters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Augusta. The city of Augusta is supplied with plenty of water of 

good quality from Cobbosseecontee Pond, and there is little necessity 

of using well water. One well 560 feet in depth, belonging to Mr. 

G. P. Sanborn, has been used for supplying a greenhouse. The 

amount of water is not large, and the well overflowed in rainy weather, 

indicating that the water may come from a surface source. Wells 

drilled in the neighboring town of Winthrop indicate that plenty of 

water may also be expected in the slate areas of Augusta, and wells 

drilled in granite at numerous places in Hancock, Lincoln, and Washington counties indicate that water may be expected in the granite 

areas in this city as well.

Hallowell. Like Augusta, Hallowell has a surface water supply and 

is little in need of drilled wells. The only well known to have 

been drilled in the village is reported to have been sunk at Johnson 

Brothers' shoe factory. A well was drilled in 1880 on the farm of 

Mr. H. G. Vaughan to a depth of 70 feet, and enough water for 

drinking and farm purposes was obtained.

Farmingdale. In the town of Farmingdale a number of wells have 

been drilled to depths of 50 to 110 feet. The water is generally of 

good quality, and there is plenty for ordinary domestic purposes. 

Assays have been made of two well waters in this town (Nos. 60 

and 61).

Gardiner. The water supply of Gardiner is taken from Cobbosseecontee Stream, just below the bridge at the upper end of the village of 

Gardiner. The water is reported good, but on account of the large 

number of farms situated along the banks of Cobbosseecontee Stream
' KENKEBEC COUNTY. 153

and its tributaries and the proximity of the pumping station to the 

village the supply must be considered as of questionable safety for the 

future.

Formerly, dug wells were abundant in the village, but they are now 

nearly all abandoned for the city water. Some dug wells penetrate 

the clay and get plenty of water which never gives out and which is 

cold and has an excellent taste. One 20-foot well goes through clay 

and gravel and rests on ledge. This well is in the heart of the city 

and so situated that the water probably enters the gravel bed within 

the limits of the populated district, yet nine families use the water. 

A number of similar wells were seen, some of which use chain pumps. 

On account of the extreme danger of pollution of dug wells situated 

in a thickly populated village these can not be considered safe. They 

are probably even more dangerous than the river water. The bed of 

gravel underlying the clay seems irregular in thickness, in some places 

reaching 15 feet and in others being entirely missing. A few wells 

only have given out. The solution of the water problem at Gardiner 

seems to lie in the abandonment of the present system and the installation of a supply from a point higher up on Cobbosseecontee Stream 

or its tributaries, where the water is safe.

Gardiner is situated entirely in the area of the complex consisting 

of alternating slate, schist, gneiss, and granite. Little well drilling 

has been done; but in the southern part of the town there are twro 

drilled wells, 34 and 36 feet in depth, which are interesting as showing 

what should and what should not be done in the location of wells. 

Mr. Joseph Douglas has a well drilled to the depth of 36 feet entirely 

in rock. A deep-well hand pump was installed with the intention of 

using the water for drinking. The well stands only 15 feet from the 

barnyard, however, and the water is colored brown and has a bad 

odor, indicating the existence of open cracks in the rock extending 

under the barnyard, and consequent pollution of the well water. A 

dug well 15 feet in depth on the opposite side of the road and in a safe 

location is used for drinking water.

As a contrast, an example of a well-kept well is that of Mr. Charles 

Hopkins in the same part of the town. This well is 34 feet deep, and 

was drilled fifteen years ago, striking schist at 5 feet from the surface. 

The well is pumped by a windmill and gives an abundant supply of 

water. By looking down the well with a hand glass after pumping 

it as nearly dry as possible the water can be seen issuing from a 

crevice as large as a man's hand. This well has obtained more water 

than was found by farmers in the vicinity who have blasted in rock. 

The blasted wells here cost much more than Mr. Hopkins's well, and 

thus furnish an argument in favor of the drilled type.

Waterville. The city of Waterville, together with other towns of 

the Kennebec water district, obtains its supply from China Lake.
154 UNDEBGKOUNl) WATEKS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Formerly it was obtained from Messalonskee Stream, which was 

badly polluted and caused a great deal of typhoid fever. At present, 

however, there is little need of drilled wells in the city, as the China 

Lake water is satisfactory. It is possible that drilled wells may have 

been sunk in the town, but inquiry during the investigation disclosed 

none. If rock water supplies are desired, they can probably be 

obtained by drilling at nearly any point, as few unsuccessful wells have 

been drilled in neighboring towns.

Winslow. In 1899 the Hollingsworth & Whitney Company had a 

series of seven wells drilled 60 feet from the bank of Kennebec River 

and 20 feet above water level. The wells are 110 to 125 feet deep 

and extend along a line 90 feet in length. The water was used for 

cooling acid in the manufacture of paper. The wells were pumped 

by compressed air, thereby obtaining 200 to 300 per cent of the amount 

obtained by an ordinary steam pump. Now, after seven years, the 

wells are said to have filled with sand until they are only about 90 

feet in depth. While they were used, pumping one of them would 

lower the rest. They are now abandoned because of insufficient 

supply for the purpose desired, and river water is used instead. A 

67-foot well belonging to the same company is still used to supply 

drinking water.

On the terrace above these wells a number of persons have drilled 

wells to depths of 30 to 65 feet. These have met with varying degrees 

of success, some of them having plenty of water, while others give out 

in dry weather. Tt is probable that they would be more successful 

if drilled to 100 feet or deeper, as a greater number of water veins 

would be tapped. On the terrace between Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers there are flat areas of considerable clay which are worked 

in places for the manufacture of brick. In places the clay is overlain 

by sand, and at the village of Winslow a spring issues from the sand 

on top of the clay and is piped to four houses for domestic use.

A rather interesting well is that of Mr. Will Gliclden, which is 30 

feet in depth, drilled in slate. The water rises from the slate by 

artesian pressure into a dug well, from which it is pumped by a windmill. The pressure of water here is derived from a 15-foot rise in 

the hill 400 feet back from the well. A number of wells in Winslow 

have been blasted in rock. The water from one well on a hill is 

siphoned to a house on the hillside below. Field assays have been 

made of water from three wells in this town (Xos. 64-66).

Chelsea. Xo drilled wells are known in Chelsea, but some wells 

have been driven and some bored to depths of 20 or 30 feet. The dug 

wells are generally of similar depths and the water is almost always 

of good quality. It usually issues from sand. Many farms in the 

town and the Maine Insane Hospital obtain supplies from springs.
KEKKEBEC COUNTY. 155

Oakland. Oakland has a public supply from Lake Messalonskee. 

This lake does not seem to be entirely safe from pollution, but the 

water is considered of very good quality. Drilled wells are unknown 

in the town.

Pittston. In Pittston several drilled wells have been sunk, which 

range in depth from 56 to 135 feet. The water seems to be good, and 

is used for domestic and farm purposes. The yield is 8 to 10 gallons 

a minute.

Wintlirop. Winthrop is the only town in Kennebec County where 

drilled wells have been sunk extensively, and the almost unfailing 

success here is an index of the supplies which may be expected to 

be found by drilling elsewhere in the county. No fewer than a dozen 

successful wells have been drilled, mostly pumping 12 to 50 gallons of 

water a minute.

The principal wells in the village of Winthrop are owned by C. M. 

Bailey Sons & Co., H. P. Hood & Son, and Charles H. Gale. The 

public supply of the village comes from a spring belonging to the Winthrop Aqueduct Company, from springs and drilled wells belonging to 

Charles II. Gale, and from springs belonging to Levi Jones. The 

principal water system is that of Mr. Gale, whose wells and springs 

are situated on the hill directly west of the village. The wells are 

three in number, and are 90, 96, and 65 feet deep. They give a fair 

amount of good water and can not easily be pumped dry. Probably 

half the people of the town use this supply. These wells and the 

associated springs are described in detail under the heading "Public 

supplies" (pp. 157, 158).

The best well in Winthrop was drilled in 1906 for C. M. Bailey, 

Sons & Co. at their factory. This was sunk to a depth of 307 i feet. 

At 300 feet from the surface a supply of fine water was struck, which 

when tested yielded 50 gallons a minute. The pump is generally run 

three hours a day, but has been run eight hours continuously without 

exhausting the supply. The water is used for boilers, but is also 

excellent for drinking. The analysis is given in the table (No. 67). 

The well of II. P. Hood & Son was drilled in 1903 to a depth of 172 

feet. It was cased with 8-inch casing to ledge, a distance of 18 feet, 

and 6-inch pipe was then run down to 140 feet. It is reported to 

yield 25 gallons of water a minute and can not be pumped dry- In 

these two wells the water stands about 8 feet from the surface.

At Winthrop the rock is slate; at Baileyville (Winthrop Center) it 

is schist, but the water seems to be just as abundant. The well of 

Mrs. Hannah J. Bailey, drilled 200 feet through rock, obtained 15 

gallons of fine water a minute and now supplies four families and a 

boarding house. The water is piped to the houses from a windmill. 

Messrs. C. I. Bailey and J. Briggs own a well together, and the depth 

and quality of the water were similar to those of Mrs. Bailey's well.
156 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

The yield is reported as 30 gallons a minute. All the wells at Baileyville have been successful, and the water is of good quality and has no 

iron taste. The marked success of wells in this vicinity is a strong 

indication that similar wells can be obtained in other parts of the 

slate area of Kennebec County.

Other towns. In the towns of Litchfield, Albion, and Sidney there 

are scattering drilled wells. In the following towns no drilled wells 

are known to have ever been sunk, and the supplies are obtained 

entirely, so far as known, from open wells: Vienna, Home, Mount 

Vernon, Fayette, Belgrade, Readfield, Monmouth, West Gardiner, 

Manchester, Oakland, Waterville, Clinton, Benton, Unity Plantation, 

China, Windsor, Chelsea, and Randolph.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Springs are very common on the hillsides of 

Kennebec County. They usually issue from bowlder clay or sand and 

at many places are used for domestic and farm supplies. In Augusta 

the Maine Insane Hospital draws its supplies from a spring situated 

back in the hills. At the village of Winthrop several small aqueduct 

systems take their water from springs situated o'-\ the hills west of the 

village. These are described under the heading "Public supplies" 

(pp. 157,158). Within the limits of the county are the Forest Springs, 

at Litchfield; Pure Water Spring, in Waterville; and Ticonic Mineral 

Spring, at Winslow.

Forest Springs. The Forest Springs Water Company was organized in 1900 for the purpose of marketing the water which comes from 

the Forest Springs, in the town of Litchfield, IJr miles northeast of 

Litchfield Plains. The springs have been renowned for their purity 

for more than a hundred years and are said to have been much frequented by the aborigines.

There are three springs. The first is 450 feet from the second and 

about a quarter of a mile from the third. The two principal springs 

are situated at the base of a gentle sandy slope, not far from a small 

brook; the third spring is farther back in the woods. The principal 

spring is in reality a well 6 feet in depth. At this place were encountered the following strata, from the surface downward:

Sect inn of drift of Forest Sprhuj.

Feet.

Gravel loam..................................................... 2

(lay............................................................. 1

Fin<' gravel..................................................... 28

31

The spring was curbed down 6 feet and has a sandy bottom. It 

is situated in the woods far from any house, and the water is of excellent quality, with no chance of pollution. The analyses of the three
TvKNNKBEC COUNTY. 157

springs, reported in a circular issued by the company, are given in 

the table (Nos. 247 to 249), recalculated according to the standard 

method. The company has built, an up-to-date bottling plant near 

the springs, and the water is carefully bottled and shipped in halfgallon and quart bottles and 5-gallon carboys. The flow of the 

principal spring is 100 gallons an hour.

Pure Water Spring. The Pure Water Spring is situated 1J miles 

north of Waterville. The water is carbonated and sold in Waterville. The hardness is given by the owners as 41.5 parts per million.

Ticonic Mineral Spring. About 2 miles northeast of Waterville 

is the Ticonic Mineral Spring, the product of which is sold in Waterville. The flow is reported as 5£ gallons a minute. The analysis of 

this water is given in the table (No. 253), recalculated from the 

figures reported by the owners.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. Eleven villages in Kennebec County Augusta, 

Hallo well, Parmingdale, Gardiner, Randolph, Oakland, Waterville, 

Benton, Belgrade, North Vasselboro, and Winslow have public 

supplies drawn from surface sources. The only important underground-water supply is that of Winthrop, which uses wells and 

springs. Hallowell, Augusta, and Vienna are reported, however, to 

have small spring supplies.

Winthrop. The village of Winthrop has no regular municipal 

supply. There are, however, a number of aqueduct companies, and 

these furnish water to a majority of the population. Most of the 

water is supplied by Charles II. Gale, the Winthrop Aqueduct Company, and Levi Jqnes. The largest system is that owned by Mr. 

Gale, which consists of wells and springs situated on the hillside 

just west of the village. The wells are about 100 feet above the 

village and are sunk to depths ranging from 65 to 120 feet. The 

springs are near by, in a swampy depression in the hillsides. The 

water is collected in a reservoir.

At first consideration the swampy source of the springs would 

seem to be an argument against the use of this water. It can be 

said, however, that there may be no great danger of this water being 

contaminated b}T surface drainage. One house is situated on the 

hillside above, but it is so far away as probably to have no effect on 

the water supply. From the reservoir the water is piped to the 

town in galvanized-iron pipes, which are badly rusted by the water. 

As the system is a gravity system the water has a good pressure. 

There are reported to be about 150 patrons of the system, and this 

probably represents about half the village population. The wells 

are pumped by windmills. The owner reports that when the wells 

are used there is plenty of water to supply all needs. Without the
158 U.NDERGKOUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

wells, however, the amount is not sufficient. No analyses of the 

water have been made except a sanitary analysis made some years 

ago.

An interesting feature was brought out in connection with this 

analysis. The water was sent to a chemist by a resident of the 

towTn, as it was supposed to be polluted. At the same time a sample 

taken from a dug well in the village was sent a well extensively 

used by the residents and believed to be excellent. On receipt of 

the returns it was found that the water of the dug well was badly 

polluted and that the public supply was of excellent quality. This 

is a strong argument against the use of dug wells in a thickly settled 

village and in favor of the installation of deep-well supplies wherever 

practicable. There is some question in this case about the use of 

the springs. They are certainly not as good as the drilled wells, 

but they are probably safe.

The other water systems have their source in springs situated on 

surrounding hillsides, but the number of takers is smaller. The 

supply belonging to Levi Jones issues from a bowlder-clay hillside 

and is conveyed by gravity in galvanized-iron pipes to the village. 

About 35 families are reported to use the water, which is believed 

to be of good quality.

The water rates in Winthrop are $6 a year. The fire hydrants 

are supplied from an entirely separate source, pumped by the Winthrop Mill Company from another well.

Vienna,. A few persons, probably fewer than a dozen, in Vienna 

village are supplied by water from a large spring piped through a 

main three-fourths of a mile in length.

HaUowell. In the town of Hallowell there is a supply owned by 

the city, reported to be derived from springs on Winthrop Hill. 

The water is obtained by direct pressure, and the pressure is 40 to 

110 pounds. About 120,000 gallons are consumed daily.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

In Kennebec County few failures in well drilling have been recorded. 

The underlying rock of the county consists almost entirely of slate, 

and the almost uniform success of wells in rock of this type is contrasted to the frequent failures of wells in some other regions. So 

far as known, the public water supplies are at present all of good 

quality, although in the past there has been some trouble from 

water taken from Messalonskee Stream in the vicinity of Waterville. 

This supply is no longer used. No public supplies are known to be 

of poor quality. In Oakland and Gardiner, however, it would seem 

that the supplies are only temporarily safe; they are so situated 

that the^y may in time become polluted unless proper precautions 

are taken. Drilled wells in these towns would be a safeguard ~ in

case the condition of the water should cause trouble.
KNOX COUNTY. 159

KNOX COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Knox County occupies a nearly central position on the Maine coast. 

Its length from north to south, including the outer islands, is 35 

miles, and its breadth is about 20 miles. It has an area of 327 square 

miles, being, with the exception of Sagadahoc, the smallest county 

in Maine. Its population, according to the census of 1900, was 30,406. 

Rockland, the chief city, contained 8,150 persons, Camdeii had 2,825, 

and Thomaston 2,688. The only railroads in the count}r are a branch 

of the Maine Central which crosses from Warren to Rockland, and the 

Georges Valley Railroad, a short line running from Warren to Union. 

The surface of the county is gently undulating in the southern part, 

but rather mountainous in the northern part. The altitude ranges 

from sea level to more than 1,450 feet, the highest elevation being in 

the town of Camdeii; and its surface is covered with a considerable 

number of ponds and small lakes. A map of Knox County showing 

the distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities 

having public supplies forms PI. XVI.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND Sl'HFACK DKPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rocks of Knox County consist 

largely of a complex of granite, diorite, slate, schist, etc. In the 

southeastern part of the county, extending from Rockport southwestward across Rockland, Thomaston, and Warren, are small bands of 

limestone rock, from a few hundred feet to about a mile in breadth, 

bordered by slates, schists, and quartzites. The limestone strata are 

much contorted, the rock is very hard, white to blue and gray in 

color, and is extensively quarried. In the eastern part of South 

Thomaston and St. George and covering the adjacent islands is a 

small granite area. The continuation of this area covers the greater 

part of Vinalhaven. A small area in the northern part of the same 

island and the entire island of Xorth Haven consist of trap, slates, 

and acidic volcanic rocks.

The detailed geology of considerable portions of the county has been 

worked out by E. S. Bastin, of the United States Geological Survey, 

and will be given later under the names of the various towns.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Knox County are irregular in thickness. Along the coast and in the lowlands the sands and 

clays locally run up to 100 feet in thickness, though usually much 

thinner, and their upper surfaces form flat plains near the coast and 

in the larger valleys. In the vicinity of Thomaston the clays are 

rather extensive. In some parts of the county there are small morainic deposits, which are in places as much as 100 feet thick, consist-
160 UNDERGROUND WATERS OK SOUTHERN MAINE.

ing of sand, gravel, and till. Over the greater part of the uplands the 

surface is bowlder clay, ranging from 1 to 10 feet in thickness. In 

places this is absent and the hills consist of bare rock. Most of the 

water from dug wells in Knox County is derived from the surface 

deposits.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION".

Types of wells used. The wells of Knox County are mostly dug 

wells, but on the coast and islands a considerable number of drilled 

wells have been sunk. The dug wells range from 5 to 30 feet in depth 

antl are mostly sunk in bowlder clay or gravel. They contain plenty 

of water in the wet season, but in summer they often run dry.

Drilled wells.- The drilled wells in this county are about 40 in 

number. They are from 50 to 640 feet in depth, and the yield ranges 

up to 25 gallons a minute. Most of the wells in the county have been 

successful, but several have failed. At North Haven a 300-foot well 

was dry, while a 200-foot well near it contained a small quantity of 

water. In the vicinity of Rockland one well was abandoned because 

the water was not sufficient to supply a large hotel, and a second well 

was salty. The county contains one flowing well which supplies the 

town of Warren. The wells between 100 and 200 feet in depth obtain 

the largest amount of water. Of the seven wells sunk below 200 feet, 

only one got an appreciable increase in the supply. These rocks 

probably do not contain much water below that depth.

Quality of water. The quality of water in the wells of Knox Count}" 

ranges from very soft to very hard, the hardness being dependent on 

the amount of lime in the rocks in which the wells are sunk. The only 

analysis of water from solid limestone is that of a sample from the 

bottom of one of the Rockland limestone quarries (No. 255). It will 

be noticed that neither the total solids nor the calcium is as high as in 

some waters from rocks that do not contain as much lime. The magnesium, however, is very high 22 parts per million.

The only other complete analyses of Knox County waters are those 

made from two trap wells at North Haven. The total solids in these 

wells are 90 and 2,057 parts per million. The excessive amount in 

the latter well is due to an admixture of sea water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Rockland. The Rockland region is occupied largely by slate' 

schist, and limestone with minor areas of quartzite. In the northwest corner of the town the slates are broken up and are intruded by 

granites, gneisses, and similar rocks. West of the city proper is a 

narrow belt of crystalline limestone extending in an easterly direction from Thomaston toward Ciiickawaukie Pond. It is bordered
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XVI

 Successful well over 50 feet.in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth

 y- Flowing well

:£ Community having public supply from surface sources 

| | Community having public supply from springs 

-^ C J Community having public supply from wells

Other important towns 

- '\

/\

/

\

Burnt l.</)?\

 *\

t

10 15 MILES

MAP OF KNOX COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.
KNOX COUNTY. 161

on the southeast by a number of smaller limestone bands. This limestone is extensively quarried, some of the quarries being several hundred feet deep. Those which are abandoned are filled with water. 

Associated with this limestone are a few narrow bands of quartzite.

Few dug wells remain in Rockland, but along the limestone region 

are a number which are dug to rock, striking it at depths of 15 to 20 

feet. The water here is uniformly hard. There is plenty of it in 

winter, but it gives out in summer. In dug wells in the immediate 

vicinity of the quarries the water gave out, owing to the drainage of 

the surface deposits by the quarrying operations.

The limestone quarries in the vicinity of Rockland, Thomaston, 

and Warren are the only quarries in this kind of rock in Maine, and 

as they throw some light on the occurrence of water in limestone, they 

deserve special consideration. In Rockland several quarries extend 

to a depth of more than 300 feet below the surface. Some of them 

are now abandoned and filled with water within a few feet of the surface. Where they are being worked water can be seen entering from 

the joint cracks below a depth of about 80 feet from the surface. An 

example of the amount of water entering these quarries per day is furnished by a quarry 300 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 180 feet deep. In 

the bottom of this quarry is a hole 25 by 30 feet across and 4 feet deep 

which fills in about twelve hours during the night. This is at the rate 

of about 10 gallons a minute. The water is pumped out in about an 

hour and a half in the morning. It can be seen dripping into the 

quarry along the joint cracks, and in one or two places springs of considerable size are found. The most water enters along the ends of the 

quarries parallel with the stratification of the rock, but much of it 

comes in on the horizontal joints.

A number of quarries show caves in limestone, clue to the solution 

of this rock by the water. One or two caves of considerable size were 

found. (See PI. VII, B.) The largest are 5 feet across and extend 

more than 5 feet inward from the side of the quarry. In one place 

where the drift has been stripped from the surface a former water 

channel about 2 feet in diameter was seen running downward into 

the rock. A few solution channels are seen following the horizontal 

joints, and in places these are 2 to 4 inches in diameter. The occurrence of water in solution channels in limestone is a common feature 

in such rocks throughout the country, and the drillers frequently find 

that the drill drops several feet when a vein of water is struck. There 

is plenty of water in this rock at Rockland, but it is very hard.

The city of Rockland has an excellent supply of water from Oyster

River Pond, with Chickawaukie Pond as an auxiliary suppfy. Not

more than three wells are known to have been drilled in Rockland,

and these have been abandoned. One was drilled on Crockett Point

59969 IRB 223 09 11
162 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

in 1900 to a depth of 22 feet, striking rock at 3 feet from the surface, 

but was abandoned because the water was salty. In 1906 an 8-inch 

well was drilled at Hotel Samoset, Rockland Breakwater. The surface was clay rising a few feet above tide, but rock was struck at 14 

feet and the well was sunk to a depth of 640 feet. At 185 feet 10 to 

12 gallons of water a minute was struck, but below that no water was 

found. This supply was not sufficient for a large hotel and the well 

was plugged. However, the water would have been enough for 

several private families. No information can be obtained regarding 

the other well at Rockland.

Thomaston. Northwest of a line drawn from the western edge of 

Thomaston village to Mount Battux in Rockland the rocks of this 

town consist of slate and schist. There is also a small area of slate 

crossing the village of Thomaston. The most conspicuous rock east 

of the slate area is a band of limestone, more than a mile in breadth, 

extending from the southern border of the town northeastward to 

Chickawaukie Pond, in Rockland. South of this limestone area are a 

number of alternating bands of quartzite, schist, and limestone which 

are too complicated for description. In a limestone quarry is a spring 

which is reported to give a good flow of water. As in Rockland, the 

dug wells overlying the limestone are from 10 to 20 feet in depth, and 

the water is very hard. Some of the wells rest on ledge. They 

sometimes run dry in summer.

Only one drilled well has been sunk in the town that of the 

Thomaston Brick Company. It was drilled 46 feet through marine 

clay, then in limestone for 340 feet, making a total depth of 386 feet. 

The water is hard and the supply is only about 3 to 5 gallons a minute.

South TTiomaston. The eastern and southern parts of South 

Thomaston are composed mostly of granite and much associated 

gneiss and basic rocks. Between Weskeag River and Rockland 

Harbor is a band of slate and schist more than half a mile broad. 

West of this band the area consists of the same succession of quartzite, 

limestone, and si ate which is found in the southeast corner of Thomaston. Most of the wells in this town are dug. At Crescent Beach a 

well was drilled in 1906 for Mr. F. M. Smith to supply cottages at that 

place. The depth was 75 feet, and the well furnished 5 or 6 gallons 

of water a minute, which was reported to rise within 2 or 3 feet of the 

surface in the wet season. The well can be pumped down 30 or 40 

feet, but can not be exhausted. Other data regarding it are given in 

the section on "Public supplies" (p. 167).

Several wells are reported to have been drilled at Owlshead and 

Hendrickson Point, but information regarding them has not been 

received.

St. George. The town of St. George consists almost entirely of 

granite. There are, however, in the western half of the town con-
KNOX COUNTY. 163

siderabie areas of diorite. The wells of this town are for the most 

part dug wells, but on Harts Neck, south of Tenants Harbor, at least 

three drilled wells have been sunk to supply summer cottages. Those 

of Mr. William S. Kichardson and Mr. J. B. Aldrich are rather interesting. While these wells are situated so near the houses that windmills could not be built over them, the windmills were built a few feet 

distant and the wells are pumped by means of a connecting rotating 

horizontal rod. The wells are drilled 67 and 54 feet deep, in a very 

hard gneissic rock. The Richardson well is reported to yield only 2 

gallons of water a minute. Another well near by was also successful. 

At Port Clyde a well is reported to have been drilled, but no information regarding it is at hand.

Warren. The town of Warren is almost entirely underlain by 

granites, gneisses, diorites, and schists, mixed in the form of a complex. There are, however, small areas of other rocks. One of these 

extends as a narrow strip from the southern border of the town in the 

vicinity of Thomaston northward along the Thomaston and Rockland 

line beyond the head of Oyster River. Northwest of Warren village 

is a small area of limestone which is quarried. Most houses in the 

village of Warren have dug wells, but these are abandoned and the 

people use the public supply. This comes from a deep drilled well 

situated on the high hill east of the village. It is 196 feet deep and 

is reported to flow 5 feet above the surface without pumping. The 

volume is reported to be 8 gallons a minute, and in a test the well 

pumped 100 gallons a minute for five days continuously. The country 

rock is complex, and as no rock shows within half a mile it can not be 

said certainly from what material the water comes. For full information regarding this system of waterworks see page 166.

Rockport. The entire western part of Rockport, including all the 

area lying west of the village of West Rockport, is occupied by a complex of granite, gneiss, diorite, schist, and other rocks. The area east 

of this line is composed almost entirely of schist, with some slate. 

There are, however, a few small areas one in the vicinity of Oakland 

Park, a second just south of Rockport village, a third crossing the 

village itself, and a fourth between Rockport village and Simonton 

Corners which consist of quartzite, and smaller areas in the village 

of Rockport and north of Simonton Corners consist of limestone. 

Rockport draws its water from Oyster River Pond, and hence wells 

might be considered unnecessary in the village. As the rock is near 

the surface, however, and it is hard to pipe the streets, many dug 

wells are still used. They should be abandoned as rapidly as practicable. Through the country the wells are mostly dug. One drilled 

well of moderate depth and fair success has been sunk for Mr. Oscar 

Gould near West Rockport.
164 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

North Haven. North Haven and the outlying islands included 

within the town are composed principally of basic lavas or greenstone. A small area in the vicinity of North Haven village, however, 

stretching eastward across Stimpson, Babbage, Calderwood, and 

Burnt islands and Indian Point, is formed of volcanic rock. On the 

main island of North Haven considerable drilling has been done, 

especially near North Haven village. Messrs. C. S. Staples and J. M. 

Howe put down two wells in 1902 to depths of 200 and 300 feet. The 

deeper well was dry and the other obtained only 1J quarts of water 

a minute at 68 feet. Eighteen pounds of dynamite were exploded 

at that depth and the supply of water increased to 3 quarts a minute, 

but no more than this could be obtained. In 1893 Mr. Nelson Mullin 

had a well drilled 121 feet in trap in the same village. The water is 

called a little irony, but the supply is 5 gallons a minute and is considered satisfactory for a hotel and five cottages which are supplied 

from it. (See field assay, analysis No. 132.) Mr. F. S. Mead also 

drilled in trap and obtained 10 gallons a minute. The well belonging 

to Mr. F. H. Smith is 118 feet deep and supplies a store, three dwellings, a fish market, and a livery stable.

On the point a mile east of the village Dr. C. G. Wells had three 

wells drilled in 1891, 1895, and 1903 to depths of 122, 142, and 282 

feet, getting 2, 20, and 6 gallons of water a minute, respectively. 

The water is found at various depths, is pumped by windmills and a 

hot-air engine, and is used for supplying cottages and a steam yacht. 

A short distance north of the wells belonging to Doctor Wells is one 

belonging to Mr. William A. Gaston, 57 feet in depth. One well at 

North Haven was ruined by the accidental admission of calcium carbide into it from an acetylene-gas generator. Analyses of two wells 

drilled in trap at North Haven are given in the table (Nos. 155 and 

156). One of these was salty.

Vinalhaven. The major portion of Vinalhaven is composed of 

granite. In the vicinity of Barley Hill and Coombs Hill and at several places near Vinalhaven village there are small areas of diorite. 

Zeke Point is made up of lava, but the northern half of Calderwood 

Neck is schist. The part of the island northwest of Seal Cove and 

Long Cove is largely lava, but a number of patches of diorite lie along 

the coast, and there are several small areas of schist and lava.

On the main island of Vinalhaven six or more wells have been 

drilled to depths ranging from 120 to 225 feet. Four of them are 

situated at the village of Vinalhaven, where sometimes as much as 

20 gallons of water a minute is obtained from granite. The well of 

the Bodwell Granite Company, 125 feet in depth, is pumped by a 

gasoline engine and the water is used in dressing granite. Some veins 

of salt water were encountered below a depth of 50 feet in this well. 

The well of the Vinalhaven Fish Company, 225 feet in depth, is
KNOX COUNTY. 165

pumped in the same way, gives 20 gallons of water a minute, and is 

used to supply a canning factory.

4-t the north end of the island the rock is mostly trap. There are 

a number of wells here, and these are from 100 to 200 feet in depth, 

obtaining from 10 to 25 gallons of water a minute by windmills. 

The well of Mr. J. M. Howe here supplies four cottages, and that of 

Rev. G. A. Strong supplies three cottages. (See field assay, analysis 

No. 133.) Mr. Howe owns several wells on the island.

The conditions observed in the granite quarries at Vinalhaven are as 

follows: No seepage of water from the joints was noticed, but they 

are somewhat stained by iron. One east-west joint, due largely to 

weathering, is 4 inches wide. Both systems of joints are well developed in places. In some parts of the quarries they are only 1 to 

4 feet apart, but elsewhere they may be 10 or 20 feet apart. Near 

the bottom of a neighboring quarry four small seepages were seen 

from horizontal joint cracks. All the water obtained from these 

cracks is used for engines in the quarry and polishing house.

On Widow Island a 109-foot well drilled in granite for the Maine 

Insane Hospital yields 2 gallons of water a minute. The well is 

pumped by a gasoline engine and the water is used for domestic purposes by 70 persons. It is considered of excellent quality.

Camden. About half the town of Camden, including the entire 

area lying west of a line drawn from Melvin Heights northeast to the 

Waldo County line, is composed of a complex of granite, gneiss, diorite, and schist. The region east of this line is occupied by slate and 

schist, with the exception of an area extending from the extreme 

west end of the village of Camden northeastward to the saddle between Mount Battie and Mount Megunticook, which is composed of 

quartzite, and of a small patch south of the village and extending 

into Rockport which is composed of limestone. There are also a 

few small patches of quartzite, limestone, and other rocks scattered 

promiscuously through the town.

Camden has a good surface water supply from Mirror Lake, and the 

village is not in need of wells. On its borders and in the country 

districts people still use dug wells, which give water of variable 

quality. No drilled wells are known to have been sunk.

Other towns. In the towns of Washington, Hope, Union, Friendship, and Gushing no drilled wells are known. The conditions are as 

usual in the country districts and supplies can be obtained by dug 

wells, but these are of variable quality and sometimes run dry in 

the summer.

SPRINGS.

Knox County is well provided with springs. In the town of Camden Mr. Frank Alexander has a spring consisting of a well-like hole, 

2 feet in depth, dug in the bottom of the cellar, 6 feet below the sur-
166 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

face of the ground. The material is hard "pin gravel." Mr. Alexander has a waste pipe 2 feet below the cellar and the spring overflows 

to a near-by valley. This spring was installed before the town had 

a public supply. It is described here as an example, for the reason 

that spring waters coming from under dwelling houses are not safe. 

When springs have their origin in sands and gravels at a distance 

from houses they are generally preferable, but they can not be recommended when they are so situated as to be influenced by surface 

drainage from surrounding buildings.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. The towns of Rockland, Camden, Rockport, 

and Thomaston have an excellent public water supply furnished by 

the Camden and Rockland Water Company and drawn from Mirror 

Lake, in the town of Camden. Two communities in this county 

Warren and Crescent Beach use deep wells for their public supplies, 

and two villages Union and Friendship have spring supplies.

Warren. The village of Warren is supplied by the Warren Water 

Company, which has an artesian well situated on the hillside about 

one-half mile east of the village. The well is 196 feet in depth and is 

a drilled well 6 inches in diameter. It was sunk 54 feet in 1900 and 

to its present depth in 1903. The flow began at 165 feet and increased 

to 185 feet. The well is reported to flow 5 feet above the surface 

without pumping and to give a volume of 12 to 15 gallons a minute, 

but is fitted with a windmill and a gasoline engine for use when necessary. When tested for five daj^s .and five nights it averaged 100 

gallons a minute. The hill on which the well is situated consists of a 

gentle bowlder-clay slope rising toward the east, and the well is about 

100 feet above the highest part of the village. The water is pumped 

to a reservoir situated some 800 feet distant. It is in the midst of 

pasture land, but is surrounded by a barbed-wire fence 10 feet from 

the nearest point of the reservoir. The pressure is 85 pounds. An 

8-inch main carries the water to 10 fire hydrants and most of the 

residences in town.

This water company is said to have been formerly conducted by 

Mr. White, who had a shallower well on the same site as the present 

one. On account of failure the present company was formed. The 

well seems to give a plentiful supply of water, as evinced by one 

occasion when there was a fire and two lines of hose were run to the 

burning building without the water being exhausted. The rate is 

$7 a year for family use for one faucet, but an extra charge is made for 

other faucets. The water is said to be of excellent quality. The 

principal constituents shown by a field assay are given in analysis 

No. 134.
LINCOLN COUNTY. 167

Crescent Beach. Crescent Beach, in the town of South Thomaston, 

is supplied by a drilled well belonging to Mr. F. M. Smith. The well 

is situated* on a gentle gneissic slope at some distance from the village. 

It is 75 feet deep and was guaranteed by the drillers to giye 6 gallons 

a minute. It is pumped by a windmill which has been run steadily a 

week at a time. Sometimes a gasoline engine is used. The water 

can not be pumped out, but can be lowered 30 feet. When not 

pumped it often stands only 2 feet below the surface. The water has 

been considered good by the users, but sometimes gives a bad odor. 

An examination of the well disclosed the probable cause. The casing 

is open at the surface, thus giving a chance for mice, snakes, or other 

small animals to fall in. This is a good example of how a well should 

not be kept. The top of the casing should always be closed. The 

well has supplied about 25 cottages at the beach, also the stable and 

hotel buildings.

Union. The village of Union is supplied by the Union Water 

Company through a gravity system from springs on the hillside 

east of the village. There are two springs, reported to flow 2 gallons 

a minute each, which seep out of bowlder clay. About 80 families are 

said to use this water. The pressure is 50 to 80 pounds.

Friendship. The village of Friendship is supplied by a spring 

system owned by the Friendship Water Company, of Warren. The 

water boils up through sand at a reported rate of 20 gallons a minute. 

It is pumped into a tank by a windmill. It is good soft water and 

seems to be entirely satisfactory for domestic use. The system is said 

to supply 60 families.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

The public water supplies of the larger villages of Knox County are 

all of good quality, so far as known, and there seems to be little 

necessity for their improvement. In view of the fact that most wells 

drilled within the county have been successful, it is suggested that 

drilled wells be used more extensively. They will be found especially 

satisfactory on the islands and rocky coasts of summer resorts, where 

it is difficult to get an adequate supply from open wells.

LINCOLN COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Lincoln County lies a little southwest of the center of the Maine 

coast. It is 40 miles in length from north to south and 20 miles from 

east to west. Its area is 520 square miles, and its population in 1900 

was 19,669. Wiscasset, the county seat and largest town, contained 

only 1,273 inhabitants. About 7 miles of the western border of the 

county fronts on Kennebec River. The county is crossed by the
168 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Maine Central Railroad from Wiscasset to Waldoboro and by the 

Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad, a narrow-gage line 

running north from Wiscasset to Winslow in Kennebec County. The 

surface of the county is much broken up by indentations from the sea 

projecting many miles inland, and the coast is lined by a great many 

islands. The altitude ranges from sea level up to about 500 feet on a 

few of the hills. Along the coast considerable well drilling has been 

done. The distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies is shown in PI. XVII.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. Nearly the entire area of Lincoln 

County is composed of a complex of slate, schist, gneiss, pegmatite, 

etc. The greater part of the towns of Waldoboro and Bremen is, 

however, occupied by granite. Smaller granite areas exist within the 

limits of the complex, but they are for the most part not large enough 

to be mapped.

Character of rocks. The rock complex of which most of Lincoln 

County is composed is similar to the areas of complex in other counties. Where outcrops are seen they may consist of dense schist, 

striking in a northeast-southwest direction and having a nearly 

vertical dip, or of granite or gneiss or pegmatite. In most places the 

exposures consist of a mixture of these types, perhaps with gradations between them. Here and there these rocks are intruded by 

masses of trap, diorite, or other igneous rocks. There are no quarries 

in the area of complex in this county or elsewhere in the State, and 

for that reason the actual conditions in which the water is held in 

the rocks are not well known. A few railroad cuts show water seeping out of horizontal joint cracks or along the contact between 

various types of rock. In some sections along the railroad the water 

is seen in cracks which have been opened by blasting. This would 

seem to indicate the desirability of "shooting" wells where no water 

is obtained. In general the occurrence of water in the area of complex is likely to be less abundant than in areas of granite or of slate. 

This is presumably due to the fact that the changes in character of 

the rock interfere with the circulation of water through definite joint 

cracks extending for long distances.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of this county are as a 

rule not of great thickness. The coasts are rocky, and the islands 

contain only a few feet of drift. Some exposures of clay are found 

along the valleys, and these may be expected in protected areas anywhere up to an elevation of 200 feet or so. Small areas of stratified 

sand and gravel also rise to the same altitude. Most of the uDlands
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XVII

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth 

^ Important spring

4. Community having public supply 

T" from surface sources

 Other important towns /

'l>()i't rifl^prjf j > > =v ,_n<Jnnsimas 

JVg \\ V JsW tHerron I.^Pemaquid Pt. 

<7 CL N 8. /iT "<*'' n

'(Damiscove 

fl. ^

1,5 MILES

MAP OF LINCOLN COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having

public water supplies.
LINCOLN COUNTY. 169

of the county are covered by till, which varies in thickness from 1 to 

20 feet or more. The thickest deposits of drift are probably in the 

vicinity of Waldoboro, where there are large moraines.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

The wells of Lincoln County consist of both dug and drilled types, 

the former being by far the most numerous, as in other regions. 

There are, however, more than 80 drilled wells within the limits of 

the county. These range in depth from 30 to 360 feet, and the usual 

size is 6 inches. The most common depth of wells in this region is 

somewhat less than 100 feet, and probably not more than 70 feet. 

There are, however, a few wells as much as 150 feet deep and three 

wells have been sunk more than 200 feet. In general the deeper wells 

are not so successful as those of moderate depth. The 360-foot well 

on Ocean Point is an exception to this rule, and in that well a large 

portion of the water was obtained near the bottom.

The quality of the water from deep wells in Lincoln County should 

probably be ranked lower than that of any other county in Maine. 

The most common defect is the large proportion of iron which it 

contains. This is shown in few analyses; it is in reality but a few 

parts per million, but is sufficient to give a distinct mineral taste 

to the water and sometimes makes the water too rusty to be used 

for washing. The mineral matter ranges from 95 to 419 parts per 

million, as shown by analyses Nos. 135 to 149 and 22 to 28 in the table. 

The water is generally called hard by the residents. Analyses of three 

mineral springs are given also (Nos. 256 to 258). No flowing wells 

are known within the limits of the county.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

~Wiscasset. As Wiscasset has.not yet a public water supply, a 

considerable number of drilled wells have been sunk in the village. 

More than fifteen years ago a well was drilled for Mr. W. G. Hubbard 

at the Hilton House to a depth of 70 feet. At 68 feet a fine supply 

of water was struck, which can not be exhausted when pumped at 

the rate of 35 strokes a minute, and after eight or ten hours' pumping 

the well contains just as much water. It is supposed to yield about 

15 gallons a minute. When first struck the water would fill the well 

at the rate of 15 feet in five minutes. It can be lowered 50 feet by 

pumping. A gasoline engine was installed and a well house and tank 

were built at a total cost of about $1,000.

Another good well was drilled in 1905 at the custom-house to a 

depth of 75 feet, and water was struck at 72 feet, increasing in volume 

near the bottom of the well. It supplies the custom-house and half 

a dozen families for drinking and cooking purposes. This well was
170 UNDEEGBOUND WATEES OP SOUTHEEN MAINE.

cased 6 feet into rock, and at the surface of the ground a cement floor 

was put in as a preventive of contamination by infiltration of surface 

drainage. The water can be lowered, but it will return to its former 

level in ten minutes. Four hours' pumping will not exhaust it.

In the 48-foot well of Mr. S. B. Cromwell, at Wiscasset, the drill 

dropped 3 or 4 inches when water was struck, indicating the occurrence of joint cracks. Several wells between 30 and 50 feet in depth 

in this village have good supplies. Most of them can not be pumped 

dry. The water sometimes has a bad taste, which is believed to be 

due to its action on the galvanized-iron pipe, but may be due to the 

iron naturally contained in the water.

Two wells in Wiscasset, both situated at the Turner Center Creamery, only a block from tide water on Sheepscot River and 5 feet above 

tide, have been spoiled by the entrance of salt water. One of them, 

64 feet in depth, was drilled in 1890 for Mr. John Budd, who had a 

gristmill on the spot. After being used a couple of years the water 

became too brackish for use. A second well was drilled at the creamery to a depth of 103 feet. This is too brackish for drinking, but is 

used for cooling cream.

A well drilled for Mr. A. R. Smith is an example of a correct method 

of construction where rock lies near the surface. In this well the 

depth to rock is 6 feet. The surface materials were dug out and the 

casing was driven 3 feet into the rock and cemented firmly to the 

ledge, thus preventing all entrance of surface drainage.

The deepest well at Wiscasset is 154 feet deep, sunk at the county 

jail. This is another example of good construction. Rock reaches 

the surface here, and a pipe was put in and the rock coated with 

cement for several feet around the pipe. A laboratory analysis of 

the water from this well is given in the table (No. 149). Field assays 

of three other wells are also given (Nos. 146 to 148).

In brief, well drilling in Wiscasset seems to have met with marked 

success. Most of the families in town use dug wells, which give 

plenty of water the year round and have never seriously interfered 

with the public health. Many of these wells are in poor situations, 

however, and as the use of dug wells is always dangerous in a village, 

they should be abandoned and a public water system established 

without delay. Meanwhile drilled wells are highly recommended.

Edgecombe. At South Newcastle, in 1901, Mrs. C. A. McMichael 

drilled a well 56 feet in depth. Water struck at that depth rose to 

within 1^ feet of the surface, but the supply was small and the well 

was abandoned. No other drilled wells are known in town.

Newcastle. The villages of Newcastle and Damariscotta are supplied with water by the Twin Village Water Company, obtaining its 

supply from Little Pond. The water seems to be of good quality. 

Throughout the town of Newcastle dug wells prevail, but several
LINCOLN COUNTY. 171

drilled wells have been sunk. The two Glidden wells, 85 and 

feet in depth, struck water near the bottom and obtain 7 gallons a 

minute. They are pumped by a hot-air engine for domestic use. 

At Damariscotta Mills a well was drilled 64 feet deep for Mr. S. W. 

Waltz, and plenty of water was found for all ordinary purposes. An 

analysis of this water is given in the appended table (No. 24).

Damariscotta. Damariscotta is situated just across the river from 

Newcastle, and the two villages have a joint supply from Little 

Pond. The supply seems to be good, and no wells have been drilled 

in the village. In the northeastern part of town a well was sunk 

for Mrs. S. G. Chapman to a depth of 87^ feet, and the principal water 

supply was obtained at 57 feet. The amount is said not to be large, 

but there is plenty for two houses and two barns, and it is reported 

to have increased during the course of years. A field assay is 

appended (No. 23). The water is said to become softer every year. 

The well is fitted up with a model type of windmill and tank, and 

the water runs by direct pressure to the house.

Bristol. The town of Bristol covers a large area, and many drilled 

wells have been sunk within its borders. At Bristol Mills most people 

use dug wells and obtain fair supplies of water. A few persons have 

springs, one of which supplies three families. Wells have been drilled 

here for Dr. J. W. P. Goudy and Mr. J. C. Hyson, 52 and 62^ feet 

deep, respectively. Doctor Goudy's well obtains a plentiful supply 

of good water (analysis No. 22). It is pumped by a force pump 

situated inside the house, although the well is 10 feet away. There 

is a tank in the top of the house, and the owner has installed all 

modern improvements. The water at Bristol Mills is reported to be 

much better in quality than that at South Bristol.

In the northwestern part of the town Rev. H. E. Cotton has a 

well 72 feet in depth, but he obtained only about 1 gallon a minute.

At Pemaquid a well was drilled in 1901 for Mr. C. A. Sprowl to a 

depth of 45 feet. The principal water was struck at 30 feet, but it 

has a poor taste. The same trouble was experienced with the well 

of Mr. M. B. Macdonald. At this place nearly every house has a 

cistern. The well water is poor and very irony. On Pemaquid 

Point Mr. W. A. Elliott had a well drilled in 1901 to a depth of 51 

feet, getting a good supply of water at that depth. The well supplies the hotel and probably 90 people during the summer. Two 

complete analyses of well waters from Pemaquid Point are given in 

the table (Nos. 145 and 145a). An analysis of water from granite at 

Pemaquid Beach is given also (No. 25).

At New Harbor there are several wells, 30 to 140 feet deep. The 

water is highly charged with mineral matter, has a bad taste, and is 

very destructive to the well casings. Mr. E. W. Fossett drilled a 

well 33 feet deep and put in galvanized-iron pipe. The water was
172 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

not fit to drink, and he changed to block-tin pipe. The water ate 

pinholes through this pipe, and it was necessary to resort to a wooden 

pipe. The water is still very irony, showing that the mineral taste 

did not come entirely from the casing.

At South Bristol several wells have been drilled, the water in most 

of which is very irony. In the well at Mr. N. W. Gammage's hotel 

rather bad conditions were encountered, and they are described for 

the reason that they have an important bearing on the purity of 

water in deep wells in general. At a depth of 2 feet from the surface 

a small slanting crack was encountered, which reaches the surface 5 

feet from the well. The surface of the rock here was thoroughly 

covered by cement, but afterwards grass and worms were found in 

the well water, and an analysis by the State board of health showed 

a large amount of organic matter. It is supposed that these must 

have entered through an extension of the crack or through an intersecting crack on the other side of the well. On account of the poor 

quality of the water the well was temporarily abandoned for cistern 

water. In this well a small quantity of water was found at 30 feet, 

but the largest volume was encountered at 100 feet. The well was 

drilled 3 feet deeper to furnish a reservoir.

The largest group of wells in Bristol is found at Christmas Cove, 

on the south end of Rutherford Island. Here there are 13 drilled 

wells, ranging from 25 to 125 feet in depth. Several of these have 

an abundant supply of water and have never been pumped dry. 

One of the largest wells in Lincoln County is that of Mr. W. E. Little. 

The others range from 1 to 3 gallons a minute. The water is mostly 

of good quality, but rather hard, and some of it is a little irony. 

Two laboratory analyses are given in the table (Nos. 135 and 136). 

The well drilled for Mr. W. E. Little at the Christmas Cove House 

was sunk to a depth of 106 feet, rock lying about 22 feet from the 

surface. The water was obtained at 50 feet, but it was not sufficient 

in quantity, so the next year the hole was deepened and 2 gallons a 

minute were obtained. Most of the wells at Christmas Cove are 

ordinary open wells, spme of which are blasted in rock.

On Heron Island, just off the point of Christmas Cove, are two wells, 

one of winch, belonging to Mr. William C. Damon, is 115 feet deep. 

It can be pumped dry, but furnishes plenty of water for the use of a 

single cottage. A complete analysis of water from this well is given 

in the table (No. 142). On the north end of the island a well was 

drilled for the Heron Island Company to a depth of 162^ feet, and got 

plenty of water in wet weather, but not enough in a dry spell. This 

well is used to supply the hotel near by. It stands in a small depression in the surrounding rock, and the top of the casing is open, 

with nothing to prevent the entrance of dirt, stones, or small animals. 

(See p. 66.)
LINCOLN COUNTY. 173

Boothbay Harbor. The villages of Boothbay Harbor and Bayville 

are supplied by an excellent water system owned by the town and 

obtained from Adams Pond. No drilled wells are known to have 

been sunk in the town, but if it should become necessary to use well 

water it is probable that drilled wells would be successful so far as 

the quantity of water is concerned. As indicated by the conditions 

in neighboring towns, the water would probably be found to be somewhat irony.

BootJibay. Most of the wells in the town of Boothbay have been 

drilled at East Boothbay. The Hodgton Brothers' well is 120 feet 

deep, but got most of the water at 47 feet from the surface. By 

looking down the well with a hand mirror water can be seen issuing 

from fissures in the rock. In quality it is called very good, and 

people from a number of houses use w^ater from it. It is also used 

to supply a blacksmith shop here. Mr. Frank Rice, near by, has a 

well 75 feet in depth, which was first drilled 34 feet in 1905, but the 

amount of water was not sufficient, and the next year it was sunk to 

75 feet, and a plentiful supply was obtained. The water has, however, a bad "vitriol-like" taste. An analysis is given in the table 

(No. 141). The water is sufficient to supply a dozen families. Mr. 

Frank Westoii had a well drilled 75 feet deep, which obtained water 

at a depth of 65 feet from the surface. The well can not be pumped 

dry, but the water has the same bad taste. Capt. J. L. Race drilled 

only 35 feet, and his well yields plenty of water, but has the same 

defect. Field assays of two of these wrells are given in the table (Nos. 

139 and 140).

On Ocean Point three wells have been drilled, the deepest being 

that of Mr. L. J. Crooker. This well was first drilled only 60 feet, 

but the supply gave out in a dry summer; for that reason it was 

drilled the next year to 360 feet, and now there is plenty of water. 

The cylinder of this pump is down only to 120 feet, indicating that the 

head of the water sustains itself well. It is pumped by a gasoline 

engine and windmill. Most of the water is reported to come in near 

the bottom of the well. An analysis is given in the table (No. 144).

The well of Mr. John A. Royal, situated 1 mile northeast of Ocean 

Point, is 90 or 100 feet in depth and obtains its principal water supply 

at 85 feet. It is pumped by a hot-air engine and can not be exhausted. 

The owner has installed a 600-gallon tank and has all modern improvements in his house. On Lincoln Neck, about 1 mile east of 

East Boothbay, is a well belonging to Miss F. C. Lowden. This is 

about 250 feet in depth and obtains 10 gallons of water a minute, 

supplying two cottages. Two wells near together, 154 and 157 feet 

deep, situated near East Boothbay, were formerly used for manufacturing purposes, but were abandoned. The supply is variously 

reported as 3 to 27 gallons a minute, but the water was highly charged 

with mineral.
174 UNDERGBOUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

To summarize the conditions in the town of Boothbay, it can be 

said that the water as a rule is rather poor, having a strong mineral 

taste, which is probably for the most part iron, but which may come 

in certain wells from the zinc in the galvanized-iron casing dissolved 

by the water. In locations where the taste is not objectionable it 

will be advisable to sink wells, as the quantity of water is in general 

sufficient for ordinary purposes.

Souihport. The only drilled well known in the town of Southport 

was sunk on Squirrel Island for the hotel. It was drilled to a depth 

of 200 feet in granite, obtaining one-half gallon of water a minute 

at 40 feet from the surface. The supply was insufficient for the hotel, 

and the well has never been used. Water mains are now laid across 

the bay from Spruce Point, and the Boothbay Harbor supply is used 

for the hotel and cottages.

Waldoboro. Two wells in the village of Waldoboro, belonging to 

Mr. R. L. Benner and Miss E. F. Genthner, are 56 and 88J feet deep, 

respectively, in granite. The supply is about 5 gallons a minute in 

each, obtained from a depth of 48 and 84 feet, and the water is of 

excellent quality. Miss Genthner's well had a good supply of water 

at 30 feet, and the water level rose within 7 feet of the well mouth. 

On drilling 20 feet deeper, however, another crevice was struck, and 

the water level dropped 8 feet. The marked contrast in the quality 

of water here to that at East Boothbay and Bristol shows the superiority of water in granite to that in the region of complex. A laboratory analysis was made of one of these waters (No. 28) and a field 

assay of the other (No. 27). Mr. Benner has the pipe of his well 

cemented to ledge.

In 1904 a company was chartered in Waldoboro to sink a well for 

public supply on top of the moraine-like gravel hill east of the village. 

The well reached a depth of 200 feet, of which 176 feet were in rock, 

and yielded 10 gallons of water a minute. The funds of the company 

then gave out and the well was never completed. Most of the people 

in Waldoboro use dug wells, many of which give water of poor quality. 

The town is in great need of a public supply. Wells similar to the 

one drilled by the old company might be put down and a satisfactory 

supply obtained. The citizens have become discouraged in regard 

to well drilling, however, and are suspicious of putting money into 

any new scheme. It is possible that a satisfactory supply could be 

obtained, from Storer Pond or some other pond at a distance from the 

village.

Whitefield. At Coopers Mills, in the northeast corner of Whitefield, three wells have been drilled to depths of 46, 65, and 28 feet. 

In the well of Mr. S. E. Hopkins water was found near the surface 

and drilling was stopped. This well can be pumped dry in twenty 

minutes, but will fill again rapidly. The water is excellent for drink-
LINCOLN COUNTY. 175

ing, but contains a little iron. A field assay is given in the table 

(Xo. 138). The wells of Mr. Charles H. Ashford and Mr. Newell 

Avery obtained sufficient water for domestic purposes, but the iron 

taste is noticeable; consequently Mr. Ashford uses his water only 

for drinking. A laboratory analysis was made of this water (No. 

137).

At North Whitefield at least three wells have been sunk, that of 

Dr. A. R. G. Smith reaching 114 feet. All the wells here are of good 

quality except for the slight taste of iron.

Jefferson. In the northwestern part of Jefferson Mr. Abram 

Brann had a well drilled to a depth of 91 feet, obtaining water at 

25 feet from the surface, which is excellent for drinking, but a little 

irony. At Bunker Hill a well belonging to Mr. L. R. Hodgkins was 

drilled to a depth of 119 feet. This water also contains iron.

Other towns. In the town of Alna at least one drilled well has been 

sunk, but no information regarding it could be obtained. In Somerville, Nobleboro, Bremen, and Dresden no drilled wells are known, 

and the conditions are such as are ordinarily found through the 

country districts. It is probable that supplies in these towns will be 

of similar quality to those found in other sections. On the island of 

Monhegan, situated several miles from the mainland, drilled wells 

are not known, but it would seem desirable to sink them, as supplies 

of fresh water could probably be obtained.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Springs-are fairly abundant in Lincoln County 

and are used by a number of farmers for private supplies. They can 

generally be obtained on steep hillsides, and most of them issue from 

deposits of bowlder clay. There are no commercial mineral springs 

within the limits of the county, but reports have been received of 

two springs which are of some interest.

Bootlibay Medicinal Spring. At East Boothbay is a spring which 

is rather interesting, as the water is chalybeate, containing 20 parts 

per million of iron. The total solids amount to 212, and the constituents are given in the table (No. 256), recalculated from the 

owner's report of the analysis. The flow of this spring is reported 

to be 1\ gallons a minute. The water is sometimes carbonated.

Samoset Mineral Spring. The Samoset Mineral Spring is situated 

one-half mile east of Nobleboro. The water is interesting, in view 

of the fact that it contains 425 parts per million of total solids more 

than any other spring in Maine of which the water has been analyzed. 

(See analysis No. 258.) Of this, sodium constitutes 127 parts. As 

the chlorine is low, it is possible that there is considerable sodium 

carbonate in this water. This spring also contains 19 parts of iron, 

making it highly chalybeate. The flow is reported to be 2^ gallons 

a minute. The water is carbonated.
176 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

The towns of Lincoln County are so small that few have public 

supplies. The villages of Newcastle and Damariscotta have united 

to obtain a supply, brought from Little Pond by the Twin Village 

Water Company. Boothbay Harbor and Bayville have a supply 

from Adams Pond, and this is also piped under the bay to Southport 

and Squirrel Island. The town of Waldoboro once attempted to 

obtain a supply for the village by sinking a deep well, but there was 

financial trouble and the company was dissolved. Wiscasset has no 

public supply, but is greatly in need of one. Conditions in these 

towns are described under the various town headings.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

The villages of Lincoln County are so small that public supplies 

are less necessary than in some other counties. However, as already 

noted, Wiscasset and Waldoboro should install water systems as 

soon as practicable. As explained above, the supplies are poorer in 

this county than in any other part of Maine. This is due principally 

to the fact that the water comes from an area of complex in which 

the rocks are very irony, and it is inevitable that some of this iron 

content should be dissolved by the water. There are, however, 

within the complex area small patches of granite, ranging from a 

few feet up to several miles in extent. It has been found that water 

in these patches is excellent, in marked contrast to that in the areas 

of mixed rocks. Hence the principal recommendation to make for 

Lincoln County is that whenever possible a well be sunk in granite 

in preference to shale, schist, or any other metamorphic rock. The 

waters from granite have been found by analyses to be of high quality.

SOUTHERN OXFORD COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Oxford County is situated in western Maine, bordering on the 

New Hampshire line; it is bounded on the north by Canada, on the 

south by York County, and on the east by Franklin, Androscoggin, 

and Cumberland counties. Its length from north to south is 110 

miles, and its extreme breadth is about 40 miles. The area of the 

county is 1,981 square miles, and the population according to the 

census of 1900 was 32,238. Rumford Falls is the largest town, 

containing 2,595 inhabitants. This county is very hilly and in 

parts it is very mountainous. The elevation of the surface ranges 

from 300 feet on Saco River and 350 feet on Androscoggin River to 

3,125 feet at the summit of Mount East Royce. Androscoggin 

River crosses the county from west to east near its center, and this 

river has its source in the same county farther north. Saco River 

crosses the southwest corner of the county. A large number of
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

D E N m A R K*I». T. Important spring

' 4- Community having public supply from surface 

' sources

I_I Community having public supply from springs 

(_) Community having public supply from wells, 

 Other important towns

20 MILES

MAP OF SOUTHERN OXFORD COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities 

having public water supplies.
SOUTHEKN OXFOKD COUNTY. 177

lakes and ponds are scattered throughout the area, but the largest 

are situated near its north end. Welokennebacook and Molechunkamunk lakes lie entirely within the county, and Umbagog and 

Mooselookmeguntic are largely included within its limits.

The count}' is comparatively well served by transportation lines. 

The Grand Trunk Railway crosses it in a general northwesterly 

direction from Lewiston in Androscoggin County to Androscoggin 

River on the boundary between Oxford County and the State of 

New Hampshire. The Maine Central Railroad crosses the southwest corner of the county, along Saco River from Fryeburg to Hiram. 

The Portland and Rumford Falls Railway extends northward from 

Mechanic Falls in Androscoggin County to Canton on Androscoggin 

River: it follows this river northwestward to Rumford Falls, and 

then extends northward into the wilderness. A small portion of 

the north end of the county, lying entirely in the wild lands, is outside the area considered in this report.

The deep wells, important springs, and communities having public 

supplies are represented in PL XVIII.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rocks of Oxford County fall naturally into two groups. In the first group belong the granites and 

associated gneisses and schists of the complex; in the second group 

belong the slates. West of a line drawn from a point near North 

Fryeburg northwestward to Locke Mills, and northward beyond 

Roxbury on the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway, the area is 

mostly a mixture of slate, granite, gneiss, etc., with the exception of 

a solid granite area entering from the vicinity of Rangeley Lakes 

and extending southward to the vicinity of Grafton, and one or two 

smaller granite areas. Southeast of the above-mentioned line the 

rocks are largely granite. They include, however, areas of gneisses, 

schists, and possibly other rocks which can not be differentiated on 

the map and which have not been studied in detail.

Structure and relations of rocks. These rocks are similar to those 

of Androscoggin County. The granite is of diverse character, ranging from a very coarse grained typical granite to a fine-grained rock 

which is more in the nature of aplite. These rocks are cut by beds 

of gneiss and schist, and here and there mineral springs issue along 

the contact. Pegmatite, a very coarse grained granitic rock, w^hich 

in places contains rare minerals, is abundant in Oxford County, but 

is found only in small bodies. This is the type of rock occurring 

at Mount Mica, in the town of Paris. The characteristics of the 

slate of Oxford County have not been studied. 

59969 IKE 223 09 12
178 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Oxford County consist 

largely of bowlder clay, which ranges in thickness from a few inches 

on many rugged hills to more than 50 feet in other places. There 

are large deposits of gravel in the county, but, as might be expected, 

these occur mostly along the valleys. Clay in this county is rare. 

In the surface materials water is generally abundant, but is likely to 

give out in the dry season.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. Open wells are the most abundant type in 

Oxford County. These range in depth from 5 to 50 feet and are 

generally successful. Frequently, however, the supply of water is 

not sufficient in a dry season and it is necessary to resort to springs. 

In some parts of the county, where the surface deposits are soft 

enough, driven wells have been sunk a few feet, and many of these 

are successful.

Drilled wells. Drilled wells are not abundant, and so far as known 

only about a dozen have been sunk within the limits of the county. 

Most of them are in Norway, Rumford Falls, and South Paris, but 

there are several in other towns. The most common size is 6 inches, 

but one 8-inch and one 12-inch well were reported. The depth 

ranges from 50 to 125 feet. Generally these wells have been successful in obtaining plenty of water for ordinary domestic use. Three 

of them, however one in Rumford Falls, a second in South Paris, 

and a third in Sweden are not used on account of insufficient supply. 

One of these three was the deepest well in the county. The wells 

are used mostly for domestic purposes, but at South Paris one well 

has been sunk to supply a factory with drinking water. The supplies are obtained mostly by hand pumps or windmills.

Quality of water. One well was abandoned on account of a strong 

taste in the water, presumably coming from the galvanized-iron 

pipe used for casing. Otherwise the quality of water from the wells 

of Oxford County is as good as the average. Few analyses of Oxford 

County well water have been made. The most important, which were 

of water from driven wells at Rumford Falls, will be found in the 

table (Nos. 187 to 189) and are discussed on pages 183-185. Waters 

from several of the springs of Oxford County have been analyzed and 

the compositions are given in the table (Nos. 259 to 265).

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Rumford. The village of Rumford Falls has a fair water supply 

from driven wells situated on the flood plain of Androscoggin River 

at the upper end of the village. (See pp. 184-185 and analyses 187 

to 189.) With this exception few wells are in use in the village, and
SOUTHEEN OXFORD COUNTY. 179

only three drilled wells were found. The wells of the public waterworks are from 20 to 35 feet in depth and are mostly in sand. The 

system is described in detail under the heading "Public supplies."

Dr. C. M. Bisbie once sunk a well in the upper part of the village 

to a depth of 73 feet. A little water was found at 25 feet from the 

surface, just below the top of the bed rock. The amount was considered insufficient and the well was abandoned. Other wells have 

been drilled, but no information regarding them could be obtained. 

At one time a well was started at a livery stable, but when the 

hole was down 6 feet the driller was required to give an expensive bond 

before proceeding, and this resulted in the abandonment of the work. 

Such requirements discourage well drilling, and it should be remembered that deep wells are a decided advantage to any community. 

It is probable that small amounts of water can be obtained by drilled 

wells in the rocks at Rumford Falls and vicinity. The upper part of 

the village of Rumford Falls, known as Virginia, is supplied by springs 

issuing from drift and piped to the houses. Mexico, across the river, 

is supplied by several aqueducts from springs on the hills, which 

supply 10 to 20 houses each.

A field assay of the water from a spring near the cataract is given 

in the table (No. 263). A few miles from Rumford Falls, in Milton 

Plantation, is the Mount Zircon Mineral Spring, described on page 182 

(analysis No. 260).

Paris. Paris Hill, the county seat of Oxford County, is supplied 

by springs, and wells are not much used. These springs are described on page 185 and the analyses are given in the table (No. 

261). At South Paris several driven wells have been sunk. The 

best of these is probably the one drilled in 1906 for the Mason Manufacturing Company. It was sunk to a depth of 117 feet, 40 feet of 

which was drilled in sand and the rest in granite. The test showed 

250 gallons of water an hour, and the quality was good. A well 

sunk for Mr. John H. Howland went to a depth of 122 feet in granite, 

but obtained little water. The well was u shot" with 90 pounds of 

dynamite without success. On the sand plain in the village of 

South Paris a number of driven wells have been sunk to depths 

of 10 to 30 feet. Some of these reach ledge. The wells got plenty of 

water and can not be exhausted. The public supply of South Paris 

is taken from Norway Lake and is used by a large number of people.

Buckfield. The village of Buckfield has recently installed a good 

water supply, which is piped from South Paris. Formerly dug 

wells were extensively used in the village, but these are being 

abandoned, as the water is not as satisfactory for domestic purposes 

as the town water. Within a few miles of Buckfield, near the edge 

of the adjacent towns of Hartford and Sumner, are the Mount Hartford Mineral Spring and the Mount Oxford Spring, described
180 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

below and analyzed as reported in the table (Nos. 259, 259a, 

and 264).

Norway. The water supply of the village of Norway, like that of 

Paris, is drawn from Norway Lake, and most of the people use it. A 

few persons use driven wells, and as the village is situated on the 

flat sand deposit only a few feet above the lake and river plenty of 

water can generally be obtained in this manner. Driven wells are 

better than dug wells and are advised outside the village. The 

desirability of their use in the village, however, is questionable, as, 

so far as known, the lake supply is satisfactory.

Sweden. In the northern part of Sweden a well was once sunk to 

a depth of 189 feet on the farm of Mr. Walter Evans. It is reported 

to be drilled in "trap," and yielded 8 gallons of water a minute. 

As the farm is now abandoned, the well is not used, and no other 

information regarding it could be obtained. With this exception 

the wells are mostly less than 30 feet in depth and are ordinary 

open wells. The supplies are small, but there is enough water for 

farms, except in very dry weather.

Fryeburg. In 1890 a well was sunk for Mr. L. W. Atkinson at 

North Fryeburg to a depth of 115 feet. There are some driven 

wells here, but most wells in the town are dug. Some families use 

cisterns to catch rain water.

Other towns. With the exception of the towns described above, 

no localities in Oxford County are known to use wells of other than 

the ordinary open and driven types, which are mostly less than 40 

feet in depth. These wells differ somewhat with the kind of material, but as a rule plenty of water can be obtained in wet weather, 

and smaller supplies, or none at all, in a dry spell.

SPRINGS.

General statement. The springs of Oxford County are very numerous, occurring on steep hillsides, along the valleys, and even on 

gentle slopes. A great many of them are utilized by farmers for 

drinking. The water from others is bottled and sold in Boston and 

New York. The commercial mineral springs of the county are as 

follows:

Mount Hartford Mineral Spring, Hartford. 

Mount Oxford Mineral Spring, Sumner. 

Mount Zircon Spring. Milton Plantation.

Mount Hartford Mineral Spring. The Mount Hartford Mineral 

Spring is situated in the southern part of the town of Hartford, 

about 4 miles northeast of Buckfield village, high up on the slopes 

of a granite hill. The spring is owned by the Mount Hartford 

Mineral Water Company, but is now leased for ninety-nine years 

to the Consolidated General Mineral Spring Company, of Philadel-
SOUTHERN OXFORD COUNTY. 181

phia. The water seeps out of a bowlder-clay hillside and is caught 

in a granite-walled tank and piped to a bottling house lower on the 

hillside. The water is shipped to Philadelphia and sold as the 

" Mount Hartford natural mineral water." It is colorless and odorless and is said to flow more than 40 gallons a minute. A large 

proportion of it is carbonated and made into ginger ale.

The water is low in mineral matter, as shown by the analyses 

(Nos. 259 and 259a). Analysis 259 is recomputed from the analysis 

given in the circular issued by the company. Analysis 259a is part 

of the following complete analysis, which was made by W. W. 

Skinner, of the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of 

Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters 

conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry.

Analysis of water from Mount Hartford Mineral Spring. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° C. and 760 mm. 

pressure): 

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), free.................................. .....

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness...................................... 3. 80

Parts * per million by 

weight.

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4).................................. None.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2 ).................................... None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4 ) ..................................... None.

Silica (SiO2)................................................... 9. 00

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO4)................................... 1. 62

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3 )................................ 20. 47

Nitric acid radicle (NO3 ).................................. ...... .88

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2 )...................................... None.

Chlorine (Cl).................................................. 4.00

Bromine (Br.).................................................. None.

Iodine (I)..................................................... None.

Iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al).................................. Trace.

Manganese (Mn)................................................ None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................... 4. 43

Magnesium (Mg).............................................. 1.03

Potassium (K)................................................ .76

Sodium (Na)................................................... 3. 95

Lithium (Li).................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4 )............................................Trace.

Oxygen to form Fe203 and A12O3 .....................................

46.14

Free ammonia................................................ Traces.

Albuminoid ammonia......................................... Traces.

Nitrogen as nitrates............................................. 200

Nitrogen as nitrites............................................ None.

Oxygen consumed............................................. 8. 00
182 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Mount Oxford Mineral Spring. Mount Oxford Mineral Spring 

is situated in the town of Sumner, about midway between the villages 

of East Sumner and Buckfield, on the line of the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway. It is owned by the United Mineral Springs 

Company, of New York. The water issues from a steep bowlderclay hillside, far from all sources of pollution. The hillside above 

is wooded. There is no color or odor, and only a slight taste. The 

flow is estimated as 8 gallons a minute. From the granite tank 

in which it is caught, and which is covered with a glass case, it is 

piped down the hillside to a bottling house on the railroad at Saunders 

Crossing, whence it is shipped. The storage tank is 40 feet below 

the spring and holds 4,000 gallons. Most of the water thus far (1906) 

is shipped to Providence, R. I., but some of it is sent to Philadelphia. The pipe used in carrying the water from the spring to the 

bottling house, a distance of 80 rods, is of wrought iron, this kind 

of pipe having been recommended by the State chemist of Massachusetts as the best for this water. The water has been analyzed 

and is low in mineral matter. The composition recomputed from 

that reported in the circular issued by the company is given in the 

table (No. 264).

Mount Zircon Spring. The Mount Zircon Spring is owned by the 

Mount Zircon Spring Company, of Boston. It is situated in the 

eastern part of Milton Plantation, high up on the western slope of 

Mount Zircon. It seeps out of bowlder clay on a gentle, wooded 

hillside, somewhat higher than the only house in the vicinity. The 

water has no color, odor, or taste, and is reported to flow 14 gallons 

a minute. It is bottled on the spot and shipped to the city. A 

5-gallon carboy of it retails in Boston for $1.50. This is a very old 

spring, and is said to have been a popular resort long before the 

Poland Spring was known. There was formerly a large hotel here, 

which was well patronized until it was burned. The spring is inclosed 

in a small house, in which is a glass-covered porcelain-lined tank with 

a sand bottom, out of which the w^ater bubbles. This water contains 

33 parts per million of mineral matter, as shown in the analysis 

(No. 260), which was recalculated from the analysis reported in 

the circular issued by the company.

Cataract Spring. On the west side of the cataract at Rumford 

Falls is an excellent spring, issuing from a flat crevice one-fourth 

inch in size in a pegmatite ledge, about 2 feet below the surface. 

The spring is situated just below the highway, above which the hill 

rises very steeply. The country rock is a complex. This spring 

is owned by the Rumford Falls Power Company, which does not use 

it, but many of the inhabitants haul the water for drinking, preferring 

it to the city water. The flow is about 3 gallons a minute. The 

highest temperature at the point of emergence in August was 45i°.
SOUTHEEK OXFOKD COUNTY. 183

The spring is surrounded with granite curbing 10 feet across, cemented 

to the rock, and a small house protects it. The only analysis available 

is a field assay given in the table (No. 263).

Mount Mica Mineral Spring. The Mount Mica Mineral Spring 

is situated on the southern slope of Mount Mica, near the boundary 

between the towns of Paris and Buckfield. The water bubbles out 

of sandy bowlder clay at an estimated rate of 1 or 2 gallons a minute. 

It has no color, odor, or taste. It is not sold, but people frequently 

carry it away in bottles for their own use. The water is reported to 

have been analyzed, but the analysis has not been received by the 

Survey. A field assay is given in the table (No. 262).

" Magnesia Spring" Buckfield. In the western part of Buckfield 

there is a spring which is reported to contain a large amount of 

magnesia. The water is not sold, but is carried away in bottles by a 

number of residents in the vicinity and is said to have medicinal 

properties. It is reported to have been analyzed, but no analysis 

has been obtained by the Geological Survey.

Jones's Spring. About one-half mile west of Norway is Jones's 

Spring, the water of which is sold in Norway. The flow is small, 

being reported as only one-half gallon a minute.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. The towns of Buckfield, Bethel, Fryeburg, 

Hebron, South Paris, and Norway have public supplies taken from 

surface sources. Paris Hill and the little town of Ridlonville use 

springs situated much higher up on a neighboring hillside, and Rumford Falls has a system of driven wells. The underground supplies 

will be described in detail.

Rumford Falls. The water supply of Rumford Falls was formerly 

taken from Androscoggin River, but two years ago a system of 2£- 

inch driven wells was sunk at the upper end of the village, below 

the settlement known as Virginia. The wells are 68 in number 

and range from 22 to 35 feet in depth. They are about 30 feet apart, 

in sand and gravel that form the plain bordering the river, and 

are situated along a line 300 feet from the river. The system is 

owned by the Rumford Falls Water and Light Company. From the 

pumping station the water is pumped to a standpipe on the hill, with 

a capacity of 500,000 gallons and an elevation above«the surface 

of 75 feet. The water is carried in cast-iron pipes and distributed 

by gravity from the standpipe. There are said to be 440 connections, 

which include most of the houses in town. Water to the amount of 

1,164 gallons a minute can be pumped by the present plant, and this 

rate is continued twenty-four hours a day. There seems to be an 

abundant supply of water and as yet there has been no trouble about 

obtaining it.
184 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

The principal problem connected with the supply is its quality. 

Androscoggin River, situated close by, is of course polluted by drainage from the mills and towns farther up the stream. In addition 

to this factor, there is a swampy depression situated 50 feet east of 

the eastern line of the wells, and this depression lies downhill from 

the village of Virginia, in which the drainage conditions are poor. 

The water has a "mucky taste" and sometimes a little color in 

summer, and these defects have been supposed by residents of the 

city to be due to this depression.

An interesting case connected with this supply was reported by the 

manager of the water company. The inhabitants of the village 

objected to the water from time to time for the reason that it was 

supposed to be contaminated. In 1905 a series of samples were 

collected and submitted for analysis to Prof. F. C. Robinson, of 

Bowdoin College. The results of these analyses are given in the 

table (Nos. 187 to 189), in which sample 1 was taken from the pumping station, sample 2 from the end of a long galvanized-iron main, 

and sample 3 from Hotel Rumford. These analyses show that the 

total solids are rather low. In sample 2 there were 20 parts per 

million more than in 1 or 3. The chlorine, silica, calcium carbonate, 

sulphates of sodium and potassium, and sodium chloride are the 

same or very nearly so in all three analyses, but the carbonate of iron 

differs. The one surprising discrepancy in the analyses is that the 

amount of carbonate of zinc reported is 1.084 parts in sample 2, 

which was taken from the galvanized-iron main, while samples 1 and 

3 showed no zinc. It is also noticeable that the carbonate of iron is 

greatest in the same sample and next greatest in the sample taken 

from Hotel Rumford, while the iron in the water at the pumping 

station is small. This seems to indicate, as stated by Professor 

Robinson, that the water in traveling through a galvanized-iron 

main dissolves a considerable quantity of the zinc, owing to the carbon dioxide in the water. This gas is more often present in well water 

than in river or lake water and is a desirable constituent, but it 

seems to have a bad effect on the water by dissolving the zinc. The 

iron causes a deposit when the water stands. The zinc renders the 

water unfit for domestic use and is probably the cause of some of the 

taste which is reported. For this reason Professor Robinson recommended that galvanized-iron connections be taken out and connections of tin-lined or brass pipe be substituted. The brass pipe is 

probably the best, but is more expensive. The bacteria in the water 

are all harmless. As seen by the analyses, they were most numerous 

at the pumping station and decreased rapidly toward the points 

where the water was used. The results of these analyses seem to 

indicate strongly that the taste complained of was due to the use of 

galvanized-iron connections.
SOUTHEKN OXFORD COUNTY. 185

Another recommendation made by Professor Robinson was that 

the swampy depression back of the wells should be filled up, as it 

affords a reservoir for stagnant water, and in the future may cause 

pollution of the wells. This recommendation is here reiterated, 

and it can not be too strongly urged that the conditions in the village 

of Virginia be kept as sanitary as possible in order to prevent any 

possible contamination of the public water supply. The pipes 

connecting with the mains in the streets are 16 inches in diameter, 

but in the distant parts of town the mains are as small as 6 inches. 

There is 1 mile of 16-inch pipe, and in all there are about 5 miles of 

pipe. Black iron pipe is used at present, and it seems to give satisfaction. There is now a regulation of the company which does not 

allow plain iron, lead, or galvanized-iron pipe as connections. Water 

rates are $8 a year for ordinary faucets. The pressure on the main 

street is reported as 70 pounds. A test made of the pumping plant 

showed that 300,000 gallons of water could be pumped by it. This 

calls for only 25 gallons a minute from each of the 68 wells.

The strata found in the wells consist of 18 to 25 feet of fine sand 

at the top, below which is 10 feet of fine gravel, in which the water 

occurs; below this is another layer of fine sand. The water in the 

wells stands higher than in the river, indicating that it is not derived 

from that source, but comes from back in the hills.

Paris Hill. The Paris Hill Water Company was incorporated and 

a gravity system of waterworks from Crocker Hill Springs was 

installed in 1899. The springs are situated on the side of a high hill 

about 2 miles east of the village. The water flows through a 2-inch 

cast-iron pipe to a reservoir 100 feet below the springs and 210 feet 

above' the village. The pressure is 90 pounds. Water mains 6 ; 4, 

and 2 inches and service pipes three-fourths inch and one-half inch in 

size are used, and the total length of the mains is nearly 3 miles. 

There are no fire hydrants, but there are 70 taps, and about 350 persons, or approximately 95 per cent of the population of the village, 

use the public supply. It has been estimated that 5,000 to 15,000 

gallons of water are used daily. The supply is sufficient for all present needs.

The Crocker Hill Springs seep out of gravel far removed from any 

source of pollution. The water is of as good quality as any other in 

Maine. Analyses made in 1901 for the owners by a New York chemist (name unknown) and recalculated by the United States Geological 

Survey are given in the table (No. 261). The amount of total solids 

11, 13, and 14 parts per million is extremely low. Samples 1 and 2 

were taken from the reservoir and sample 3 at the residence of Mr. 

George M. Atwood, at Paris.

Ridlonville. The Shaw-Ridlon Land Company, of Ridlonville, 

owns a water supply derived from springs. The water is used only 

for domestic purposes and is satisfactory, but fire protection is needed.
186 UNDEKGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Penobscot County lies somewhat east of the center of Maine and 

has a length of 120 miles, extending from near the head of Penobscot 

Bay northward into the wilderness. Its greatest breadth east and 

west is about 70 miles, and its area is 3,254 square miles. Only the 

southern portion is covered by the present report. The northern 

border of this area lies near Oldtown and Charleston. The population of Penobscot County according to the census of 1900 was 76,246. 

The largest city is Bangor, with a population of 23,500, and Oldtown 

comes next with 5,763 inhabitants. This county is moderately hilly. 

Its elevation ranges from sea level to nearly 5,000 feet on the eastern 

slopes of Mount Katahdin, many miles north of the area covered by 

this report. In the area under consideration the greatest elevation 

is only about 1,000 feet, in the southeast corner of the county, on the 

edge of the mountains. Scattered throughout the county are a great 

many lakes, of which the largest are Newport Pond, Pushaw Lake, 

and Nichols Pond. Penobscot River flows through the center of the 

county from north to south, and on it are situated Bangor, Oldtown, 

and a number of the other principal towns. The Maine Central Railroad crosses from west to east between Dover and Bangor and then 

runs northward along Penobscot River. This railroad has a branch 

running from Bangor southeastward to Ellsworth, in Hancock county, 

a second branch running southward along Kennebec River to Bucksport, in Hancock County, and a third extending northward from 

Newport to Dover, in Piscataquis County. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad runs northward from Waldo County, and crosses the 

center of Penobscot County to South Lagrange, where it joins a branch 

of the same road which connects with the Maine Central Railroad at 

Oldtown. The locations of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies are shown in PL XIX.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Character and distribution of rocks. Nearly the entire portion of 

Penobscot County included within this report is composed of slate. 

The only exception is a patch of granite which lies in the extreme 

southeast corner of the county, entering it for only a few miles in the 

mountain region. The slates which cover the county are typical of the 

class of slates which cover large areas in central Maine. They are fine 

grained and split parallel with the stratification, which is nearly vertical 

and strikes very uniformly in a direction about N. 30 ° E. Here and there 

dips of as much as 60° toward the southeast or northwest are found. 

In places numerous quartz veins are seen parallel with the stratifica-
20 MILES

MAP OF SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having pub
SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 187

tion, and these indicate that in past geologic ages a great deal of water 

has circulated in the rock. The fact that many bedding and cleavage 

planes are rather open near the surface indicates the possibility that 

a large proportion of the abundant water now found in these slates is 

held in these planes. Some of the water, however, occurs in joint 

cracks, an examination of the rock where it is quarried showing that 

there are abundant cracks in other directions than the cleavage planes 

which might hold water.

At Brewer the direction of the principal system of joints is northeast and the hade about 50° SE. A second system strikes southeast 

and hades about 30° SW. A road cut at this place shows considerable water seeping down along the cleavage planes. The general 

structure of the rock can also be well seen at a number of quarries 

along Kenduskeag Stream at Bangor.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Penobscot County differ 

greatly in thickness and character. Along Penobscot River the sands 

and gravels are locally as much as 100 feet in thickness, and some 

rather extensive areas of clay extend up the side valleys for several 

miles. Away from the river the gravels may be as much as 50 to 100 

feet thick in exceptional cases, but they generally occur in the form 

of eskers, morainic deposits, and irregular patches of gravel.

Underlying the sands, gravels, and clays and overlying the bed 

rock almost everywhere is the regular bowlder-clay deposit which is 

found nearly everywhere in Maine. This ranges in thickness from a 

foot to more than 50' feet. Along Penobscot River in the vicinity of 

Veazie are long sections showing nothing but bowlder clay. Some 

of these are as much as 60 feet'in height above the river. The upper 

part of this section is of a buff color for about 10 feet from the surface, 

and below that is the ordinary hard blue bowlder clay. There are a 

great many bowlders in the deposits, some of them up to 3 feet in 

diameter. No stratification can be seen in this type of deposit.

On a hill in the southern part of Orono a well was once dug for Mr. 

N. W. Page to a depth of 54 feet. This well passed through nothing 

but hard bowlder clay and found no water until near the bottom.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. Although the old-fashioned type of dug well 

is very abundant in this county, as elsewhere in Maine, and far predominates in number over all other types, drilled wells are more 

widely scattered and are used by a larger number of people than in 

any other county in southern Maine. In the area under consideration there are supposed to be only two or three towns which contain 

no drilled wells, and in these towns there is no reason why drilled 

wells should not be successful.
188 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Drilled wells. The drilled wells which have been sunk in Penobscot County are mostly 6 inches in diameter, this being the most common size used in Maine. There are a few, however, which are reported 

as small as 4 and 5 inches. Several 7-inch wells have been drilled, 

and a well in Stetson, one of the oldest drilled wells in the State, is 

said to be 12 inches in diameter. A few wells are larger at the top 

than at the bottom, and a number are drilled in the bottom of dug 

wells, but this type is not recommended. The proportion of successful wells in Penobscot County is probably larger than in any other 

county in Maine. Altogether more than 85 wells have been drilled 

to depths greater than 50 feet, and it is not supposed that more than 

half a dozen of them have been abandoned for want of sufficient water.

Quality of water. Only one well is known in Penobscot County 

with the mineral content so high that the water can not be used. 

A number of wells are reported, however, that have been contaminated by surface drainage and thereby rendered dangerous. As 

more analyses have been made of water from slate wells in Penobscot 

County than in any other slate area in Maine, a fair knowledge of 

the quality of water is available. Of 35 analyses which have been 

made, 8 are nearly complete laboratory analyses, the rest being field 

assays and tests for only a few constituents. All analyses will be 

found in the table (Nos. 72 to 106). As will be seen, the total solids 

range from 74 to 834 parts per million, depending largely on the 

proportions of lime, sulphates, and carbonates in the water. The 

highest lime recorded is 214 parts per million in the well at the Bangor 

House, but no other reports exceed 82 parts. Several wells report 

5 to 10 parts per million of iron, but'this is believed to be an error, 

as no iron can be tasted in these waters, and these figures should 

possibly be placed under "iron and alumina." Analyses of several 

spring waters are given in the table (Nos. 266 to 268). The waters 

of Penobscot County are as hard as any others in southern Maine, 

the hardness being in many waters from 100 to 300 parts per million.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Bangor. As the present water supply of Bangor is taken from 

Penobscot River it is badly contaminated by sewage and manufacturing wastes from Oldtown and other villages. Hence the problem of obtaining water from wells in the city is very important. 

Some persons still use dug wells, but the most popular type and the 

type advised in nearly every case is the drilled well. Within the city 

limits 13 drilled wells have been sunk; they range in depth from 30 

to 425 feet.

The deepest well in Bangor, one of the deepest successful wells in 

Maine, is situated at the Eastern Maine Insane Hospital, 1 mile east 

of the city proper. This well was drilled in 1896 to a depth of 425 feet. 

A little water was struck at 50 feet, but the principal supply was
SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 189

found at the very bottom of the well when all hope of success had 

been given up. The drill made a perceptible drop at the time the 

principal seam of water was struck. The water does not stand 

within 200 feet of the surface, but notwithstanding this fact 30 gallons a minute, the full capacity of the pump, can be obtained. Three 

hundred or more people are supplied for drinking and laundry purposes. Analysis No. 75 is a field assay of water from this well. 

When used in the laundry the water has to be softened.

Some of the best wells in Bangor were drilled during 1906 at the 

various schoolhouses in the city. The contract between the city 

and the drillers specified in every case that they must get at least 

2,000 gallons of water a day. Wells are situated at the high school, 

the Palm street school, the Larkin street school, and the Union 

square school, and all have been successful in getting an inexhaustible 

supply of fine water. The depths vary from 72 to 217 feet, the deepest wells being generally the best. The water is not only used for 

drinking every day by the school children and by hundreds of passers-by, but, in the case of the high-school well at least, it has been 

used extensively by several hotels and numerous residences in the 

vicinity for their tables. On hot summer days this well is pumped 

almost continuously from morning till night without exhaustion. 

At Palm street, in a test, the well was pumped continuously ten 

hours a day for three days, and the water level was not affected. 

Careful sanitary analyses have been made of the schoolhouse wells, 

with the result that they were found to be perfectly safe for drinking. 

Mineral analyses have been made which show considerable discrepancy in certain wells, but are a good index to the character of 

the water beneath Bangor. (See Nos. 76-79, 86-87, and 90-91 of 

the table.)

Another excellent well, sunk in 1905, is that of Mr. F. L. Jones, 

on Center street. This well is 247 ^ feet deep; at this depth the drill 

dropped several inches and obtained water. The supply is so large 

that scores of neighbors use the well almost continuously. (See 

analysis No. 81.) The well at the court-house, which was the first 

well drilled in the city proper, and that of the Bangor House also 

furnish abundant supplies. In the latter well the drill penetrated 

30 feet of clay, 15 feet of "rock," 5 feet of sand, and 240 feet of rock. 

As sand is very seldom found below solid rock, it is probable that the 

material below the clay is either an overhanging ledge or a large 

bowlder. The Bangor House well is said to yield 27 gallons a minute. Analyses of water from this well (No. 73) and from the courthouse well (No. 88) are given in the table. Water from the well of 

the Maine Creamery Company is sold in Bangor under the name of 

Hopkins Artesian Spring water. It is believed to be excellent water. 

(See analysis No. 84.) The amount of total solids is only 86 parts 

per million, the lowest reported in analyses of Bangor wells.
190 UNDERGROUND WATERS Or SOUTHERN MAINE.

One flowing well has been obtained in Bangor. This was drilled 

in 1906 for Morse & Co., to supply drinking water for the men at 

their mill. The well is situated in the valley, only a few feet from a 

steep, rocky hillside. The water is pumped, but will rise 2 feet above 

the surface without pumping. It is of excellent quality and appears 

to be inexhaustible. It can be pumped down 75 feet in half an hour.

The conditions in the country districts of Bangor have, not been 

extensively investigated. Some drilled wells less than 50 feet in 

depth are known, and it is probable that there are some of greater 

depth. At any rate, conditions are very favorable for getting deep 

supplies.

There is a persistent belief among residents of Bangor that a limestone formation underlies the city and is encountered by certain 

deep wells. This is presumably due to the fact that the well waters 

are mostly very hard, ranging in many wells between 100 and 300 

parts per million. The hardness is due in these cases, however, to 

the solution of small amounts of calcareous material scattered 

through the slates and not to any regular bed of limestone.

Brewer. Several drilled wells have been sunk in the town of 

Brewer, but only two of them are deep. These were drilled in 1899 

for the Eastern Manufacturing Company, at South Brewer, and 

reached depths of 250 and 350 feet. The water is used for cooling 

acid at a pulp mill. The joint supply of the two wells is reported 

to be only 50 gallons an hour. The wells are situated not far from 

Penobscot River and the 350-foot well fluctuates with the tide and 

is reported to yield salty water. No drilled wells more than 30 feet 

in depth are known in this town, but as all wells in Bangor have been 

successful, drilling on this side of the river is likely also to be rewarded 

with success.

At South Brewer a number of springs are used for supplying 

houses. Some of these springs are in bowlder clay, others issue 

from hard gravel underneath clay. One dug well in the valley of 

Sedgeunkedunk Stream was dug through 19 feet of clay and 3 feet 

of gravel, and the water rose to the surface and overflowed, thus 

being truly artesian. A pipe was inserted below the surface and 

the water carried to houses in the valley. Where good spring water 

can be obtained from uncontaminated sources it should by all means 

be used in preference to river water. Dug wells or springs in the 

villages are not advised, but drilled wells will obtain water which is 

pure and safe. Oak Grove Spring is situated in this town.

Veazie. The people of Veazie, except those who have the public 

supply from Bangor, use dug wells. It is probable, however, that 

plenty of good water can be obtained by drilling into the underlying 

rocks.
SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 191

Orono. Near the southern cornei of Orono a well was once dug, 

for Mr. N. W. Page, to the unusual depth of 54 feet. The well is 

situated on a round hill of bowlder clay 200 feet above the river. 

The material is all hard, stony bowlder clay, similar to that exposed 

in the section on the opposite bank of Penobscot Kiver. On account 

of the tough nature of the material, it was necessary to blast with 

dynamite. The principal water bed was found at 30 feet, and the 

water seeps in everywhere lower down. The bottom of the bowlder 

clay was not reached. A field assay of this water is given in the table 

(No. 173).

The village of Orono is supplied from Penobscot Kiver, the waterworks having been only recently installed. Several drilled wells supply moderate amounts of water from depths of 50 to 60 feet. One of 

these is situated at the University of Maine. It seems probable that 

larger supplies may be expected by sinking 100 to 200 feet deeper.

Oldtown. Oldtown lies on the northern border of the area covered 

by this report, and its water supplies have not yet been investigated. 

No wells have been reported by correspondence, but as the rock conditions are similar to those of Bangor, where abundant and excellent 

supplies are found, it seems probable that like success will attend 

deep drilling at Oldtown.

Orrington. Several shallow drilled wells have been sunk in the 

town of Orrington, getting water at about 50 feet, in slate. The 

best example is the well of Mr. Archie Harding, in the southern part 

of the town. When the well was sunk a large stream of water is 

reported to have gushed into it and rose 40 feet from the bottom. 

This w^ell was pumped with two pumps and could not be lowered 

appreciably. The quality of the water is excellent. A field assay 

is given in the table (No. 105). Every evidence seems to favor well 

drilling in this town.

Hampden. At scattering points in the town of Hampden a number 

of wells have been drilled, ranging in depth from 50 to 103 feet. 

There seems to be plenty of water for all domestic and farm purposes. In water from one of these wells a small amount of iron is 

reported. Four field assays (Nos. 100-103) were made in this town. 

In the square at Hampden Corner is a well 28 feet deep, belonging 

to the town. It was blasted in slate. As many as 20 families are 

said to use it, but it is exhausted during a drought.

Newburg. No well reports from Newburg are at hand. The town 

is situated in rocks similar in nature to those at Bangor, however, 

and deep drilling here may be expected to be generally successful.

Herman. In Hermon the wells are mostly between 10 and 25 feet 

in depth, and they yield a fair amount and quality of water. Drilled 

wells are not known, but they will probably be successful if drilled 

deep enough.
192 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Carmel. In the town of Carmel a number of drilled wells have 

been sunk, from 45 to 75 feet in depth. The supplies are small, being 

generally only 2 or 3 gallons a minute, but there is generally enough 

water for domestic purposes. In one well it was reported irony, but 

otherwise it is good.

Dixmont. At North Dixmont a number of drilled wells have been 

sunk, from 50 to 120 feet in depth, mostly of which yield sufficient 

water for domestic purposes. A single field assay was made (No. 

104). In this part of the county the level of water in many shallow 

drilled wells varies with the season.

Etna. A number of wells are reported in Etna from 40 to 100 feet 

in depth. Water is obtained at two or more levels, but the most 

abundant supplies occur near the bottom of the wells. In one well, 

54 feet in depth, the principal seam of water was struck at 50 feet, a 

minor seam at 20 feet, and the yield is reported to be 15 gallons a 

minute. There is generally plenty of water for domestic and farm 

purposes. One well reports a little iron in the water.

Plymouth. Conditions in Plymouth are similar. Well records 

are lacking, but it is known that water can usually be obtained in 

slate at depths of 50 to 100 feet. The supplies are generally sufficient 

for domestic and farm purposes, and the water is of good quality.

Newport. Drilled wells are also used in Newport. They range 

in depth from 50 to 100 feet. Some of them are drilled in the bottoms 

of open wells, but this is a poor construction. (See p. 54.) The 

principal seams of water are encountered at all depths from 15 to 70 

feet. One well, 79 feet in depth, struck the principal seam at 70 

feet and a minor seam at 35 feet, and the total yield was 30 gallons 

a minute, but this is exceptionally large. In general there is enough 

water for a house and farm. Some data regarding the character of 

the water in East Newport are afforded by a laboratory analysis 

(No. 99), two partial analyses (Nos. 97 and 98), and one field assay 

(No. 96). The hardness and total solids are extremely high for 

Maine.

Stetson. Several drilled wells have been sunk in Stetson. One of 

these is rather exceptional in being 12 inches in diameter. It is 74 

feet deep and was sunk in 1878, getting water at the bottom. Another well, 100 feet in depth, was drilled in the bottom of a dug well 

and found no water. One complete analysis has been made of water 

from this town (No. 106).

Levant. The wells in Levant are reported to be all dug, and the 

depths run from 8 to 25 feet. The quality of the water is as good 

as is usual in dug wells.

Glenburn. No drilled wells are reported in Glenburn, but it is 

possible that one or more of them may exist. The proximity of this 

town to Bangor and the similarity of the slate make it probable that 

water of like quantity and quality will be found.
SOtTTHEKN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 193

Kenduskeag. A number of wells have- been drilled in the town of 

Kenduskeag, and at least one of them is more than 100 feet in depth. 

This was sunk for Mr. Chester Weld and was dug 9 feet, blasted 13 

feet, and drilled 86 feet in rock, the drilling being done in instalments, 

as the well repeatedly went dry. At the depth of 109 feet drilling was 

stopped, the supply being then 1 gallon a minute. Particulars regarding other wells in this town are not known, but it would seem probable 

that more water can generally be obtained by drilling deeper.

Corinna'. Drilled wells in Corinna are from 60 to 110 feet in depth. 

As a rule, sufficient water is obtained for domestic uses, and the 

quality is good. One well, however, 108 feet in depth, obtained 

water which was reported to be "salty," and was so poor that it 

could not be used. A field assay of one sample of well water is given 

in the table (No. 95).

About ten families in the village of Corinna are supplied by springs 

owned by Mr. F. F. Burrill. The supply was installed in 1897 and 

the water flows by gravity to the houses.

Corinth. A few drilled wells are known in Corinth. They run 

from 35 to 70 feet in depth and supply plenty of water for domestic 

purposes. One well at East Corinth, drilled years ago, was a failure, 

but there is no reason why deep drilled wells should not generally be 

successful in this town.

Hudson. A single well is reported in Hudson. It was drilled to 

a depth of 66 feet and gives enough water for ordinary domestic and 

farm purposes. Deep drilling in this town ought to meet with success.

Charleston. Drilled wells in Charleston range from 16 to 190 feet 

in depth. Some of the shallower ones get plenty of water, but the 

deeper ones are the best. In this vicinity the water stands at 4 to 12 

feet from the surface. Some wells can be pumped dry by continued 

pumping, but most of them can be lowered very little. One well, 

situated on the hill north of the village and 100 feet or so above the 

houses, was sunk for the Higgins Classical Institute to 105 feet, and 

the water stands 8 feet from the surface. It is siphoned down the 

hill to several houses in the village. There is abundant water and it 

can be lowered only 20 feet or so by pumping. The table includes a 

laboratory analysis of this water (No. 93) and field assays of the other 

well waters (Nos. 92 and 94).

Garland. No information is at hand with respect to wells in Garland. The rock formation being similar, it seems probable that the 

conditions for obtaining water will be like those found in Charleston 

and that the supplies will be both abundant and good.

Dexter. The village water supply of Dexter is taken from Dexter 

Pond. One drilled well is reported here 58 feet deep, but only a 

small amount of water was obtained. Conditions ought to be favorable fbr getting plenty of water by drilling 100 to 200 feet in the slate. 

59969 IRE 223 09 13
194 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Other towns. In towns east of the river, with the exception of 

Brewer and Orrington, there are no drilled wells. For a number of 

miles north of the area included in this report there are scattering 

drilled wells, and they generally obtain plenty of water. Northeast 

of the area the region of abundant water supply continues into Aroostook County.

SPRINGS.

The springs of Penobscot County are fairly numerous, although 

not so thickly distributed as in some parts of Maine. In the vicinity 

of Bangor are several mineral springs which supply water for many 

of the inhabitants. The commercial springs of the county are as 

follows:

Arctic1 Spring, Bangor. 

Chapman's Spring, Orrington. 

Highland Spring, Ilolden Center. 

Hillside Spring, Bangor. 

Oak Grove Spring, Brewer. 

Sparkling Spring, Orrington.

Arctic Spring. The Arctic Spring is situated 1£ miles north of 

Bangor, and the water is sold in Bangor. The now is reported as 8 

gallons a minute and the temperature 44°. The hardness is 60 parts 

per million.

Chapman's Spring. About one-quarter mile north of East Orrington is another spring the water of which is sold in Brewer. No information regarding it has been received.

Highland Spring. The Highland Spring is situated on a hillside 

in the town of Holden, 5 miles east of Brewer. It is owned by Mr. 

C. B. Robinson, but is leased to Mr. A. H. Farrington. The water is 

said by the owners to issue from a crevice in the rock, and the spring 

is protected by a small house built over it. The water is bottled and 

shipped under the name "Highland Spring water." The analysis 

given in the table shows it to contain 16 parts per million of total 

solids. Owing to a misprint in the circular issued by the owners 

there are several errors in the composition reported. This water 

has been used in Bangor for sixteen years. The price of a 3-gallon 

bottle is 12 cents. This spring should not be confused with the Highland Mineral Spring in the city of Lewiston.

Oal- Grove Spring. The Oak Grove Spring is owned by Miss Jennie 

Farrington, of Brewer. It is situated on the eastern bank of Penobscot River, about one-half mile above the village of Brewer. The 

water issues from a steep slope of bowlder clay about 20 feet above 

the ordinary river level. In its exact geologic occurrence it issues 

from a bed of gravelly bowlder clay and is said to come from a vertical crack one-eighth of an inch in width in the ledge below this deposit. 

No houses are situated within 500 feet of the spring. The fields above
SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT COUNTY. 195

the spring are cultivated with grain, potatoes, etc. There seems to 

be little opportunity for pollution of the water, and it is probably 

perfectly safe for drinking. A small spring house has been built over 

the spring and the water is hauled to Bangor, where it is sold. It is 

colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The flow is about \\ gallons a 

minute and its measured temperature is 48°. The water sells at 12 

cents a 3-gallon bottle. The spring has been operated for five years 

by the present management, but was run several years earlier by 

other parties. The water is highly appreciated by the people of 

Bangor.

In 1906, in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters 

by the United States Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry 

in the Department of Agriculture, a complete analysis of this water 

was made. The various constituents found are as follows:

Analysis of water from Oak Grove Spring. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grains at 0° ('. and 760 mm. 

pressure):

Carbon dioxide (C02 ), free.................................. 9.00

Carbon dioxide (C0.j), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness......................................... 13. 40

Parts per 

million

by weight.

Phosphoric acid radicle (P04 )................................. None.

Metaboric acid radicle (B02 ).................................. None.

Arsenic acid radicle (As04 ).._................................ None.

Silica (SiOa )~............................................... 15. 50

Sulphuric acid radicle (S04 )................................. 4. 94

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3 )................................ 73.03

Nitric acid radicle (N03 )...................................... 5.30

Nitrous acid radicle (N02 ).---........................... Faint traces.

Chlorine (Cl)................................................ 5. 60

Bromine (Br)................................................ None.

Iodine (I).-................................................. None.

Iron and aluminum (Fe and Al)............................... . 250

Manganese (Mn).............................................. None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................. 18. 58

Magnesium (Mg)............................................ 3. 50

Potassium (K).............................................. 1.10

Sodium (Na)................................................. 6. 95

Lithium (Li)................................................ None.

Ammonium (NH4).......................................... Traces.

Oxygen to form Fe2 03 and A12O3 ............................. . 100

135. 850

Free ammonia............................................... Traces.

Albuminoid ammonia........................................ Traces.

Nitrogen as nitrates........................................... 1. 20

Nitrogen as nitrites..................................... Faint traces.

Oxygen consumed........................................... 4. 00
If

196 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

A good recommendation for this water is that a Bangor photographer uses it entirely for his photographic work in preference to 

all other water.

Sparkling Spring, Orrington. The Sparkling Spring is situated 

in the town of Orrington, about 1J miles from the Brewer line and 

one-half mile east of Penobscot River. It consists of a hole dug 6 to 

10 feet deep in a hollow beside a little brook flowing over a gravel 

terrace. The water is reported to issue from three cracks in the 

ledge below, and it is said by the owners that a pole can be stuck 

down 10 feet in one of these cracks. This statement has not been 

verified. The water is sold in bottles in Bangor at the rate of 12 

cents a 3-gallon bottle. The analysis shows 194 parts per million 

of total solids, distributed as in analysis No. 268, recalculated from 

the company's advertisement. "There is considerable free carbon 

dioxide in solution." The spring is owned by Mr. Albert G. Dole 

and is leased by Mr. E. H. Homestead.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

The public water supplies of Penobscot County are taken entirely 

from surface sources. The city of Bangor and the villages of 

Brewer, Veazie, Orono, Oldtown, and Milford use water taken 

directly from Penobscot River. The villages of Newport and Dexter obtain water from lakes near by. There are no well or spring 

supplies of any consequence.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

The most important water question in Penobscot County arises 

in connection with the public supply of Bangor and several surrounding towns. These now obtain their supply entirely from Penobscot 

River. This water is badly polluted by sewage and manufacturing 

wastes from towns farther up the river, and is therefore dangerous to 

the public health. The people of Bangor realize this and many of 

them have been agitating for a safer source of supply. In 1906 the 

late Freeman C. Coffin, of Boston, was employed by the city council 

to make a thorough investigation of the Bangor water problem, 

for the purpose of deciding on the best source for a new supply. In 

his report 0 Mr. Coffin suggested four possible sources, as follows: 

(1) Ground-water supply; (2) Phillips Lake; (3) Felts and Eaton 

brooks; (4) Cold Stream Pond.

All the sources were found to be of excellent quality, but no definite decision was made between them. In regard to the groundwater supply, which was seriously discussed, two sources were considered, one in the broad flats west of Penobscot River and south of 

Pushaw Pond, the other east of Penobscot River and opposite the

« Bangor Daily Commercial, March 13, 1906.
SAGADAHOC COUNTY. 197

pumping station. Either of the sources ought to yield a satisfactory supply, the chief doubt being in regard to the amount of water 

which can be obtained. The surface water supplies mentioned 

above seemed to be of equal worth, but perhaps more expensive.

Tt may be some time before a pure water system is installed. 

Meanwhile it is desirable that as many individuals and companies 

as can afford it should drill wells for their own private supplies. 

So far as known, there have been no failures in deep wells within the 

city, and the deeper such wells are drilled the better and larger the 

supplies seem to have become. For that reason it is advised that 

well drilling be continued at least until the supply shows signs of 

diminution. Elsewhere in southern Penobscot County the conditions are very similar as regards the kind of rock, and there is no 

reason why wells 100 to 400 feet deep should not be just as successful as in the vicinity of Bangor.

SAGADAHOC COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Sagadahoc County is the smallest county in Maine. It is situated 

on the eastern border of Casco Bay and extends a few miles inland, 

having a length from north to south of 32 miles and an extreme 

width from east to west of 17 miles. Its area is only 259 square 

miles. The population of this county according to the census of 

1900 was 20,330. Bath, the largest city, had a population of 11,527, 

more than one-half of the population of the county. Kennebec 

River flows from north to south across the center of the county and 

follows the eastern border for a short distance north of Bath. In 

Merrymeeting Bay it is joined by Androscoggin River, which separates this county from Cumberland. South of Bath, Sagadahoc 

County is cut up by many indentations of the sea and enlargements 

of the river. The altitude ranges from sea level to nearly 500 feet. 

The principal transportation line is the main line of the Maine Central Railroad, which extends from Brunswick along the west bank 

of Kennebec River, a branch of the same railroad which runs eastward beyond Bath, and a second branch which extends northwestward along the eastern border of Androscoggin River to Lewiston 

in Androscoggin County.

A map of Sagadahoc County showing distribution of deep wells, 

important springs, and communities having public supplies forms 

PI. XX.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rocks of Sagadahoc County must 

all be grouped as complex, which consists of granites, gneisses, slates, 

schists, and diorites, so rapidly alternating with one another that
198 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

they can not be differentiated on any map. So far as observed 

in the field, the western portion of the county seems to be more 

gneissic and granitic than the eastern part, which is more schistose. 

The irregular proportions of the different rocks seem to have some 

effect on the quality of the water in various parts of this county and 

in adjacent counties.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Sagadahoc County are 

not as thick as those in most other counties in Maine, owing largely 

to the fact that the county is cut up by many indentations of the 

sea and much opportunity has been given for the removal of the 

deposits by erosion. Along Kennebec River, up many of the small 

side valleys, and in a few sheltered places along the coast are small 

areas of clay, some of them 100 feet above sea level. These may be 

underlain by gravel. T^. oy are of considerable extent in the county 

and are overlain in man}' places by sand and gravel. Overlying the 

bed rock, as elsewhere in the State, is a thin coating of till, which in 

extreme cases is 20 feet or more in thickness. Borings in the valley 

of Androscoggin River in Topsham show that there the bed-rock 

floor of the valley is at least 155 feet below sea level, indicating a 

deep filling of gravel and an old gorge extending some distance back 

into the State.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Only about 20 wells are known to have been drilled in Sagadahoc 

County. These are widely distributed, but are most numerous in 

Bath and Woolwich. They are mostly 6 inches in size, but a few 

4-inch wells were sunk years ago. In depth they range from 40 to 

335 feet, the deepest well in the county being that of the Pejepscot 

Paper Company, at Pejepscot Mills. An interesting fact is that 

although this well obtains only a small quantity of water a 40-foot 

well drilled for the same company a few feet distant obtained an 

inexhaustible supply, showing that the conditions are very uncertain. 

So far as can be learned from a study of the wells and records, it 

would not seem advisable to drill to great depths in this county. 

The limit should probably be about 200 feet. If a well reaches that 

depth without obtaining a sufficient supply the most economical 

procedure will be to drill a second well a short distance away. In 

the city of Bath most of the wells which were drilled years ago have 

been abandoned owing to the installation of a good city water supply. 

The abandonment has not been due in every case to the quality of 

the wells or the water. It can be stated, however, that the supplies 

in this county are not as good as in many counties of the State, and it 

is probable that not more than half the wells which have been drilled
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XX

1,0 MILES

f j

Successful well over 50 feet in depth

Important spring

Community having public supply from surface sources

Community having public supply from wells

Other important towns

MAP OF SAGADAHOC COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.

SAGADAHOC COUNTY. 199

are in use at present. Four field assays (Nos. 150, 151, 107, and 

199) and one laboratory analysis (No. 152) are given in the table. 

One mineral spring has been analyzed (Nos. 269-270a).

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Bath. The city of Bath has an excellent water supply, piped 

under Kennebec River from Nequasset Pond, in Woolwich. For 

this reason no drilled wells have recently been sunk in the city. 

Some drilling was done years ago, mosthT between 1883 and 1895. 

Eight or more wells were sunk to depths of 50 to 100 feet, and the 

yield ranged from 2 to 30 gallons a minute. Some of the water was 

used for boilers, but most of it was for ordinary domestic purposes. 

A few wells are still in use. The C. A. Hooker well is 100 feet deep 

and the water will rise to the surface at times. A considerable 

number of people in Bath use shallow dug wells. Many of them are 

in poor locations where they might easily be contaminated by surface 

drainage. It is advised that all such wells be abandoned. Two 

field assays of waters from Bath have been made (Nos. 150 and 151).

Woolwich. Next to Bath, Woolwich has the greatest number of 

wells in the county. Most of these are about 100 feet in depth. 

They yield several gallons of water a minute and seem to be fairly 

satisfactory as sources of supply. A laborator}T analysis of water 

from one of them is given in the appended table (No. 152).

Georgetown. On McMahans Island a well of the Sheepscot Land 

Company was drilled to a depth of 246 \ feet and obtained a good 

supply of water. At Five Islands Mr. George E. Hughes sunk a well 

to 242 feet. This is pumped by an electric motor and seems to be 

satisfactory. No other drilled wells are known in Georgetown.

Pliippsburg. Only one drilled well is known to have been sunk in 

the town of Phippsburg. This is a 96-foot well at Fort Popham, but 

no data regarding it have been received. Most of the wells in town 

are dug from 6 to 30 feet. At Popham Beach mam^ driven wells 

have been sunk, getting fresh water from 6 to 15 feet below the surface, in sand. Below that depth salt water is encountered. The 

level of fresh water in these wells rises with the tide. Among the 

sand dunes are a number of small ponds, which indicate the level of 

water in the dunes. At Popham Beach several years ago a boring 

was made to a depth of 962 feet for coal, but without success.

Topsham. The village of Topsham has combined with Brunswick 

in the Brunswick and Topsham Water District to install a supply of 

water from driven wells situated on the flood plain of Androscoggin 

River. The supply is so excellent that wells are unnecessary in 

these villages. At Pejepscot Mills a well 335 feet in depth gave only 

enough water for two families. A well was later drilled near by to a 

depth of 40 feet and obtained plenty of water. This is an example
200 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

of the extreme irregularity in the occurrence of rock water in this 

part of Maine. The formation here is mostly gneiss. In case any 

individuals or private companies in the village of Topsham desire 

water from wells in order to save water bills, it is probable that 

supplies can be obtained with success equal to that at Lisbon and 

Bath, a few miles to the northwest and east, respectively, of Topsham. The Pine Spring is situated in this town.

Bowdoinham. The only drilled well known in Bowdoinham was 

sunk for Mrs. George L. Hinckley to a depth of 124 feet. This seems to 

have been a good well, but is not used on account of a broken pump. 

A dug well 40 feet in depth, 35 feet of which is in gravel and 5 feet in 

ledge, supplies 20 families. The rest of the wells here are less than 40 

feet in depth. Two field assays (Nos. 107 and 109) have been made 

of well waters in this town.

Richmond. A number of drilled wells have been sunk in Richmond 

in the past, but most of them are less than 50 feet in depth. One well 

100 feet and one 65 feet deep are reported. Most wells in the village 

are abandoned, however, as there is a public supply from Kennebec 

River.

Other towns. In the towns of Bowdoin, West Bath, and Arrowsic 

no drilled wells are known to have been sunk. While conditions are 

not as favorable as they are in Kennebec County, the}T seem to be 

better than in Lincoln County, and it is probable that drilling will be 

successful if the owner is willing to take the risk of possibly having to 

sink 2 wells before getting water.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Springs are not especially abundant in Sagadahoc County, but some excellent ones are known. At Pejepscot 

Mills, in Topsham, the paper company owns an excellent spring 

which issues from sand and gravel in the bank of the river. The 

water is fine and cold and the rate of flow never varies. It is in such 

a situation that there seems to be no chance of pollution, and the water 

is highly prized by the people at the mill and by the inhabitants of the 

small village. A little spring house has been built and the water 

is pumped by means of a hand pump. One commercial spring is 

situated in the county.

Pine Spring. As has been said, the Pine Spring is situated in the 

town of Topsham, 2 miles east of the village. It is owned by the Pine 

Spring Water Compan}", of Brunswick. The spring is situated in a 

small ravine in a sand plain. It is entirely surrounded 03- woods and 

as the only house in the vicing is 500 feet distant, on the opposite 

side of the ravine, there is no chance for the water to become polluted. 

The water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The flow is 5 gallons
SAGADAHOC COUNTY. 201

a minute and the measured temperature is 44°. The water is sold 

as "Pine Spring water" and is bottled for ginger ale and "soda/' It is 

not called a mineral water. A crate of six half-gallon bottles retails 

for $1.50. Formerly a spring house was built over the spring, but it 

is now in disrepair. Such a house is unnecessary, as the spring is 

situated far from all buildings. The analysis of the water is given 

in the table (No. 269), having been recalculated from the analysis 

published by the company. Another analysis of the water made by 

W. W. Skinner, of the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral 

waters conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry, is as follows:

Analysis of Pine Spring mineral water. 

[W. W= Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (number of cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° 0. and 

760 mm. pressure): 

Carbon dioxide (CO2), free.................................. 8. 2

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness...................................... 2.4

Parts per 

million

by weight.

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4 ).................................. None.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2). -................................. None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4 ).................................... None.

Silica (SiO2 )-................................................. 7.4

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO J.................................... 1. 05

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HOO3 )................................. 12. 86

Nitric acid radicle (N03 )....................................... None.

Nitrous acid radicle (N02 )................................ Faint traces.

Chlorine (Cl) ................................................ 4. 20

Bromine(Br)................................................. None.

Iodine (I)...................................................... None.

Iron and aluminum (Fe & Al) ................................. .32

Manganese (Mn)............................................... None.

Calcium(Ca).................................................. 2.14

Magnesium (Mg)............................................... .79

Potassium (K)................................................. .60

Sodium (Na).................................................. 3.49

Lithium (Li)................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4)............................................ . 026

Oxygen to form Fe203 and A12O3 ................................ ......

32. 876

Free ammonia................................................ . 025

Albuminoid ammonia......................................... . 005

Nitrogen as nitrates........................................... Traces

Nitrogen as nitrites....................................... Faint traces.

Oxygen consumed............................................ 6.00
202 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

The city of Bath and the village of Richmond are supplied with 

water from surface sources, the former from Kennebec River and the 

latter from Nequasset Pond. Formerly the Bath supply was taken 

from. 83 wells driven in sand, the average depth of which was about 20 

feet. These wells were abandoned for the present supply. The 

village of Topsham has combined with Brunswick to obtain a system 

of water supply from driven wells on the flood plain of Androscoggin 

River, a short distance below the villages. This supply is described 

in connection with Cumberland County.

SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Somerset County lies somewhat west of central Maine and extends 

north and south about half the length of the State, a distance of about 

140 miles. The maximum breadth of the county is 45 miles and its 

area is 3,831 square miles. In this report only the southern part of 

the county is included. The population of the whole county aqpording to the census of 1900 was 33,849. The largest town is Skowhegan, 

with a population of 4,266. The county is rather mountainous, its 

altitude ranging from 150 feet above the sea along Kennebec River to 

3,600 feet at the summit of Mount Bigelow, but the highest point in 

the area here discussed is probably not over 2,000 feet high. Kennebec River is the principal stream, and flows through the center of the 

county in a southerly direction, except in the vicinity of Skowhegan, 

where it makes a marked bend. There are no important tributaries 

to the river in this part of the county, although Sandy River enters 

from the west in the vicinity of Madison, and Sebasticook River rises 

in the eastern part of the county and flows southward. Scattered 

throughout the county are a great many large and small lakes, of 

which Moose Pond is the largest within the area covered by this 

report. The only lines of transportation are the Maine Central Railroad, which runs southward from Skowhegan along the west bank of 

Kennebec River, and the Somerset Railway, which runs northward 

from Oakland through the center of the county to Moosehead Lake, 

outside the limits of the area here considered. A map showing the 

distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies forms PL XXI.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The predominant rock formation of 

Somerset County is slate, and the whole northern part of the county 

is formed of this rock, with three important exceptions. These are
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 

I I I I

20 MILES

MAP OF SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities hav

water supplies.
SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY. 203

areas of granite. The first lies just west of Hartland and St. Albans 

and covers the southern part of Harmon, the western part of Hartland, the northeast corner of Cornville, and the southwest corner of 

Athens. The second granite area lies in the extreme southwest coiner 

of the county and covers nearly the whole of Mercer, the portion of 

Norridgewock southeast of the village, and the west corner of Smithfield. The third granite area extends from Embden Pond, in Embden, 

northwestward beyond the limits of the area included in this report, 

and covers the northern part of New Portland, the northwestern part 

of Embden, the western edge of Concord, and probably the whole of 

Lexington and Highland plantations. Moderate amounts of water 

are found in granite, but the supplies are irregularly distributed. 

The granite is quarried in the vicinity of South Norridgewock.

The slate of this part of Somerset County is typical of the slate 

making up a large part of central Maine. It is a very fine-grained 

drab to black slate and splits parallel with the stratification. The 

strike is in general about N. 60° E. and the dip is as a rule nearly 

vertical, although in some places it is inclined. Locally this slate is 

slightly calcareous. Considerable water is found in this rock.

Surface deposits. Along Kennebec River and in other sections 

where the land is rather low the surface is covered with sand and 

gravel and some clay, which form flat plains extending backward 

from the river in places for a mile or more. These plains are well 

developed in the vicinity of Skowhegan. One of these broad gravelfilled valleys lies between Norridgewock and North Fairfield. In 

these deposits good water is abundant and issues in the form of 

springs around the sides of the plains. The county contains also 

irregular gravel deposits. On the uplands the surface consists mostly 

of bowlder clay, which ranges from a few inches to 20 feet or more in 

thickness. In some of the mountain regions the surface is nearly 

bare of drift.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION'.

Types of wells used. The prevailing type of well in Somerset 

County is the old-fashioned open well, such as is common throughout 

the State. These wells are, as a rule, sunk in bowlder clay and gravel, 

although some of them are blasted a few feet into the rock. They 

range in depth from 5 to 40 feet. Generally they are successful in 

times of abundant rainfall, but are likely to run dry in summer.

Drilled wells. Only about a dozen drilled wells have been sunk in 

Somerset County. In diameter they vary from 5 to 8 inches, but 6 

inches is the prevailing size. The depth ranges from 26 to 157 feet, 

the most common depth being about 80 feet. They strike rock at 

1 to 50 feet below the surface, and the greatest supply of water may
204 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

be found anywhere between the top and the bottom of the well. So 

far as known all the drilled wells have been sunk in slate, but there is 

no reason why they should not be successful in granite, as they are 

elsewhere in Maine. In one well the water rises to the surface of the 

ground.

Quality of water. As few analyses have been made of waters from 

wells in Somerset County, not a very good idea can be given of the 

quality of water here. The total solids found in a well which was 

dug in drift and blasted in the underlying rock were 408 parts per 

million, and the hardness was 188. The amount of total solids in a 

drilled well was 56, and the hardness was 35. Another drilled well, 

26 feet in depth, in slate and situated high up on a hillside, contained 

29 parts of carbonates, a trace of sulphates, and 3.5 parts of chlorine. 

The details of these analyses are given in the table (Nos. 108 to 110). 

A good idea of the character of water which may be found in slate in 

this part of Maine may be had by consulting the analyses given in the 

table in connection with western Penobscot and northern Kennebec 

counties, on pages 78-79. The analyses of waters in granite in other 

parts of Maine are given on page 77. Analyses of several mineral 

springs are also given in the table (Nos. 271 to 273).

Quantity of water. In general in Somerset County there seems to be 

plenty of water in the slates. Of the dozen wells drilled four have 

been failures, but three of these were situated on a barren hilltop 

where there was little soil and where there would seem to be little 

probability of finding water. The other well reported only a small 

fraction of a gallon per minute. One well was abandoned on account 

of poor water, and several have not been used since waterworks were 

installed in their respective towns. As the rock of Somerset County, 

with the exception of that in the granite areas, is similar to that of 

southern Penobscot County, where water is abundant, good supplies 

may also be expected in Somerset County.

Flowing wells. A 25-foot well drilled on a slate hillside in the 

eastern part of Norridgewock obtained water which overflows the 

surface except in times of dry weather. With this exception no flowing wells are known in the county.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Skowhegan. Skowhegan, the county seat and largest town in 

Somerset County, is largely supplied with water by several aqueduct 

companies that obtain water from springs situated on the slopes of a 

sand plain bordering the village. The supplies are believed to be very 

good at present, but care should be taken to prevent their contamination by surface drainage. A full description of the public supplies 

of Skowhegan is given under the appropriate heading (pp. 209-210). 

The only drilled well in the village was sunk more than twenty years
SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY. 205

ago for Mr. Levi P. Weston, on an island in the middle of the river. 

This well was pumped by a windmill, but was abandoned when the 

city waterworks were installed in 1888. On the sand plains surrounding the town there are a number of driven wells which seem to 

obtain adequate supplies of good water, and similar supplies may be 

obtained almost anywhere on the sand plains along Kennebec River.

Norridgewock. On the sand plain south of the river in Norridgewock a large amount of water can be obtained by driven wells 10 or 

15 feet in depth. The wells in the village are shallow. On the highlands east of the village of South Norridgewock are two drilled wells. 

One of these is 77 feet in depth and probably contains water, but has 

not been used because the owner had no deep-well pump. The other 

drilled well is situated in the eastern part of the town. It is only 26 

feet in depth and overflows except in dry weather. It is siphoned 

down the hill to a farmhouse on the slope below and supplies water 

for domestic and farm purposes. It would seem that siphons might 

be more widely used in Maine. A field assay made of the water in 

this well is given in the table (No. 108).

Fairfidd. The village of Fairneld forms a part of the Kennebec 

water district, which obtains water from China Lake. In Fairneld 

an 8-inch well was drilled in 1884 to a depth of 91 feet. It is still 

used, and the water seems to be of good quality. As this town lies in 

the slate area in which abundant water supplies are found in neighboring parts of Penobscot Count}', it would seem that equally successful 

wells might be obtained here. The Rocky Hill Spring is situated in 

this town.

Pittsfield. Pittsfield is supplied from the Sebasticook River. The 

water is reported as rather poor. In the village are a great many dug 

wells, 12 to 50 feet in depth, which are somewhat suspicious, as they 

are subject to contamination from surface drainage. One spring is 

situated near a number of houses and is probably not safe. Two or 

more drilled wells have been sunk in this village to a depth of less than 

50 feet. The water is only of fair quality and is called hard. It is 

probable that more water could be obtained by sinking deeper, and 

it may be of better quality, although this can not be stated with certainty. An open well for Dr. F. J. Taylor was dug 20 feet and blasted 

6 feet. The water has a fine taste and never gives out. A field assay 

of this water is given in the table (No. 110). A well drilled 47 feet for 

Mr. W. R. Hunnewell is reported to have a hardness of 35 parts (No. 

109) while that of the Taylor well is 188. The total solids of the former were 56 and of the latter 408. In the Taylor well 48 parts of 

chlorine per million were found.

Palmyra. Several drilled wells in Palmyra have attained fair success; several others, however, have not. An example of unsuccessful 

drilling is found on the estate of Mr. Perry Furbush, whose farm is
206 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

situated on top or a hill where the rock reaches the surface. Three 

wells were sunk. The first was dug and blasted 43 feet; then a horizontal gallery was run at right angles to the strike of the slate for a 

distance of 24 feet, but no water was found. This well was then 

drilled to 157 feet from the surface, when the tools became stuck and 

work was stopped. Xo water was found. Well No. 2 was drilled 80 

feet through ledge and now supplies 20 to 30 gallons of water a day, 

summer and winter. Well Xo. 3 was also drilled 80 feet in ledge. 

The tools stuck at 80 feet, and the well had to be abandoned. This 

well was situated only 130 feet from the first. By pumping it dry 

every four hours 125 gallons of water a day could be obtained, which 

was not enough. As all the wells on this estate have proved to be 

practically failures, a spring some distance away on the hillside is 

used for watering the cattle. This spring is reported to issue from a 

vertical crack on a rotten seam parallel with the bedding of the slate. 

In other parts of town several drilled wells are supposed to have 

attained greater success, but these were not visited.

St. ATbans. At least one well is known to have been drilled in the 

town of St. Albans. The depth is reported to be 49 feet, and the 

yield is only a fraction of a gallon a minute. Deeper drilling in this 

town might meet with greater success in both the granite and the 

slate areas. The Glenwood Mineral Spring is situated in this town.

Ilartland. One or more wells less than 50 feet in depth have been 

drilled in the town of Hartland. The water was poor and they are 

not used. It would seem that by sinking to a greater depth waterought to be obtained in both the granite and the slate areas.

Madison, Anson, and Solon. These three towns, although lying a 

little south of the northern extremity of the area considered in this 

report, have not been studied. They will be included in the report 

on the underground waters of northern Maine.

Other towns. Other towns in this area obtain supplies entirely 

from dug wells and from springs. Where the wells are favorably 

situated the conditions are supposed to be good. In many places 

springs are of good quality and are much better and cheaper than 

wells.

SPRINGS.

General statement. As stated above, springs are very abundant 

in Somerset County and are used for both public and private supplies, 

especially along Kennebec River. Xorth of Madison several town 

supplies come from this source. Skowhegan and Fairfield also have 

spring supplies in part. Three mineral springs reporting sales are 

situated within the limits of Somerset County. These are the Glenwood Spring at St. Albans, the Pine Grove Spring near Pittsfield, 

and the Rocky Hill Spring at Fairfield.
SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY. 207

Glenwood Spring. In the town of St. Albans, about 2 miles north 

from the post-office, is the Glenwood Spring. The water is reported 

by the owner, Mr. C. A. Moulton, to issue from sand with a volume 

of 30 gallons a minute. It has no color, odor, or taste, and the 

temperature is said to be 48°. The water is shipped for table and 

medicinal use. An analysis, reported by the owner, has been recalculated into ions and parts per million and is given in the table 

(No. 272). The total solids amount to 67 parts. The following 

analysis, which gives the full composition of the water, was made by 

W. W. Skinner, of the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral 

waters conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of 

Chemistry.

Analysis of water from Glenwood Mineral Spring. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° 0. and 760 mm. 

pressure):

Carbon dioxide (< 'O,), free................................. 7. 30

Carbon dioxide (OCX), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness........................................... 10. 00

Parts per

million

by weight.

Phosphoric acid radicle (PO4)............................ ..... None.

Metaboric acid radicle (BO2)................................... None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4).................................... None.

Silica (SiO-j)............................................. .... 11. 00

Sulphuric acid radicle (SO4).................................. 3. 62

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HCO3)................................. 54. 71

Nitric acid radicle (NO3)....................................... 1. 55

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2 ). -.-...-.-.....--..--..--..--...---.. None.

Chlorine (Cl) ................................................. 1. 80

Bromine (Br)................................................. None.

Iodine (I).................................................... None.

Iron and aluminum (Pe and Al)................................ .35

Manganese (Mn)............................................... None.

Calcium (Ca)................................ .................. 13.01

Magnesium (Mg)............................................. 2. 49

Potassium (K)............................................... .93

Sodium (Na).................................................. 3. 92

Lithium (Li)................................................. None.

Ammonium (NH4)........................................... . Oil

Oxygen to form Fe2O3 and AU).<-.-.-------..-.-...--...--.... .150

93. 541

Free ammonia............................................. .. .01

Albuminoid ammonia......................................... .01

Nitrogen as nitrates............................................ .35

Nitrogen as nitrites............................................ None.

Oxygen consumed............................................ 5. 00
208 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Pine Grove Spring. About 5 miles southeast of Pittsfield is a 

spring known as the Pine Grove Spring. The flow is reported large, 

and the temperature is given as 48°. The water is sold in Pittsfield 

and vicinity.

Rocky Hill Spring. The liocky Hill Spring, owned by Mr. W. N. 

Osborne, is situated \\ miles north of the village of Fairfield. The 

spring is said to flow 18 gallons an hour and to issue from slate. 

The flow diminishes somewhat in a severe drought. The temperature is reported as 46°. The water is colorless and tasteless. It is 

sold in Waterville and Fairfield. A sanitary anlaysis made in 1896 

showed it to be of excellent quality. The mineral analysis, from 

the analysis advertised by the owner, is given in the table (No. 271). 

A more complete analysis was made by W. W. Skinner, of the Bureau 

of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture, in connection with cooperative work on mineral waters conducted by the 

Geological Survey and the Bureau of Chemistry. This is as follows:

Analysis of water from Rocky Hill Spring. 

[W. W. Skinner, analyst.]

Gases (cubic centimeters per 1,000 grams at 0° r. and 760 mm. 

pressure): 

Carbon dioxide (G02 free),................................ 7. 20

Carbon dioxide (C02), set free from bicarbonates on evaporating to dryness....................................... 11. 60

Parts per

million

by weight.

Phosphoric acid radicle (P04)................................. None.

Metaboric acid radicle (B02 ).................................. None.

Arsenic acid radicle (AsO4 ).................................. None.

Silica (Si02)................................................. 10. 60

Sulphuric acid radicle (S04)......... ..... ..... ........... 3. 66

Bicarbonic acid radicle (HOO3 )............................... 63. 57

Nitric acid radicle (N03 )...................................... 2.20

Nitrous acid radicle (NO2 ).............. ..................... None.

Chlorine (01) ...........".... ............................... 2. 80

Bromine (Br)................................................ None.

Iodine (I)................................................... None.

Iron and aluminum (Fe and Al).............................. . 140

Manganese (Mn)................................................ None.

Calcium (Ca)................................................. 13. 29

Magnesium (Mg)............................................ 4. 34

Potassium (K)........................... .................. .85

Sodium (Na).................. ............................... 4.60

Lithium (Li)................................................ None.

Ammonium (NH4)........................................... Traces.

Oxygen to form Fe203 and A12O;! ............................. . 060

106.110

Free ammonia............................................... Traces.

Albuminoid ammonia........................................ Traces.

Nitrogen as nitrates........................................... .50

Nitrogen as nitrites........................................... None.

Oxygen consumed. ............... ^.......................... 3. 50
SOUTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY. 209 

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

Skowhegan. About half the inhabitants of Skowhegan obtain 

water from what is known as the "city water" system. This 

system is, however, owned by the Skowhegan Water Company, 

which has a contract to provide the village with fire protection. 

The water comes from a ponded brook in a valley on the eastern 

edge of the village and is believed to be of fair quality. There are 

also four aqueduct systems drawing water from springs situated in 

ravines in the sand plains which surround the village. These are 

the West Aqueduct Company, the Coburn Aqueduct Company, the 

Skowhegan Aqueduct Company, and the Niel Aqueduct Company. 

All these supply the part of the village situated north of the river. 

On the south side of the river there are a number of private systems.

The springs of the West Aqueduct Company are two in number 

and issue from the base of a sand and gravel plain on the northern 

and western edges of town. The plain is underlain by clay. One 

of these springs is situated 300 feet from the nearest house built on 

the plain above; this is probably safe. The other spring is 50 feet 

or less below a stable on the edge of the plain; this spring would seem 

to be dangerous and ought to be abandoned. The water is collected 

in two tanks built over these springs and runs by gravity to the 

houses where it is used. Most of West Skowhegan gets water from 

this system. The water is called excellent by the users. This is 

the largest aqueduct system, and supplies about 150 families. A 

field assay of tap water is given in the table (Xo. 273).

The spring of the Coburn Aqueduct Company is situated within a 

few hundred feet of the West Aqueduct springs, in another ravine. 

This water is of excellent quality and appears to be safe. The 

system is reported to supply about 100 families.

The Skowhegan Aqueduct Company's system is smaller, deriving 

its supply from a well and a spring situated on the edge of the plain 

on North street. The well is a large dug well, probably 15 feet in 

depth, on top of the plain and not 50 feet distant from two houses. 

The water is in sand, on top of clay. The company is reported to 

have 36 takers. The spring is situated not 20 feet from a house 

and on the slope below it. This situation appears rather dangerous 

and it would be advisable to abandon the spring.

The Neil Aqueduct Company obtains its supply from an old brickyard some distance down the ravine from the springs of the West 

Aqueduct Company.

All these supplies are gravity systems, and as the sources lie on 

the edge of the sand plain they can not reach the people living on 

the higher land. These families are supplied by "city water." 

Most of the patrons of the aqueduct water use spigots, which flow a

r>9969 i RR 223 09 14
210 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

constant stream through a hole about one-twentieth of an inch in 

diameter through a glass tube. The rates are $6 a year.

The first aqueduct line is reported to have been laid in this village 

as long ago as 1830.

Other towns. A part of Fairfield has a spring supply. Pittsfield 

and the rest of Fairfield use surface water.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

In Somerset County the conditions for obtaining undergroundwater supplies seem to be fairly good, but as yet they have not been 

fulh" developed. In a few places, as in some of the villages, water 

is obtained from dug wells which are evidently polluted by surface 

drainage and are unsafe. Where there is any suspicion about the 

quality of the water the dug wells should be abandoned for the 

public supplies or drilled wells. The latter are suitable for use 

nearly everywhere and are in many places better than the public 

supplies. Some springs have been seen which should not be used, 

but as a rule the springs in the county are well situated and are safe 

for drinking.

WALDO COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Waldo County lies in southern Maine, just west of Penobscot 

River and Penobscot Bay. It is a small county, having a total 

extent north and south of only about 35 miles, and the same east and 

west. Its area is 748 square miles, and the population according to 

the census of 1900 was 24,185. Belfast, the principal town, contains 

4,615 inhabitants. This county is moderately hilly and ranges in 

elevation from sea level to nearly 1,100 feet. It has no large streams 

except the Penobscot, on which it borders, but contains a few small 

lakes. Its transportation lines are the Maine Central Railroad, 

running northwestward from Belfast across the county, and the 

Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, which runs northward from Searsport. A map of Waldo County showing the distribution of deep 

wells, important springs, and communities having public supplies 

forms PL XXII.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. Probably about half of Waldo County 

is composed of slate. The area occupied by this rock lies northwest 

of a line drawn roughly from the southwest corner of the count}7 

northeastward to Penobscot River, on the border of Penobscot 

County. There is also a considerable patch of slate and slaty rocks 

southwest of Stockton Springs, which covers the greater part of the
WALDO COUNTY. 211

towns of Searsport, Belfast, and Belmont and smaller parts of Searsmont and other towns. Islesboro is also mostly slate, although thin 

and unimportant bands of limestone are reported to cross this island.

The principal granite area in Waldo County lies in the southeastern 

part of Winterport, the eastern part of Frankfort, in Prospect, 

northern Searsport, and eastern Swanville. Parts of Swanville, the 

greater part of Waldo, smaller parts of Brooks, Morrell, western 

Searsmont, southeastern Montville, Liberty, and southeastern 

Palermo are underlain by a complex consisting mostly of granite, 

gneiss, diorite, schists, and other rocks. Another arm of the complex enters the southern edge of the county and covers the greater 

part of Lincolnville and Northport, but also includes part of Searsmont and probably a corner of Belmont.

As a rule the slate of Waldo County strikes in a northeast direction, 

and the cleavage has generally about the same trend. The slate is 

hard and compact and the dip is always high. A small part of 

eastern Waldo County has been studied thoroughly by the geologists 

of the United States Geological Survey, and the results have been 

published in the Penobscot Bay geologic folio. a It is therefore possible to say with considerable certainty what kind of rocks are found 

in the various towns in this region. The distribution of these rocks 

will be described under the town headings.

Surface deposits. The unconsolidated deposits forming the surface of Waldo County consist for the most part of bowlder clay, 

which ranges in thickness from 1 to 20 feet or more, but is commonly 

thin. This bowlder clay generally forms the surface on the hills 

where they do not consist of bare rock, but in the lowlands it is in 

many places overlain by various amounts of stratified sand and gravel, 

and here and there by clay. These deposits locally form flat plains, 

but are nowhere of great extent.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. The predominant type of wells in Waldo 

County is the open well. They vary in depth from 10 to more than 

30 feet and are generally dug in gravel or bowlder clay, although 

some of them are blasted in rock. These wells are generally successful in wet seasons, but in summer they usually dry up.

Drilled wells. A greater number of wells have been drilled in 

Waldo County than in any other county on the Maine coast except 

Cumberland. There are more than a hundred such wells within the 

limits of the county. - They are mostly 6-inch wells, but a few 7 inches 

in size are reported, and a number of wells are 8 inches at the top and 

6 inches at the bottom. One well was 10 inches at the top and 8

n Geologic Atlas U. S., folio 149, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1907,
212 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

inches at the bottom. In depth they run from 30 to 329 feet. Most 

of them have been successful, although a few have been abandoned 

owing to insufficient supply, and in one or two the quality of the 

water has not been up to the standard.

Quality of water. The quality of water in Waldo County is generally good. In all, 14 analyses are known to have been made. Most 

of them are of slate waters, but a few analyses of water from other 

rocks have been made. The total solids reported range from 138 to 

163 parts per million, and one well reports them as high as 234. The 

hardness runs from 85 to 152 parts, but is reported in only a few 

analyses. The carbonates range from none to 28, and the calcium 

from 8 to 47. Some reports of iron run as high as 10, but these are 

believed to be erroneous. A better idea of the quality of the water 

can be had from the table (Xos. Ill to 127, 153, and 154).

Quantity of water. The quantity of water found in wells in Waldo 

County is extremely variable, depending on the situation, time of 

year, kind of rock, and other conditions. In some wells only a trace 

of water was found. In one of the wells situated at Cape Jellison the 

supply was 200 gallons a minute, according to the reports of the 

railroad company. Only a few failures have occurred in the county. 

In general the water seems to be best in slate. In the complex region 

indicated on the map (PL I) supplies will probably not be found to be 

quite as large as elsewhere.

Flowing wells. Several flowing wells have been noted in Waldo 

County. Two of these are situated in the town of Islesboro and are 

deep drilled wells, probably deriving their head from near-by hilltops 

rising a few feet above the surface of the well. A similar well is 

reported at Searsport, but the hill from which its head is derived 

seems to be at a distance of several hundred feet. The flowing wells 

in slate of which these are examples are caused by water pressure due 

to the inclination of the joint cracks running from hills in the vicinity, 

and the flows are found where the intervening rocks are overlain by 

clay and hardpan, which close the joints at the surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Belfast. Belfast obtains its public supply from Little River, which 

enters the sea 2 miles south of the village. The water is poor, being 

taken from a very swampy reservoir near the mouth of the river. In 

summer it has a fishy odor. As far as health is concerned it is probably not dangerous, and if taken from a higher point on the same 

river and confined in a reservoir containing less vegetation the water 

would probably be satisfactory.

In the upper part of the village a few wells have been dug in clay 

and bowlder clay. These are situated near houses and are in danger 

of pollution from drainage. Some persons prefer the wells to the city
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XXII

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

Flowing well 

Important spring

Community having public supply from surface sources 

I_I Community having public supply from springs 

Community having public supply from wells 

Other important towns

Se./en Hundred/P\I MJ ~ I

y-^Jr/

20 MILES

MAP OF WALDO COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.
WALDO COUNTY. 213

water, but the public supply is safer. One drilled well in town is 

39 feet in depth, and the water is used for domestic purposes. The 

slate in this town is similar to the slate of Penobscot County and 

ought to give plenty of water, although its capacity has not yet been 

thoroughly tested by drilling.

Belmont. The only drilled well in Belmont is that belonging to Mr. 

Horace Chenery. It is 187 feet deep, and slate was struck at 12 feet 

from the surface. The well was cased with 10-inch casing to rock, 

and 8-inch casing was then placed inside and the space between rilled 

with cement, making it water-tight. The yield is reported as 19 

gallons a minute, and the analysis (No. Ill) records 138 parts per 

million of total solids.

Searsmont. In Searsmont there are no drilled wells. The deepest 

well is dug 44 feet deep and supplies good water. A field assay (No. 

201) shows 16 parts per million of carbonates. The public supply of 

Searsmont is obtained from springs. The village has a few driven 

wells, but none have been drilled.

Northport. The town of Northport is underlain largely by a complex of slates and schists, with considerable granite and diorite and 

other injected igneous rocks. Northport Camp Ground is supplied 

by a public system from springs and a drilled well belonging to 

the Mountain Spring Water Company. The well is 168 feet deep, 

is situated on the hill in the upper part of the village, and supplies 

27 gallons of water a minute. An analysis (No. 153) shows total 

solids amounting to 145 parts per million and a hardness of 87. 

Another wT ell, 64 feet in depth, obtained a small amount of water. 

The total solids and the hardness are 234 and 126 parts per million, 

respectively. A full description of the deeper well is given under the 

heading ''Public supplies" (p. 217).

Sears port. Searsport is underlain mostly by slate and schist. 

There are, however, traces of other rocks in the town. The village 

until recently was supplied by two springs situated on the hillside 2 

miles west of the village, but now buys its water from Stockton 

Springs, which obtains its supply from Halfmoon Pond.

The best drilled wells in Searsport are those of the Bangor and 

Aroostook Railroad (Northern Maine Seaport Railroad Company). 

One of these, situated at the terminal, is 3291 feet deep. This well 

yields 60 gallons of water a minute with a steam pump. A similar 

well at Kidders Point is 285 feet deep and yields 130 gallons a minute. 

The water is sold to supply steamships and is also used for running 

an electric plant.

In the village of Searsport there are several wells. Some of these 

are about 100 feet deep and give many gallons of water per minute. 

The well at the Searsport House is said to overflow the surface in 

wet weather. The quality of the water is very good. The common
214 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

constituents are reported in the analyses of the railroad wells (Nos. 

118 and 123). As will be seen, the total solids range from 100 to 150. 

The water is excellent for drinking purposes, but it forms a small 

scale in locomotive boilers.

Stockton. The village supply of Stockton Springs is taken from 

Halfmoon Pond. The railroad has a well at the "Y," one well 

directly east of the village, and two wells at Cape Jellison. These 

wells range in depth from 158 to 247 feet and yield from 10 to 200 

gallons a minute. Of the wells at Cape Jellison one was drilled 158 

feet, giving 12 gallons a minute, but the supply decreased; the other 

was sunk to 225 feet, and at that depth gave 200 gallons a minute. 

These wells are pumped by steam and electric pumps. Two analyses 

of water are given in the table (Nos. 112, 127). In both wells there 

is much iron, due to the rusting of the pipes, but the water is good. 

It is excellent for drinking, but some scale forms in boilers. There 

are several other drilled wells at Stockton Springs.

Prospect. In the eastern part of the town of Prospect the Switzer 

Spring is situated. All wells in the town are shallow and none is 

known to have been drilled.

Frankfort. Most of the wells in Frankfort are dug wells, but one 

or more drilled wells are reported. The water in the eastern part of 

town is mostly granite water; that in the western part is largely slate 

water. The wells in the western section will probably be somewhat 

the more successful.

Winterport. Winterport has a public supply from West Branch 

of Lowes Brook. There are no drilled wells in the eastern part of 

the village, but in the western part there are several, the conditions 

for water being better in that section. The supplies are obtained in 

slate similar to that at Bangor.

Monroe. At least one drilled well is situated in the town of Monroe. This is a 7-inch \vell 61 feet deep. The water contains some 

iron, but is used for domestic purposes and for stock.

Jackson. Several drilled wells in Jackson are between 45 and 65 

feet in depth. One of them is a 9-inch well. The water from all of 

them is used for domestic purposes and for stock.

Brooks. The public supply of Brooks is taken from two springs 

in the village. A few people use dug wells, some of which have caused 

sickness in the past. There are a number of drilled wells in town, 

but no information regarding them is at hand. There ought to be 

plenty of water in slate at this place.

Thorndike. Wells have been sunk in the town of Thorndike, but 

no data have been received regarding them. The conditions ought 

to be as good as in other towns in the vicinity which derive their 

water from the slate formation.
WALDO COUNTY. 215

Troy. In Troy most wells are blasted and drilled in rock. The 

depth ranges from 20 to 70 feet, and plenty of water is obtained for 

domestic and farm purposes. Most of the wells are of the ordinary 

size, but in 1876 one 8-inch well was sunk. Conditions in this vicinity 

are probably good.

Islesboro. Drilled wells are practically the only kind used in 

southern Islesboro, and the island contains more of these than any 

other town in Maine. It is occupied as a summer resort by many 

wealthy people, who can afford the best type of wells, and more than 

40 have been drilled. The depths range from 60 to 398 feet, the 

common depth being 60 to 120 feet. There is generally plenty of 

water, and some wells report more than 15 gallons a minute. The 

149-foot well of the Islesboro Land and Improvement Company 

supplies a large summer hotel and sometimes 10 cottages, the yield 

being 8 gallons a minute. Only two or three failures are reported. 

The majority of wells He south of Dark Harbor, but a few are situated farther north. There are several drilled wells at North Islesboro.

In quality the water of the Islesboro deep wells is uniformly good. 

It varies, however, from hard to soft. One analysis reports total solids 

as high as 145 parts per million and a hardness of 86. The chlorine 

in three other wells varies from 7 to 33, and the carbonates, where 

determined, run between 85 and 127 parts. There is generally a trace 

of sulphate, but no iron. (See analyses Nos. 113 to 116.)

The predominating rocks on Islesboro are a series of volcanic rocks 

and interstratified slates, tuffs, etc. There are, however, a few narrow bands of limestone extending in a general north-northeast direction, and just west of Meadow Pond in North Islesboro is a small 

patch of quartzite. Several small areas of greenstone are found in 

the southern part of the main island and on some of the smaller 

islands of the town. The limestone is probably responsible for the 

hard water which is sometimes reported. The drift on the island is 

generally very thin, but where it is thick enough some dug wells are 

used. The water in these is likely to be softer than in the drilled 

wells. Some of the dug wells can not be pumped dry. The drilled 

wells are, however, always best for drinking. One drilled well enters 

a hard, granitic-looking rock at 20 feet from the surface. This is 

called " granite" locally, but is probably only a more metamorphic 

portion of sandy slate.

Well drillers report that 75 per cent of the water on Islesboro is 

found on the western side of the ridge. A popular belief on the 

island is that the deep-well supplies come from the mountains on 

the mainland. This is not impossible, but calculation based on the 

amount of rain water falling annually on Islesboro, and an estimate 

of the amount which is probably absorbed by the surface deposits,
216 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

show that there is plenty of water to supply all the dug wells without 

having to postulate such a distant source.

A well on Bevidges Point obtained salt water at a depth of 220 

feet. This well was filled with Portland cement to a depth of about 

200 feet, and now the water is excellent. Mr. Edwin Bevidge, on 

the same point, also obtained salt water, but it was not salty enough 

to injure the well for domestic purposes.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Springs are very numerous in Waldo County, 

and some are used for domestic supplies. At the town of Brooks 

the public supply is derived from springs, and in Searsport spring 

water has been used in the past for public supply. The principal 

commercial springs of the county are the Switzer Spring, in Prospect, 

and the Thorndike Mineral Spring, in Thorndike.

Switzer Spring. The Switzer Spring, owned by the Switzer Water 

Company, of Bangor, is situated in the town of Prospect, half a mile 

northwest of Prospect Ferry. The water comes from a fissure in 

granite and flows through about 20 feet of gravel, from which it issues 

in a good-sized stream. The yield is reported in the company's circular as 150 gallons a minute. The flow is reported to be constant, and 

pumping by a windmill does not lower it. The temperature is 

reported as 44°.

The Switzer Spring water is mostly carbonated and used for soft 

drinks, but a small amount is bottled and shipped as spring water. 

The water is pumped to the bottling house 100 feet away. Some of 

the residences in the vicinity use this spring water for drinking.

ThorndiJce Mineral Spring. Three miles east of Thorndike postoffice is the Thorndike Mineral Spring, owned by Mr. Ross C. Higgins. 

The water seeps out of a hillside with a volume estimated by the owner 

as a gallon a minute. The water is very clear, but has a strong odor 

and taste of sulphur. It does not carry any sediment. A white 

sulphurous deposit is said to be formed on rocks above the spring. 

The water is used for drinking and for medicinal purposes and is sold. 

No analysis is reported.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. Several villages and towns in Waldo Count}" 

have public water supplies. Of these Belfast, Searsport, and Winterport use water from surface surfaces. Brooks and Searsmont have 

spring supplies, and Northport Camp Ground has a supply from a 

deep drilled well and a spring.

Brooks. The village of Brooks has been supplied since 1900 by the 

Ames Spring and the Ginn Spring, which flow by gravity into a 

10,000-gallon tank. The system is owned by the Consolidated Water 

Company of New Hampshire. The Ames Spring is about 75 feet and
NVALDO COUNTY. 217

the Ginn Spring 125 feet above the tank. Forty-three families and 

business houses, constituting about three-fourths of the village, are 

supplied, and about 5,000 gallons of water are used daily. The town 

has 2 miles of 3-inch and 1-inch mains. The Ginn Spring is the larger 

of the two springs, varying in flow from 3 to 6 gallons a minute. The 

Ames Spring may flow 1 gallon a minute. There is plenty of water for 

all present needs. A sanitary analysis made in 1903 shows the water 

to contain 150 parts per million of total solids and to have a hardness 

of 113. The chlorine was normal, and nitrites and nitrates were absent.

Searsmont. The water supply of the village of Searsmont has for 

over fifteen years consisted of a gravity system from a spring owned 

by D. B. Cobb & Son. The spring issues from bowlder clay in an open 

field. In use it gives a head which will raise the water 100 feet above 

the center of the village. The mains consist of about half a mile of 

2-inch iron pipes. Ten families, or about half the village, use the 

water. The amount is more than sufficient for all immediate needs. 

The quality of the water appears to be first class, but it contains a 

little iron. There is a barn about 300 feet distant, along the hillside, 

but no trouble has been experienced with the water. As a precaution 

it would seem desirable to change to a spring higher on the hill. The 

boggy nature of the surface indicates that a spring could be obtained 

higher up.

Northport Camp Ground. The village of East Northport, or Northport Camp Ground, has for nearly twenty years been supplied by 

gravity from a well and a spring owned by the Mountain Spring 

Water Company. The spring, situated 2J miles back on the mountain, 

is used the year round, and the well situated on the hill above the 

village is used as an additional supply during two months of the 

summer season. The well was first drilled to a depth of 95 feet, but 

it could be pumped dry, so drilling was continued. The rock is 

supposed to be schist, struck at 50 feet from the surface. At about 

150 feet the drill dropped 18 inches and all the water was lost. The 

well was deepened to 168 feet and the water can now be lowered 30 

feet by pumping. It has been pumped seventeen hours with no signs 

of exhaustion. There are about 200 takers and 500 taps, making 

about 95 per cent of the summer population who use the public 

supply. The village has no fire hydrants. In the height of the 

season 20,000 gallons of water are used in twenty-four hours. The 

mains are reported to be 12 miles in length. They are 6 inches and 2 

inches in size.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

The improvement of the waterworks belonging to the town of Belfast 

is important. The village now obtains its supply from a rather poor 

reservoir near the mouth of Little River. The water has a disagreeable fishy odor and its use is at times very unpleasant. It is not
218 UNDEKGBOUND WATEKS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

supposed to be detrimental to the public health, and in spite of its 

poor taste it is believed to be better than the water taken from dug 

wells in the heart of the village. In order to give entire satisfaction, 

however, the supply should be improved.

It is suggested that if a reservoir were built higher up on the same 

stream, and if care were taken to remove decaying vegetable matter 

and other organic materials from the reservoir and banks, the present 

trouble might be avoided. It is also possible that treatment with a 

minute quantity of copper sulphate, by a competent engineer, might 

improve the condition of the water.

Another recommendation to be made in respect to Waldo County is 

that a larger number of drilled wells be sunk. Many dug wells that 

do not give proper satisfaction might be replaced by drilled wells with 

probably good results, as the slates of Waldo County seem to contain 

plenty of water.

SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Washington County lies in the southeastern part of Maine, being 

bounded on the east by New Brunswick and on the south by the 

ocean. The length of this county is about 90 miles and its maximum breadth about 60 miles. The total area is 2,456 square miles, 

and the population according to the census of 1900 was 45,232. 

The largest city is Calais, with a population of 7,655, and the next 

largest is Eastport, which contains 5,311 inhabitants.

Washington County may be conveniently subdivided into three 

sections. The southernmost is a narrow strip along the coast, which 

contains a few small cities and towns. The central section, covering 

by far the greater part of the county, is an uninhabited wilderness. 

A few miles of the northern part of the county, near the Maine 

Central Railroad, also is somewhat settled and contains many farms. 

The area described includes the coast section and about half the 

wilderness section. The only railroad in the region covered by the 

report is the Washington County Railway, which crosses within a 

few miles of the coast, from Ellsworth, in Hancock County, to Calais 

and Eastport, on the eastern boundary of Washington County. 

Calais lies somewhat outside the area of this report as defined in the 

introduction, but it is included here in order to make a unit in discussion of the southern section of Washington County. PI. XXIII 

is a map of southern Washington County showing the distribution 

of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public 

supplies.

This county is unusually well supplied with surface water, the 

principal rivers being the St. Croix, dividing Maine from New Brunswick, the Machias or Kowahskiscook, Pleasant River, and Narra-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XXIII

9 i.o 1.5 30 MILES

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth

 y- Flowing well

 \ Important spring

:jr Community having public supply from surface sources

| ] Community having public supply from springs

MAP OF SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities having public water supplies.
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY, 219

guagus River. Throughout the wilderness there are abundant 

lakes, some of them 5 to 10 miles in length. The county is fairly 

hilly away from the coast, but not so rough as the adjacent part of 

Hancock County.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. Probabh~ one-third of the area considered in this county is underlain by granite. A band of this rock 

which has a width of 10 to 20 miles extends from the southwest 

corner of the county, in the vicinity of Millbridge, northeastward to 

the vicinity of Calais. Another granite area extends from Hancock 

County across the boundary a short distance into Washington 

County. The areas mapped as granite in Washington County 

include small areas of diorite, a rock somewhat similar to granite, 

but darker and more basic.

Between the two principal granite areas, occupying most of the 

region north of the Washington County Railway, between Cherryfield and Addison, is a large slate area. The region lying southeast 

of the railway, between Machias and Pembroke, consists to a large 

extent of slate, but includes also some volcanic rocks. Probably 

the most extensive of these lie in the extreme southeastern part of 

the State. Some unmetamorphosed siliceous shales occur in the 

southeastern portion of the county.

In the towns of Perry and Robbinston is an area known as the 

Perry Basin, which is composed of rocks of different types from 

those found elsewhere in Maine. These are mostly conglomerates, 

sandstones, and some lavas. The sedimentary rocks here contain 

fossils, and by these their age is known to be Devonian.

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of Washington County 

differ greatly in character. In many parts of the county there are 

areas of several square miles which are made up almost entirely of 

plains and undulating deposits of gravel and sand, in places 100 

feet or more in thickness. One of these areas, situated in the town 

of Columbia and vicinity, consists of a flat plain 250 feet above the 

sea and several miles in length. Underneath the gravel deposits 

and covering a large portion of the bed rock of the county is a thin 

coating of till. Small areas along the coast and near the mouth of 

the principal streams consist of clay.

WELLS.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

On account of the great abundance of good spring water in Washington County the proportion of wells is not great. Throughout 

the country districts the use of springs is probably fully as extensive
220 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

as that of dug wells. The known drilled wells exceeding 40 feet in 

depth number only 12. These are mostly situated in the extreme 

east corner of the county, but there is one drilled well on Roque 

Island and one at Jonesport. Three deep driven wells have been 

sunk at Columbia Falls.

Little is known of the quality of well water in Washington County. 

Two laboratory analyses (Xos. 158 and 191), however, are reported, 

and several field assays (Xos. 190, 192, 193, 157, and 159) have been 

made. Wells in sand and gravel were found to be low in mineral 

matter, but those in greenstone were high. For analyses of granite 

waters persons interested are referred to page 77, where they appear 

in connection with the descriptions of other counties. The table 

also contains several analyses and field assays of springs (Nos. 275 

to 284), some of which are of great mineral purity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Calais. The city of Calais has taken its public supply from St. 

Croix River. The water was poor, however, and it has recently 

been abandoned for a spring supply brought from St. Stephens, New 

Brunswick. The wells in the city are mostly shallow. Several 

drilled wells are not used. There is no reason, however, why plenty 

of good water may not be obtainable by drilled wells in that region, 

as good wells have been obtained in the same granite rocks across 

the river.

In the country districts of Calais springs are largely used. These 

generally emerge from till or sand; one spring, however, was seen 

issuing from a crack in diorite. Some wells in town are sunk in clay. 

The water in these is generally poor. In the vicinity of Red Beach 

there are many granite quarries. No water was seen in them, but 

its absence was probably due to the small amount of soil on the hills 

where the quarries are situated, as granite generally contains water. 

The only reports of the composition of water in Calais are given by a 

laboratory analysis and a field assay of water from a 44-foot bored 

well in sand and gravel (Nos. 190 and 191).

Eastport. Eastport is underlain largely by basic volcanic rocks 

which were originally lava flows. The city obtains its public water 

supply from Boy dens Lake, in the town of Perry. The one drilled 

well in town is owned by the Seacoast Canning Company. It is 408 

feet in depth, drilled in the bottom of an old quarry in the basic lavas. 

The rock is very hard for a depth of 250 feet, and several drills were 

broken, but below that depth the formation is softer. Most of the 

water was obtained at 345 feet, but small amounts were found at 

other levels. At times the water overflows the bottom of the quarry. 

The water was lowered 28 feet when pumped with an ordinary steam 

pump, and the amount was found to be too small for use. In 1906
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 221

pipes were run down 225 feet and a deep-well pump was installed. 

An attempt was made to use a force pump, but the rock was found to 

have been so broken up by blasting in the quarry that the water was 

forced by the pump into the fissures of the rock instead of out of the 

mouth of the well. In a test with a 3 ^-horsepower gas engine the 

water was lowered 75 feet and 60 gallons a minute were obtained, but 

it is not believed that the well would yield that amount by continuous pumping. An analysis of this water given in the table (No. 

158) shows 413 parts of total solids, 48 parts of silica, and 71 parts of 

sulphates. This analysis is interesting, as it is the only one available 

of water from greenstone in Maine.

A large part of the peninsula of Eastport is bare rock, but there is 

some clay and gravel. A section of a dug well on the outskirts of the 

city is as follows: Soil, 3 feet; gravel, 5 feet; blue clay, 20 feet.

Some wells situated 50 to 80 feet above tide on the borders of the 

village obtain plenty of water below the bed of clay. Several of 

these were abandoned because they contained salt water. At a time 

when it was desired to supply the city by underground water a 40-foot 

test well was driven for the waterworks. This well flows at the surface and is used by farmers in the vicinity. The water is somewhat 

salty.

Lubec. Lubec has an excellent water supply from springs situated 

west of the village. This system is described on pages 224-225. In 

the village of Lubec there are three drilled wells, and at North Lubec 

there are three more. The latter were drilled for the Seacoast Canning Company and are used and pumped by a windmill. In Lubec a 

well 100 feet deep was sunk for a hotel owned by Mr. W. J. Mahlman. 

Water was obtained at 96 feet and was pumped by a windmill. It 

was good water, but as only 8 gallons a minute were obtained the well 

was abandoned when the city water was installed. The well of the 

Lubec Sardine Company was drilled 165 feet and scarcely any water 

was found.

The rocks at Lubec are slates intruded and metamorphosed by 

large masses of gabbro. West of the peninsula the drift is generally 

thick and there is some clay. The field assay of one 30-foot well in 

clay is given in the table (No. 166).

Perry. All wells in the town of Perry are open wells. In most of 

those which are sunk in clay the water is "brackish." The town is 

reported to be abundantly supplied with springs which issue from 

volcanic rock, sandstone, and clay. The flow is reported as much as 

20 gallons a minute in wet weather and a little less in dry weather. A 

single field assay of water from a dug well is given in the table (No. 

202).

Pembroke. The general depth of wells in Pembroke is 5 to 30 feet. 

They are all open wells and are mostly dug in till and gravel.
222 UNDEBGEOUND WATEKS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Machias. The town of Machias uses Machias River water. There 

are few wells in the town, and all are open wells. Some of the 

shallower ones penetrate clay and obtain water in gravel at an average 

depth of about 20 feet. Many families near the village use spring 

supplies. Some of the springs flow as much as 5 gallons a minute.

Marshfield. There are no drilled wells in the town of Marshfield, 

and water is obtained from dug wells and springs. An analysis has 

been made of one 21-foot well which penetrates clay and enters gravel. 

Most of the wells run low or dry up in summer. Some persons haul 

water by hand from near-by springs.

Whitneyville. The wells in Whitneyville are not more than 20 feet 

in depth. Some are in gravel and some in clay, and several rest on 

rock. The wells run dry during the summer and the owners haul 

water to their houses. At a few houses springs are used.

Jonesboro. All wells in the town of Jonesboro are dug. One well 

is situated 50 feet from a granite ledge and is dug 7 feet in bowlder 

clay. This well overflows the surface. A field assay is given in the 

table (No. 174). One of the interesting features at Jonesboro is the 

granite water which seeps out of the horizontal joints, as shown in 

PI. Ill, A. This illustration shows that there is plenty of water 

in granite at this place. A single field assay (No. 174) of water in 

bowlder clay has been made.

MacMasport. The wells of Machiasport are mostly dug wells, 30 

to 40 feet in depth, in sand and gravel. There are some springs in the 

town. The sardine factory obtains its water from a reservoir supplied by springs.

Jonesport. Most of the inhabitants of Jonesport use shallow wells 

and springs. One dug well near the shore is reported to rise and fall 

with the tide, but the water is fresh. The well of the Seacoast Canning Company is 384 feet deep, in diorite. The water is used for 

drinking and the yield is reported to be 2 \ gallons a minute. It is 

called hard water. A field assay of this water is appended (No. 159).

On Roque Island the water is said to occur at the contact between 

the volcanic rocks and the underlying sedimentaries. The well of 

Mr. George A. Gardner is pumped by a gasoline engine and gives 

enough water for domestic purposes. It can be pumped dry in 

twenty minutes, but will fill again in about the same length of time.

Addison. The village of Addison Point has a public supply from 

springs which are described under the heading " Public supplies;" 

otherwise, the inhabitants use only dug wells and springs. One well, 

21 feet in depth, penetrated two beds of clay and obtained water in 

gravel. The Addison Mineral Spring is situated 2 miles southeast of 

Addisonport.

Columbia Falls. About half the houses in Columbia Falls are supplied by two springs. The water system is described under the head-
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 223

ing "Public supplies." The rest of the inhabitants use dug and 

driven wells. At Logie's canning factory there is a driven well 72 

feet in depth, in which the formation consists entirely of sand. Three 

gallons a minute are obtained near the bottom of the well. Several 

other deep driven wells are reported in the town. These generally 

go through the clay into underlying gravel.

Harrington. The village of Harrington is supplied by two spring 

systems, one of which is situated one-half mile northeast of the village 

and the other 2 miles west of the village, in the town of Columbia. 

These systems are fully described under the appropriate heading 

(pp. 225-226). A large part of the town consists of clay. The wells 

are mostly dug, but some are driven. Many of them go through 25 to 

30 feet of clay and enter gravel.

Millbridge. Millbridge has a public supply from springs situated 

in the hills a mile west of the town. These springs are fully described 

on pages 226-227. There are a few wells in the village, but these 

are mostly abandoned, as they enter a clay bed 35 to 40 feet in depth, 

'in which poor water is found. One well was dug 40 feet and entered 

a layer of " flats mud" and is now brackish. People who do not use 

the aqueduct water get their supply from cisterns. There are no 

drilled wells in the town. The field assay of a shallow bored well in 

gravel is given in the table (No. 193).

Cherryfield. The village of Cherryfield obtains water from springs 

by several small aqueduct systems. These are described more fully 

under "Public supplies." Some springs supply only two or three 

families. A few persons have cisterns. There are a number of wells 

10 to 40 feet deep in gravel. The water of the wells and springs is 

good and is never exhausted.

Columbia. The town of Columbia has few inhabitants and nearly 

everybody uses water from dug wells and cisterns. In the northern 

part of the town is a flat plain known as Pineo Ridge, or Blueberry 

Barrens, standing at an elevation of 250 feet above the sea and having a steep northern slope and deep ravines on its southern slope. 

These ravines contain many springs of excellent water. The public 

supply of the town of Harrington comes from springs situated in a 

swampy depression on a sandy slope in the southwest corner of 

Columbia.

SPRINGS.

General statement. Springs are very abundant in Washington 

County. They are used by a large proportion of the inhabitants of 

the countr}T districts for drinking purposes, and are also used by many 

communities for public supplies. The towns of Lubec, Harrington, 

Millbridge, Addison Point, Calais, Columbia Falls, and Cherryfield all 

have excellent water supplies from springs. There is at least one 

commercial mineral spring in the county.
224 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Addison Mineral Spring. Addison Mineral Spring, owned by the 

Addison Mineral Spring Company, is situated in the town of Addison, 

about 4 miles from Columbia station on the Washington County Railway. The spring has been known for a great many years. It was 

bought by White & Nash about twenty-five years ago, and the water 

was shipped for a time in barrels. Steps are now being taken to 

shut out the surface water and otherwise improve the spring. A concrete reservoir 12 feet in diameter and 6 feet in depth has been constructed, in the center of which is the spring. The reservoir generally 

contains about 3J feet of water. The owners report the flow to be 

about a barrel a minute. It bubbles up through coarse gravel overlain by about 4 feet of clay. The run-off contains a considerable 

deposit of iron.

The composition of the water is given in the table (Nos. 275 and 

276). It will be seen that the total solids are 139 parts per million, 

which is high for a Maine spring water. The water is also said to 

contain gases, "principally nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, 

with a little hydrogen sulphide." A sanitary analysis in 1906 showed 

it to be suitable for drinking.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. Notwithstanding the fact that the villages in 

Washington County are mostly small, several of them have wisely 

established public water supplies from the best sources. Machias has 

a supply from Machias River. Eastport obtains water from Boydens 

Pond. Calais formerly used St. Croix River water, but this was poor 

and recently a supply has been installed from St. Stevens, New Brunswick, which seems to be excellent. With these exceptions all the 

towns having public supplies obtain their water from pure springs 

issuing from sand and gravel deposits. The communities having 

such supplies are Lubec, Harrington, Millbridge, Addison Point, 

Columbia Falls, and Cherryfield.

Lubec. The village of Lubec owns a system of waterworks piped 

from a spring situated in drift deposits about 2 miles west of the 

village. The spring issues from the side of a clay plain, but there is 

probably gravel and sand underneath. The surface behind the spring 

is composed of bowlder clay and is covered by large bowlders. The 

rock is said to lie 6 feet below the surface. There are no houses 

within a distance of more than 1,000 yards back on the hill, and there 

is no chance of the spring becoming contaminated by surface drainage.

Originally this spring was in private 'ownership, but five years ago 

it was bought by the town at a cost of $800, which included a little 

land about it. This whole hillside appears to be honeycombed with 

springs, and the water bubbling up out of the sand is very pure and 

clear and of excellent quality. A small shed has been built over the
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 225

spring. The flow is reported to be 100 gallons a minute, and an old 

resident says it has not diminished in volume during his lifetime. An 

analysis of the water showed 102 parts per million of total solids, the 

various constituents of which are reported in No. 282 of the appended 

table. From the spring the water flows by gravity to a 500,000- 

gallon reservoir dug in stony bowlder clay a few hundred feet distant. 

From here it is pumped to the village under a pressure of 25 to 45 

pounds.

Harrington. The village of Harrington is supplied by two private 

companies taking water from springs. The larger one of the two 

companies is the Quantabacook Water Company, which draws by 

gravity from a spring situated about 2 miles northwest of the village. 

This system is owned by several prominent citizens of the town and 

supplies about 60 families. The waterworks date back to the year 

1861, thus being one of the oldest water systems in Maine. In that 

year wooden pipes were run to town, and some of the original pipes 

are still in use. In clay their condition deteriorates very little. In 

gravel, however, it has been necessary to change to iron. The wooden 

pipes consist of two half logs, put together side by side, with a 2-inch 

hole bored in the center.

In exact geologic occurrence the water bubbles up out of the sand 

in a swamp situated near the base of a long, gentle slope of sand 

and gravel probably underlain by clay. A stick 15 feet long was 

thrust down into the spring and did not reach the bottom. There 

are no houses in the vicinity, and the water may be said to be perfectly safe as regards sanitary quality. It is clear and has a fine 

taste and a measured temperature of only 44°. The flow does not 

vary with the season. The spring is covered with a small spring 

house. A fair-sized brook is formed and much more water runs 

away than can be used. At present about 300 persons are supposed 

to use the water, "and it is said that four times as many people could 

be supplied. The rates are $8 for a family, without restrictions. 

The spring is situated 60 feet above the village and therefore gives a 

good pressure. The head is said to have diminished somewhat 

owing to the rotting of the wooden pipes. A field assay is given in 

analysis No. 278.

The eastern half of the village of Harrington is supplied from a 

spring situated in sand and gravel deposits about one-half mile 

northeast of town and not far from the railroad. It is owned by 

various members of the Nash family. The surroundings are thickly 

wooded and the water bubbles up similarly to that of the spring 

owned by the Quantabacook Company. It is supposed to issue 

from sand near the top of the underlying clay. Although the soil 

is so thick that the spring can not be seen, the water constantly over59969 IEE 223 09 15
226 UNDERGROUND WATERS OP SOUTHERN MAINE.

flows and runs off in the form of a small brook. The water is excellent, is very clear, and has a temperature of 42°. A small spring 

house is built over the spring.

This company has about 40 takers on its lines. It has no charter, 

but is a rather old company and still uses wooden pipes. The supply 

is not as large as that of the Quantabacook Water Company, but there 

is plenty for all who use it, and the spring is so situated, in the woods 

and far from any houses, that there is absolutely no danger of its 

becoming contaminated. The water of this company is similar in 

quality to that of the Quantabacook Company, being very low in 

mineral and organic matter. It is said that since these water systems have been installed no case of typhoid fever or diphtheria has 

originated within the limits of the village.

Millbridge. The village of Millbridge is supplied by the Millbridge 

Water Company, which takes water from a spring and a bored well 

situated in the woods about a mile west of the village. The company was chartered in 1895 and the system was started in 1896. 

The Millbridge Water Company bought out the old wooden aqueduct 

company which had been in existence for ten or twelve years and had 

run a small plant accommodating from 30 to 40 houses.

The spring and the well are situated on the eastern side of a gentle 

bowlder-clay slope which is believed to be underlain by gravel. 

There are no houses within a distance of three-quarters of a mile, 

and the water can be said to be absolutely safe from contaminating 

influences. The water from the spring is piped to town. The well, 

however, situated near by, is fitted with a windmill and a kerosene 

engine, which are used in case of drought. The well was dug in 1898, 

at a time when the spring was rather low. When the wind blows in 

summer the well water enters the mains and is mixed with spring 

water. In winter the well is never used. The well passes through 

16 feet of till and enters gravel. It is reported that when it penetrated the clay into underlying gravel the water gushed up 12 feet 

into the air. When not used it now overflows in a small stream. 

It is curbed with ordinary glazed sewer pipe. The water of this well 

can be lowered within 4 feet of the bottom by pumping, but no lower.

There seems to be plenty of water at this place, but if it ever is 

exhausted it will be a very simple matter to dig out other holes such 

as the well above mentioned. According to surveys made b}T the 

compan}r the spring is situated 69 feet above the drawbridge across 

Narraguagus River at Millbridge. The well is 38 feet below the level 

of the spring and is only 17 feet in depth. The pump at the well 

carries the water to a reservoir 50 by 30 feet in size situated near the 

spring. The pressure is 48 pounds. The owners report that there 

is no detectable difference in quality between the water taken from
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 227

the spring and that taken from the well. Both are fine, clear water 

with little or no taste. The results of field assays are appended (Nos. 

193 and 283). The water mains of the Millbridge Water Company 

are 6 inches in diameter. The wooden pipes used for years were 

abandoned and now iron pipe is used.

About 120 water takers are said to be on the lines, including the 

mills and sardine factories. Probably about 600 people use the 

water. Nine-tenths of the houses on the south side of the river use 

it, but none on the north side. The rates are $10 to a family for a 

single service, with no restrictions as to the use of the water.

Cherry field. Cherryfield is supplied in part by water from the 

West Side Aqueduct and the East Side Aqueduct companies, the 

water being taken from two springs situated a short distance from 

the village. The water issues from gravel about 100 feet above the 

village. The people who do not use these supplies general^ have 

private aqueducts running to springs in the hillsides. A few, however, use dug wells 10 to 40 feet in depth. All this water is found in 

gravel below clay. The principal system \vas installed in 1875. The 

aqueduct companies use wooden logs for piping. These are said to 

have rotted out in gravel, but answer the purpose very well in clay. 

The springs are said to yield plenty of water during the winter, but 

sometimes they are low during the summer.

Addison Point. The village of Addison Point is supplied by the 

Addison Point Aqueduct Company, which has a spring in sand 7 

miles from the village and distributes the water by direct pressure 

through logs.- The head is about 60 feet.

PREDICTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

On account of the sparse population of Washington County few 

recommendations are necessary. All the public water supplies seem 

to be of excellent quality, and their use is recommended above that 

of ordinary well water. In few places does it seem necessary or 

advisable to spend money in drilling deep below the surface. In communities where well water is scarce and people desire to save water 

bills drilling may perhaps be done to advantage, as it has been done 

by several of the canning companies; and when the islands along the 

coast come to be used more extensively as summer resorts it is probable that deep wells will be needed in order to obtain sufficient 

supply. Deep-well water can be obtained nearly everywhere. In 

some of the volcanic areas, however, as at Lubec and Eastport, the 

qualit}7" and amount will be rather uncertain. The poorest water 

supply is that of Eastport, and the sanitary conditions in this town 

might be much improved.
228 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

YORK COUNTY. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

York County is the extreme southwestern county of Maine, bordering on the ocean and on the State of New Hampshire. Its greatest 

length is 50 miles from north to south and its breadth is 30 miles. 

The total area is 957 square miles, and the population according to 

the census of 1900 was 64,885. The largest city is Biddeford, containing 17,165 inhabitants; Saco had 6,122 and Sanford 6,078. The 

principal rivers are the Piscataqua, separating Maine from New Hampshire, and Saco River, which lies in the eastern part of the county.

The principal transportation lines are the Eastern, Western, and 

Portland and Rochester divisions of the Boston and Maine Railroad, 

which cross the county from northeast to southwest, and the York 

Harbor and Beach Railroad, which connects Portsmouth, N. H., 

with York Beach. In topography the county is very diversified, 

ranging in altitude from sea level to about 1,300 feet. The coast is 

in many places very rocky, but it also contains a number of beaches 

which are among the finest in the country and are used extensively 

for summer resorts. A map of York County showing the distribution 

of deep wells, important springs, and public supplies forms PL XXIV.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

RELATION TO ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS.

Distribution of rock types. The rocks of York County consist 

chiefly of slate and granite. They are rather irregularly distributed, 

but in general the granite can be said to occupy a belt from 5 to 10 

miles in width, extending southward from Limington and Hollis to 

the vicinity of Alfred and Lyman, where it splits into two belts, one 

of which reaches the coast in the town of Kennebunkport and the 

other extends as far south as South Berwick and northern York. 

Outside the granite area the rock is generally slate and schist, which 

range in character from a rather fissile shaly rock to a hard, dense 

black slate which is in many places considerably metamorphosed. 

Much of the rock mapped as slate is in reality schist or quartzite. 

Both the slate and the granite are cut by a large number of trap dikes. 

, The prevailing direction of the strike of the slate is from N. 60° to 

80° E., and the dip is generally 75° NW. or SE. to vertical. In only 

a few localities are the dips low. In places the strata are much contorted. The old metamorphic rocks are cut by numerous dikes of 

basic igneous rock generally known as trap.

All the rocks of York County are very much jointed, but the joint 

systems are not so definite and regular as in other parts of Maine. 

An interesting illustration of the way in which water may enter rock 

and be held in the fissures is given in PI. V, A. In this locality the
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 PLATE XXIV

. i ^- ^Little Ossipee 

W A T E R^k/0 R 0 \

 Successful well over 50 feet in depth. 

O Unsuccessful well over 50 feet in depth

 ^- Flowing well

 ^ Important spring

^ Community having public supply from surface sources 

^^ Community having public supply from wells

 Other important towns

MAP OF YORK COUNTY.

Showing distribution of deep wells, important springs, and communities 

having public water supplies.
YOEK COUNTY. 229

water in the overlying surface deposits will seep slowly downward 

along the cracks parallel with the stratification and bedding of the 

slate. PI. VII, A, shows how it may penetrate along vertical joints. 

Surface deposits. The surface deposits of York County range in 

thickness from less than 5 feet on some of the hills to more than 100 

feet in places along the coast and in some of the larger valleys. Over 

broad areas on the lowlands there are plains of sand and gravel rising to 

100 or 200 feet above the sea and increasing in elevation inland. 

These are generally underlain unconformably by extensive cla}^ deposits, 

which in this county reach a maximum elevation of more than 100 

feet above tide. Generally abundant water is found in the sand 

and gravel on top of the clay, and this may be of good quality outside the villages. In some places sand and gravel underlie the clay, 

and water in this material can be found by driving or drilling wells 

through the clay formation.

WELLS.

(GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Types of wells used. Most of the wells in York County, as elsewhere in Maine, are of the old open type, ranging in depth from 10 

to 50 feet. These are going out of use and are generally not so satisfactory as drilled wells.

Drilled wells. The drilled wells more than 50 feet in depth are 

about 70 in number. So far as known, the deepest well in the 

county is that of Mr. E. S. Marshall at York Harbor, which was 

drilled to a depth of 325 feet. There are several wells more than 

200 feet deep. The most common depth at which sufficient water 

is found seems to be about 60 feet from the surface, but some wells 

did not reach the principal vein until they had gone down more than 

200 feet. The head varies greatly. In a few wells the water overflows, but in some others it does not stand within 30 feet of the 

surface.

Quantity of water. One well at the United States navy-yard at 

Kittery reports 15 gallons of water a minute, while a neighboring 

well reports almost no water. The well belonging to the Boston and 

Maine Railroad at Kennebunk reports 24 gallons a minute. A well 

at Cape Neddick reports 30 gallons. With these exceptions the 

supply is 10 gallons or less. Many persons are using water for 

domestic supplies when the amount is only about a gallon a minute. 

The water is generally obtained by hand pump or windmill, but a 

few wells in the summer resorts are pumped by hot-air engines. In 

some of the summer resorts many excellent wells have been abandoned in recent years, owing to the installation of satisfactory 

public supplies. Xot more than half a dozen deep wells in the 

county are known to have been entire failures.
230 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Quality of water. In quality the water runs from very soft to 

slightly hard. A few wells along the coast have been ruined by the 

entrance of salt water. The general quality of slate waters in York 

County may be judged from analyses Nos. 128 to 131. Two of 

these are complete analyses and report 169 and 209 parts per million 

of total solids. A field assay of water in till (No. 167), two of water 

in sand and gravel (Nos. 194 and 195), and one of water in trap 

(No. 160) have been made. Several analyses of mineral springs are 

reported (Nos. 285 to 290), recalculated from the owners' figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.

Biddeford. The city of Biddeford, in conjunction with Saco, has 

a public supply taken from Saco River. The depth of the few drilled 

wells in Biddeford is about 100 feet, but only a small amount of 

water has been obtained. The water was found in granite, but is 

thought inferior in quality to the usual granite water. Several fair 

wells have been abandoned on account of installation of city water.

Many wells in this vicinity are dug to rock and obtain water in 

surface deposits overlying it. A few dug and bored wells in the 

thickly settled portions of the city are 40 feet or more in depth and 

obtain water in gravel underlying clay. In one well the water rose 

to the surface and overflowed. A few wells get water at 10 or 15 

feet in sand and gravel.

At Biddeford Pool and Fortune Rock there are a number of drilled 

wells. At Fortune Rock several summer residents pump water by 

a windmill from a small pond situated a few feet above tide. This 

pond water is poor and not safe for drinking.

Saco. Saco, in conjunction with Biddeford, obtains its public 

supply from Saco River. A number of bored wells in this city 

obtain water in clay at a depth of 40 to 50 feet, and the supply seems 

to be excellent for domestic purposes. Some wells get water at 10 

or 15 feet in sand and gravel.

Two or more wells in Saco were drilled in clay to a depth of 55 

to 60 feet and obtain flows from gravel below 50 feet or more of clay. 

Ferrys Beach has good driven wells 10 to 15 feet in depth. Saco 

owns a well 250 feet deep, which supplies water for drinking fountains.

Old Orchard. Formerly the public supply of Old Orchard Beach 

was obtained by gravity from Phillip's spring in Saco. At the 

present time the water of the Saco River is used.

The wells on Old Orchard Beach are mostly driven and bored in 

sand to an average depth of 15 feet, the deepest being about 40 feet. 

The water is usually good, but it is sometimes brackish. Away 

from the shore drilled wells ought to be successful if sunk into the 

underlying rock.

Buxton. In the town of Buxton several shallow drilled wells 

obtain enough water for domestic use. No very deep drilled wells
YORK COUNTY. 231

have been sunk. The village of West Buxton is now having a 

public supply installed from Saco River.

Kennebunkport. The villages of Kennebunkport, Ocean Bluff, and 

Cape Porpoise are furnished with water by the Mousam Water 

Company, which obtains its supply from Branch Brook, in Kennebunk. The water is of good quality and for that reason there are 

not many wells in these villages. A few wells from 10 to 40 feet in 

depth obtain water in sand on top of clay. A large part of the 

western part of Kennebunkport consists of a plain of clay sloping 

seaward and overlain and underlain by sand and gravel. Through 

this plain the rock reaches the surface in places. Most of the wells 

are dug. A field assay of water from one well dug in clay at North 

Kennebunkport is given in the table (No. 167).

In the village of Kennebunkport one drilled well was sunk years 

ago, but is now abandoned and no information regarding it can be 

obtained. At Ocean Bluff a number of wells were drilled years ago 

to depths ranging between 40 and 250 feet. As the public supply 

has now been installed for several years, all wells have been abandoned 

and no reliable information about them is at hand.

Kennebunk. The villages of West Kennebunk, Kennebunk, Kennebunk Landing, and Kennebunk Beach, all situated in the same town, 

obtain their water supply from the Mousam Water Company, which 

draws it from Branch Brook. Most houses on the line of the aqueduct 

outside of the villages also use the town water. There are only a few 

wells in these villages, and all of these are shallow, being dug or driven 

to depths of 10 to 30 feet. Plenty of water is obtained from them, 

but the supply is probably not so safe for drinking as the city water. 

At Kennebunk Beach a well was once drilled to the depth of 80 feet. 

The dug and driven wells are mostly sunk in sand and gravel, and 

some of them rest on clay. At the Mineral Spring House at Kennebunk Beach the Kennebunk Beach Mineral Spring is situated.

Wells. The villages of Wells, Ogunquit, and Wells Beach obtain 

their public supply, like the villages in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, from the Mousam Water Company, the source being Branch 

Brook.* The supply is of good quality. In the village of Wells a few 

dug and driven wells have been sunk, mostly 12 to 15 feet in depth, 

in sand and gravel. At Crescent Beach a spring from sand supplies 

eight cottages. The water is pumped by a windmill to a tank.

Only one or two wells have been drilled here. In the southern part 

of the town a well was once sunk for Mr. A. P. Littlefield and is 

reported 100 feet deep in granite, obtaining water at about 50 feet. 

At Ogunquit two or more wells have been drilled, 60 or 70 feet in 

depth, and obtain several gallons of water a minute. The water of 

the well belonging to the Charles C. Hoyt estate at Ogunquit has been 

analyzed, and the composition is given in the table (No. 131).
232 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

York. At York Harbor a well was drilled for the York Harbor 

Hotel to a depth of 150 feet, but the supply was small and the well is 

not much used. At York Beach a well was sunk 60 feet deep in 

granite and obtained a flow which will rise 2 feet above the surface. 

Two other wells at this place are reported to overflow the surface from 

depths of 28 and 60 feet. One of these is said to yield 30 gallons a 

minute by pumping. Several other wells in town obtain supplies at 

depths of 40 to 90 feet, and the supply is reported to range between 

5 and 10 gallons a minute. The well of Mr. E. S. Marshall, at York 

Harbor is the deepest in York County. It was drilled 325 feet and 

was "shot," but let in sea water, and for that reason was abandoned.

Several wells drilled in the town of York have met with failure. 

Three of these were situated at Cape Neddick, only a few hundred 

yards from one of the good wells mentioned above. One of these 

failures was drilled to 87 feet, at which depth salt water was encountered, which rose to about sea level. It is worthy of note that 

two of the unsuccessful wells were drilled in the trap rock which makes 

up the greater part of Cape Neddick, and that the third was in schist 

close to the contact with the trap rock, while the successful wells 

were in slate and schist. A detailed description of the water resources 

in the vicinity of York has been given by George Otis Smith. a

Some water is found at York in and underneath a bed of clay which 

forms the surface deposit at many places along York River. A small 

amount seeps out in springs near the bottom of brickyards. One 

well in a brickyard near York village is dug 18 feet deep in the bottom 

of a clay pit 8 feet below the surface. The section of this well is as 

follows: Gray clay, 6 feet; stratified blue clay with thin sand partings, 6 feet; blue clay not stratified, almost quicksand, 6 feet; gravel 

containing water, 10 feet. A field assay of the water taken from this 

well is given in the table (No. 195).

Kittery. Several wells have been drilled on Cutts Island, some at 

Kittery Point, and several at the navy-yard. At Kittery Point they 

range from 35 to 60 feet in depth. Mr. Horace Mitchell has five wells 

from 6 to 60 feet in depth, which together supply the Hotel Champernowne. One of these is drilled 60 feet. The water is pumped from 

the wells to two cisterns, which together hold 40,000 gallons. In the 

best season of the summer 200 or more people are supplied by the five 

wells. The location of two of them is rather poor. It is said that 

water supplies in slate in this vicinity often give out in dry weather.

The villages of Kittery and Kittery Point are supplied by water 

from Folly Pond. On Cutts Island there are two drilled wells, one in 

slate and one in a trap dike. The slate well, owned by Mr. Roland 

Thaxter, is 75 feet deep; the trap well, belonging to Mr. John Thaxter,

a Water resources of the Portsmouth-York region, New Hampshire and Maine: Water-Supply 

Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 145, 1905, pp. 122-127.
YORK COUNTY. 233

is 125 feet. The slate well was "shot" twice with 10 pounds of dynamite, but this did not increase the amount of water. The well in 

trap a few hundred feet distant was a failure, although it was "shot" 

four times with 15 pounds of nitroglycerin. Near the same point is 

a well, a few feet deep, blasted in trap in a cellar. A field assay of 

this water is given in the table (No. 160). This well seems to be safe 

from surface drainage, as it is bricked up and cemented to the cement 

floor of the cellar.

Most of the wells in this town obtain only 20 to 50 gallons of water 

an hour. The well on the grounds of the Hotel Pocahontas, on 

Gerrish Island, was drilled in 1895 to a depth of 40 feet, the principal 

source of water being at 39 feet, with other veins at about 30 feet. 

The well is reported to yield only about a gallon a minute. The 

water is raised by a windmill and partly supplies the hotel, although 

there is another source consisting of a natural spring 7 feet above high 

tide. This spring has been excavated in rock to the depth of 8 feet 

and when not pumped overflows through crevices of the rock.

At the navy-yard a well was drilled to a depth of 200 feet, obtaining 

very little water. A second one was sunk to the same depth with a 

similar result. The first was then deepened to 300 feet, and 15 

gallons a minute were obtained.

The most important well in this vicinity is just over the State 

line, at the Hotel Wentworth, on Newcastle Island, in Portsmouth, 

N. H. This well is situated near Forts Constitution and Stark. 

It was drilled some years ago and is supposed to be about 275 feet 

deep. During midsummer the steam pump has been run night and 

day at the rate of 30 gallons a minute for two weeks with no appreciable diminution of the supply. The water is of excellent quality.

Eliot. In the town of Eliot the wells are all dug. Those in the 

lowlands sunk in clay to moderate depths get a small amount of 

water. It is of irregular occurrence and seems to occupy more or 

less well-defined channels in more sandy strata. At one place a pipe 

was driven 35 feet through clay, and water was not found, showing 

that it can not be depended on with certainty.

Berwick. The public supply of Berwick is derived from two wells 

in gravel. At least two other wells are said to have been drilled, 

but are now abandoned on account of the installation of city water. 

A field assay of this water is given in the table (No. 194).

North Berwick. In North Berwick one well 125 feet deep, sunk in 

granite, obtains a few gallons of water a minute near the bottom. 

One or two other drilled wells have been sunk, but no information 

regarding them has been obtained.

Lebanon. At Center Lebanon a well was sunk fifteen years ago 

to a depth of 50 feet. It yields less than 1 gallon a minute, and contains some iron. The water is used, however, for domestic purposes.
234 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Alfred. Alfred has no public supply, and the water is obtained 

chiefly from dug and bored wells, mostly 35 to 50 feet in depth. 

Plenty of water can be obtained a few feet from the surface. 

Years ago a drilled well was sunk 140 feet, but for some reason was 

abandoned. There is no reason why drilled wells will not succeed 

here.

Sanford. The village of Sanford is supplied with water from a driven 

well and a dug well situated on the flood plain of Mousam River, midway between that village and Springvale. The supply is satisfactory. 

It is described under the appropriate heading (pp. 237-238). There 

are no wells in use in Sanford village. Springvale, in the same town, 

is situated 2 miles from Sanford, and is supplied by Littlefields 

Pond, 1 mile north of the village. The water is called poor and is 

said to have caused typhoid fever, but the pond is situated on the 

hills where there should be little danger of contamination. Many 

dug wells are in use in the village. Formerly there were two small 

water systems here, one obtaining water from springs in sand and 

gravel deposits at the lower end of the village, the other using river 

water. In 1904 the spring company was bought out by the other 

company, and about that time a typhoid epidemic broke out, which 

was supposed to have been caused by mixing river water with spring 

water. The springs issue from the base of a gravel terrace rising 20 

feet above them, on top of which and several hundred feet distant 

some houses are situated, but the water is not supposed to be polluted. 

The largest spring is reported to flow 45 gallons a minute, and the 

smaller one 30 gallons. The springs are inclosed in small sheds and 

the water is collected in tanks. They are still used by a few tenants 

of the owner. Wells in the town of Sanford are all shallow.

SPRINGS.

General statement. York County is well supplied with spring 

water. Most of the people in the country districts use wells, but a 

few have springs. Within the county are a considerable number 

of springs the water of which is sold. These are as follows:

Baker Puritan Spring, Old Orchard.

Cold Bowling Spring, Steep Falls.

Indian Hermit Mineral Spring, Wells Village.

Kennebunk Beach Mineral Spring, Kennebunk Beach.

Olde Yorke Spring, Old Orchard.

Seal Rock Spring, Saco.

Wawa Lithia Spring, Ogunquit.

White Sand Spring, Springvale.

Baker Puritan Spring. In the town of Old Orchard, about 4 

miles west from Pine Point in Cumberland County, is a spring owned 

by I. C. Baker & Co., of Pine Point. It is situated on a high, dry sandy 

plain from which the wTater seeps out of a very fine sand. It is color-
YORK COUNTY. 235

less, odorless, tasteless, and very soft. It is reported to flow about 2 

gallons a minute, varying slightly in very dry seasons. It is used 

as a medicinal and table water.

No chemical analysis has been made of this water. A sanitary 

analysis made in 1895 by H. D. Evans, chemist, reports 2 parts per 

million of chlorine, 0.2 part of oxygen consumed, 8.1 hardness, 3.5 

of soluble organic matter, and 13.5 of residue of evaporation constituting the total solids; nitrites and nitrates are said to be absent.

Cold Bowling Spring. In the town of Limington, 1 mile south of 

Steep Falls post-office, is a spring owned by Messrs. George P. and 

Frank Anderson, of Boston. The spring is known as the Cold Bowling 

Spring. The water is reported by the owners to issue from gravel 

overlain by hardpan. The flow is not large, but it is reported not to 

vary. The surroundings consist of a level wooded plateau. The 

water is odorless, is exceedingly pleasant to the taste, and is very 

clear. The temperature is said to be invariable. The water is sold 

for table and medicinal purposes at 15 cents a gallon. An analysis, 

recalculated from that of the owners is given in the table (No. 287).

Indian Hermit Mineral Spring. About three-quarters of a mile 

east of Wells village is a spring owned by Mr. C. D. Healey, called 

the Indian Hermit Mineral Spring. The spring is situated on a hillside and the water is said by the owner to issue from ledge with a 

volume of 5 gallons a minute. The water is colorless and odorless 

and has a very pleasant taste. It is sold as a table and medicinal 

water. The water is said to have been analyzed by Rush & Johnstone, chemists, of Philadelphia, who report it to contain lithia, 

silica, iron, sodium, magnesium, and other elements.

Kennebunk Beach Mineral Spring. At the Mineral Spring House 

at Kennebunk Beach there is a spring owned by Mr. H. K. Smith, 

the water of which has been sold for table use. The spring is said 

to have been used by the farmers for years. The hotel was built by 

Mr. W. F. Paul fifteen years ago, being then called the Grove Hill 

House. The water is used at the hotel for drinking and cooking, 

and until city water was installed it was used for other purposes. 

Considerable water is said to be sold to cottages and hotels in the 

vicinity and in Kennebunk Beach and Kennebunkport. The water 

is said to have a very peculiar taste. It was analyzed by S. H. 

Hitchings, chemist, in 1899 and found to contain 189 parts per 

million of mineral matter. No quantitative determination of the 

different constituents was made.

The spring is 12 feet across and 2 or 3 feet deep in the center. It 

is inclosed in a spring house about 15 feet square. The hotel is 

situated on a ledge on the hillside, 300 feet distant, and 50 feet above 

the spring. The spring is well walled up and protected by masonry 

curbing. The water is pumped by a pitcher pump. It is very clear.
286 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MATNE.

The formation is bowlder clay, but hard blue clay outcrops 40 feet 

distant, across the road. The spring is only 200 feet from the edge 

of the salt marsh, which may account for the peculiar taste.

Olde YorTce Spring. The Olde Yorke Spring, owned by the Olde 

Yorke Springs Company, is situated at Old Orchard. The water is 

colorless, odorless, tasteless, and excellent for drinking. As shown 

by the analysis reported in the circular issued by the owners and 

recomputed as No. 289 in the table, the water contains 94 parts per 

million of total solids. It is sold at 20 cents a 1-gallon can.

Seal Rock Spring. In the town of Saco, about 11 miles east of the 

post-office, is the Seal Rock Spring, owned by Mr. M. A. Leavitt. 

The water is said to boil up from a surface deposit in a valley with a 

volume of 1^ gallons a minute, which is not supposed to vary with 

the season. The spring is situated in an open field. The water has 

no color, odor, or taste, and carries no sediment. No analysis has 

been made. The water is used for drinking, cooking, and medicinal 

purposes, and is sold for 5 cents a gallon.

Wawa Lifhia Spring. The Wawa Ljthia Spring, owned by Mr. 

C. W. Dunyon, of Roxbury, Mass., is located 1 mile from Ogunquit, 

in the town of Wells. The spring is situated in a valley halfway 

down a hillside, and is said by the owner to issue from a broken 

granite ledge. It is protected by a small spring house which is kept 

locked and surrounded by a wire fence. The surroundings are 

wooded. The water has no color or odor and is very clear. The 

temperature is low and is said to be variable. The flow is reported 

to be 1 to 2 gallons a minute with little variation. The water is 

used for domestic purposes and is sold as a medicinal and table 

water. The price of a 5-gallon carboy is $1.50. The analysis in the 

table (No. 288), is recalculated from that given by the company.

White Sand Spring. The White Sand Spring is situated on a farm 

near Springvale and the water is sold in Sanford and Springvale. It 

is owned by Mr. George G. Plummer. The water is reported to 

issue at the rate of 5 gallons a minute from granite overlain by 

gravel, on a rather flat slope. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, 

and its temperature varies with the season. It is used for drinking 

and cooking and is sold in Sanford and Springvale as a medicinal 

and table water. The total solids reported in an analysis published 

by the owner are 42 parts per million, and the hardness is 19.5. A 

sanitary analysis showed practically no nitrates and very little 

ammonia, which indicates that the water is probably safe for drinking.

PUBLIC SUPPLIES.

General statement. A number of communities in York County 

have public supplies, but only two of them are from underground 

sources. Probably the best water system in the county is owned
YOKK COUNTY. 237

by the Mousam Water Company. The supply is taken from Branch 

Brook, in the town of Kennebunk, and is used by the villages of West 

Kennebunk, Kennebunk Landing, Kennebunkport, Kennebunk 

Beach, Cape Porpoise, Ocean Bluff, Wells, and Ogunquit. Kittery 

and Kittery Point are supplied by Folly Pond. North Berwick and 

South Berwick use small brooks. York, York Harbor, and York 

Beach are supplied by the York Shore Water Company from Chase 

Lake. Biddeford and Saco obtain their water from Saco River. 

Formerly Old Orchard was supplied from Phillip's spring in Saco, 

but at present Saco River water is used. Berwick has a well supply. 

Springvale uses water from Littlefields pond, although formerly the 

village was supplied by springs. Sanford has a dug well and driven 

wells near Mousam River between Sanford and Springvale.

Sanford. The Sanford waterworks consist of 16 driven wells and 

a large dug well situated on the flood plain beside Mousam River 

between Sanford and Springvale. The water is pumped into a reservoir and the pressure is derived in part from that and in part from the 

pumps at the pumping station near by. The water mains consist of 

galvanized-iron, wrought-iron, and cast-iron pipes, from 12 inches 

down to lj inches in diameter. It has been thought that the galvanized iron seriously affects the condition of the water, and the 

pipes sometimes rust through. For that reason the galvanized-iron 

mains are being replaced by others of cast iron. The capacity of the 

reservoir is 500,000 gallons and it gives a pressure of 90 pounds.

Until a year ago only the dug well was used, but this water was 

insufficient and for that reason driven wells were installed. These 

range in depth from 20 to 30 feet. The water is found in a bed of 

gravel, which slopes in the same direction as the river, and which 

is overlain by fine sand and silt; 500 gallons a minute can be pumped 

for eighteen hours at a stretch. The sand furnishes an excellent 

natural filter bed, and the supply seems to be perfectly satisfactory.

Berwick. For five years Berwick has had a supply from driven 

wells situated on the north edge of the village. The waterworks 

are owned by the Berwick Water Company. The water is distributed from a reservoir having a capacity of 750,000 gallons and 

giving a fire pressure of 105 pounds and a regular domestic pressure 

of 68 pounds. The water is soft and is satisfactory. The mains are 

about 7 miles in length and there are 30 fire hydrants and 200 taps. 

About one-tenth of the inhabitants use the public supply. The consumption is 40,000 gallons daily. There is plenty of water and it is 

reported to be excellent, but persons beyond reach of the mains still 

use dug wells. A field assay is given in the table (No. 194).

West Newfield. The people of West Newfield are supplied by a 

spring, which flows with a volume of 2 gallons a minute. The water 

is excellent. There are about 1,000 feet of mains and 26 taps.
RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS II SOUTHERN MAIM.

Bv W. S. BAYLEY.

The table on the following pages contains the records of 526 

wells more than 50 feet in depth obtained to the date of completing 

the foregoing report. This list was started by correspondence 

during the years 1903 to 1905, and was completed and revised by field 

and office work in 1906 and 1907. An effort has been made to include 

in it all wells, both successful and unsuccessful, more than 50 feet in 

depth, which have been sunk in southern Maine. In order to make a 

systematic canvass of the State, blanks were first mailed to the 

postmasters, asking for the names of well owners and drillers. The 

majority of postmasters replied to these inquiries, and to the names 

obtained in that way another blank was sent, requesting full information regarding the locality, owner, year completed, diameter, type, 

depth of well, depth to rock, depth to principal and secondary water 

supplies, head of water, quality of water, yield, use, and method of 

obtaining water from all wells. Keplies were received from about 

half the persons to whom the inquiries were sent. Where the first 

request met with no reply, a second was sent.

It is probable that a considerable number of wells have been 

omitted from the list for the reasons, first, that many well owners 

did not reply to either the first or the second request for information, 

and, second, that it has been impracticable on account of expense to 

visit all the wells in the field. Doubtless there are some dug wells 

more than 50 feet deep which are not included, as all open wells have 

been dug many years and it is difficult to obtain reliable information 

concerning them. Some drilled wells are omitted for similar reasons.

It is believed that most of the information given in the table is 

correct. In preparing such a table, however, inaccuracies are bound 

to creep in, and it is probable that there have been some mistakes 

in filling out the blank forms. The list is especially likely to be 

somewhat in error with respect to the depths at which water was 

obtained. Few of the local drillers keep accurate records, and in 

consequence the only data obtainable regarding depth to water are 

for the most part such as can be recalled by trie well owners. The 

nature of the rock furnishing the supply is seldom reported in corre238
RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS. 239

spondence, and many of the reports made are not reliable, for the 

reason that persons not educated along these lines are unfamiliar 

with the correct names of rock formations in which water is found. 

The data in the column headed "Material" are furnished mainly by 

F. G. Clapp, G. C. Matson, and B. L. Johnson, who investigated the 

conditions regarding occurrence of water in southern Maine and who 

have visited most of the wells listed in the table. In the column 

headed "Quality of water" the terms "hard" and "soft" will be 

seen to be of frequent occurrence. In only a few parts of southern 

Maine are there any really "hard" waters, and for that reason the 

word must be taken only in a relative sense, as comparing the water 

with some softer water which is familiar to the person making the 

report.

The compiler wishes to express his thanks and those of the United 

States Geological Survey to all persons who have assisted in supplying 

information. They have done a public service to the community.
240 UNDEEGBOUND WATEES OF SOUTHEBN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine. 

[Abbreviations: n. r., no rock; +0, just overflows; 0, reaches surface, but does not overflow.]

No.

1 

2 

3

5 

6

7 

8

10 

11

13

14

15

16 

16a 

17 

18 

19 

20

22 

23

24 

25

27 

28 

29 

30 

31

33 

34 

35

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

50 

51

53 

54 

55 

56 

57 

58 

59 

60 

61

Locality.

Androscoggin County.

Auburn. . ........*....... 

.....do..................

.....do..................

Cumberland County.

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

do

Owner.

John Picket .....................

W. R. Bartlett..................

R. A. Small.....................

.....do..........................

Portland and Rumford Falls Ry. 

W. F. Trask and C. F. Gould...

A. H. Abbott...................

completed. Year '

"1904" 

1906

1899 

1891

1889

1904

1892 

1895

1884 

1891

The Bridgton ................... ......

W. Morrison .................... 

O. G. Plummer. ................

Brunswick and Topsham water 

district. 

Geo. G . Brooks .................

Geo. T.Cruft. ...................

Amos Miller.. -..-.-... _._ __ .

.....do.................. Geo. F. Mnrse. ..................

do Shore Af»ras Land To

.....do..................

Clapboard Island, Falmouth. 

Cow Island . . .

U. S. Government (light-house). 

S. F. Houston..................

U. S. Government. ..... . .... .

.... .do. ................. S. W. Thaxter et al .............

.....do. ................. .....do.. ................... .

.....do..................

do

U. S. Government (Fort Levitt). 

___.do_. ................ _____ _

.... .do. ................. E. H. Ingalls... . ................

do apfirpp Woodward

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Mrs. C. H. Mallett.............. 

O. W. Shaw & Co...............

J. H. Carroll....................

Dan Cressey .................... 

A. B. Deering. ................

H.L.Martin....................

J. H. Rines.....................

Fred Smith. ....................

Win. E. Strout.................

1890 

1903 

1896 

1890 

1905 

1904

(inches). Diameter :oo 

2*

6 

6

6

6 

6

f 

6

6 

6

6 

6 

6

5t 6"

6 

6

1899 6.5

1906 ! 6 

. .1 6

1894

1895

1902 

1899

1905

1889 

1892 

1902 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1888 

1897 

1894 

1900 

1886 

1886 

1888 

1886 

1894 

1897 

1906 

1892 

1902

1900 

1900 

1901 

1895

6

6 

6

6 

6

6

[6 

8,6

8 

8 

8

7

6 

6 

8 

6 

6 

6 

6 

8 

8 

6 

6 

6

6 

6

8 

8,6

Type.

Drilled...... 

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled......

Drilled......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled......

.....do......

..'-..do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. ....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

(feet). Depth of well

654 

60 

65

1031 

60

50 

187 

215 

65 

120 

140

95J 

200

290 

70 

113 

125 

72 

521 

52 

70 

25-35

75 

80 

127 

50 

60 

55

115 

60 

75 

151i 

149 

210

390 

275 

70 

80 

550

Depth (feet). to rock

0 

90 

n. r. 

n. r.

60

4 

10

0

15

2 

35

""40" 

20 

10 

121 

10 

30 

n. r.

0

3 

4

0

2 

C 

0 

3 

1 

6

40 

10 

2

326 11 

277 18 

482 15 

68 62 

205 ......

149J 

200 

140? 

160? 

180? 

140? 

92 

66 

80 

96 

90 

80 

60 

307 

105 

65

12

30 

40

~"~40 

76 

5 

5 

0 

68 

few 

17 

0 

19 

6
EECOEDS OF DEEP WELLS. 241

Records of deep wells in southern Maine. 

[Abbreviations: n. r., no rock; +0, just overflows; 0, reaches surface, but does not overflow.]

Depth principal water to

(feet). supply 

Depth other supplies to 

(feet).

63

50

47

63

135

Material in 

which water 

occurs.

.....do.......

Gravel

...... .....do. ...... 

60 Gneiss. ......

...... .....do.......

.... do

198! ......

.....do.......

.....do.......

...do. ..

------ ... ... .....do. .... .. 

...... ......'.....do......

115

45

70 

3-10

...... .....do.......

...... .....do.......

......'.....do.......

...... .....do.......

..--.. .....do.......

Sand .

Sr'hisf-,

...... ...... .. .do

75 60

115 90 Schist.......

.....do ....

...... ...... do.

i46>"~~66 

200 60

280

180 

' " "204

60,45

464

200 50

Slate........

Gneiss. ...... 

Schist.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

160

""92 

66 

60 

92

85

."" . siate!!!" ~~~

few

80

.....do.......

.....do.......

...... Slate..... .......... .. ..

height which Average to (+ rises above, water below, well mouth). 

Quality.

4- 0 

-"20

- 15 

few

Iron and magnesia. 

Good. ........

Hard........

Yield (gallons min- per 

ute).

0

3

2

35

- 10 

+ 0

- 17

_ 1 9

- 75 

- 10

- 12

__ 3Q

 47 

-1 to 

+ 0

- 27

- 6

- 5 

- 30 

- 6 

- 35

+ 0...............

Hard........

.....do.......

Good.........

.....do.......

.....do.......

Hard.........

Soft..........

Hard.........

Hard......... 

Good........

Hard........ .......

18

90

------

20 

many 

6

5

many

few

Hard........

Good........

Good........

- 50 

- 25

- 20 

- 20 

- 18

- 6

- 40

- 40 ......... .

Fair..........

Good........

Good........

Hard........

Hard........

- 5..............

- 50 ............... 

- 75

4 

- 30

4- 1 

40

Hard........

Hard.........

...... Schist. ... . . Little hard

............ Slate........

...... 30 .....do....

63

...... .....do.......

...... Schist.......

- 14 

- 30

- 18 

- 9

Hard.........

do

many 

32

20

10

10 

30 

5

""'46'

li

5

How obtained, 

where used.

Steam pump . . .

Hand pump.....

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

.....do..........

Abandoned ..... 

.....do..........

Hand pump.....

.....do..........

Pump

Domestic and irrigation. 

Very little water. .... 

Water works installed. 

Not enough for hotel. . Domestic and stock. . .

Domestic and stock. . . 

do...

Windmill do...

Steam pump. . . . 

Abandoned .....

Windmill .......

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hot-air engine. . .

Steam pump .... 

Windmill.......

.....do..........

Windmill....... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

Not used. .......

.do. . ..

Soft do

City water installed . . .

Domestic and stock . . .

.....do................

Drinking and stock.... 

Domestic and stock. . .

Public supply. ........

.....do................

.....do................

Domestic and stock . . .

.....do................

.....do................

City water installed. . .

.....do................

Domestic and stock. . .

Domestic and stock. >. . 

DomesticHard......... ....... Hand rjunrn..... Domestic and stock. .

No.

1

2 

3 

4

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13

14 

15

16 

16a 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

50 

51 

52 

53 

54 

55 

56 

57 

58 

59 

60 

61

59969 IRK 223 09- -16
242 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

6?

63

65

66

67

68

69

70

n

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

8?

84

85

86

86a

87

88

89

90

91

9?

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

10?

103

104

106

108

109

11(1

111

113

114

115

116

117

118 

119

Locality.

Cumberland County 

Continued.

.....do.. ................

.....do..................

.....do...... ............

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

House Island, Portland.

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do................:.

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Franklin County.

Farmington. ............ 

North Jay ..............

Owner.

Diamond Island Association. . . .

.....do..........................

Kinley). 

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

U. S. Government (quarantine).

W. D. Pennell. .......... .......

Mrs. A. F. Perly ................

Sue Cole............. ...........

C. W. T. Goding................

.....do..........................

J. H. Tolman.......... .........

E. T. Burrows & Co. ...........

of Maine. 

D. F. Emory...................

M. R. Griffith. ..................

John T. Palmer. ................

Y. M. C. A. building. ...........

Walter Briggs. ..................

IraC. Foss......................

H. J. Libby estate ..............

Chas. Dolloff heirs. . ............

J. H. Leo.......................

Mrs. G. W. Granville. ..........

Frank H. Rand. ................

R. W. E. Shaw.................

Haskell Silk Co. ................

.....do..........................

Warren Ladd ................... 

Leon H. Look. ..................

completed. Year 

1893

1900

1902

1902

1902

1899

1902

1895

1895

1899

1900

1898

1905

1907

1896

1887

1891

1887

1906

1892

1897

1905

1895

1888

1901

1 OQ7

1900

1897

1904

1QAO

1850 

1903

Diameter (inches).

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

8

6

6

6

fi

8

8

8

8; 6

6

6

6

6

fi

6

9

6

7

6

fi

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

fi

Type.

Drilled......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

do

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Dug........

Drilled......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.... do.....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Dug......... 

Driven......

of (feet). well Dpth 

301

120

96

215

302

97J

95

265

65

90

270 

197

171

67

210

100+

93

75

90

135

60

202

203

201

80

97

60

298J

106

204

128

210

505

161

96

56

290

201

100

108

121

60

86

58 

70

Depth (fet). to rock

8

6

10

8

16

20

0 

100±

6

0

13

0

14

0

14Q L

8

42

0

QA

100+

97

19

0

50

n. r.
EECORDS OF DEEP WELLS.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

243

Depth principal to water 

supply (feet).

55

Depth supplies other to

(feet). Material in 

which water 

occurs.

............ .....do.......

80 

100 

80 

35

......! Slate........

.... .....do.......

height Average which torises above, (+water below, well mouth). 

- 15 

+ 0 

- 15

+ 0 

- 20

+ 0 

- 3

.....do.......+ 0

rlr,

160

35

23

90

60

193 

140

84 

164 

60 

160 

106

136

120 

60

405

97

38

275 

200

- 8

Quality.

.....do.......

Soft..........

Hard.........

.....do.......

.....do.......

Soft..........

ttnnd

do ......:

.....do.......

Slate

...... .....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

rln

......'.....do....... 

...... .....do.......

90 .....do.......

rln

...... .....do.......

""288

29

505

40

59 

60 

13

71

200

200 

216

58

15 

35

.....do.... .. 

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

!

<Slatp

.....do.......

Slfl,t,p,

50

50 

50

......

.....do.......

Slate and 

granite.

.....do.......

Clay.........

 6

- 24

- 35

- 10

- 10 

+ 0

Salty.........

rt '0

tH

o

ftftbe

 d "3

£

j

15

8 

14

25 

15 

30 

60

15

4

How obtained, 

where used.

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

Hot-air engine . . . Public supply .........

Steam pump....

i

Steam pump

Windmill.......

.....do.......... Water too salty. ......

! Si Steam t> unit)... Stock and irrigation...

Hard, little 

iron. 

Little iron....

......' Hard......... 

- 28 .....do........

- 30

- io2

-160 

- 15

- 9

- 42 

 12

.....do.......

Soft..........

Hard.........

Soft..........

Soft, alkaline. 

Hard.........

Salty.........

Soft .........

. ..do.. ...

+ 0 .....do.......

- 78 

-100 

-100

54

- 14

- 8

- 10 

_ 4

- 18 

- 40 

- 15 

- 4

- 13

- 4 

- 26 

+ 0

- 16

+ 8

Hard.........

Soft..........

.....do.......

Hard.........

.....do.......

Salty........

Hard........

.....do.......

Soft.........

Medium..... . 

Hard.........

.....do.......

Hard.........

Hard.........

Hard, sulphur.

Hard.........

i

25 

few

5 52" 

many

} 85

2

Hot-air engine... 

Hand pump

.....do..........

Steam pump. . .. 

Hand pump..... 

(Steam pump. . . . 

\....do. .........

.........................

65

11 

30 

25

13 

3

Steam pump....

Windmill.......

Steam pump....

26 1 Abandoned. ....

....... Not used........

many

i 

5

4

9

1 34 

2

.....do..........

Hand pump..... 

\V indniill

Domestic .............

Domestic and stock. . . 

Boilers and hotel.. ....

Public supply. ........ 

.....do................

.....do................

Boilers and drinking. . 

Fire service and washing. 

Water too salty. ......

Dye house ............

Supplies many tenements.

Domestic and boilers . . 

Too little water .......

Sometimes brackish.. . 

Domestic .............

Water salty. ..........

Domestic and stock. . . 

.....do.. ..............

.....do. ..............

Domestic and factory.. 

Domestic .............

\

Natural flow . 

Windlass. ....... Domestic .............

....... ! Not used. ....... Too little water .......

No.

62 

63 

64 

65 

66

67 

68 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

78 

79 

80 

81

82 

83 

84 

85 

86 

86a 

87 

88 

89 

90 

91 

92

93

94 

95 

96

97 

98 

99 

100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107 

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113 

114 

115

116 

117

118 

119
244 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

120

121

199

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

131

137

139

1 drt

143

144

14^

147

149

152

153

155

156

156a

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172 

173

174

175

176 

177

Locality.

Hancock County.

Bluehill.................

.....do..................

Bluehill Falls...........

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do. ........... ......

..... do. .................

.....do.......--.....--..

. ....do. ........... ------

.....do..................

.....do..................

Crotch Island, Stonington.

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

... ..do. .....-----..-. ...

.....do..................

.....do....---.------.--.

. ....do. .................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Orland........ .......... 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do. .................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Southwest Harbor. .....

.....do.--.-.-...--...-..

.....do..................

.....do. .................

.....do.................. 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do.................. 

Buttons Island ..........

Owner.

Brown & McAllister. ...........

A. S. Thomas ...................

Wm. W. Dodge. ................

G. S Stevens...................

Noah V. Tibbetts. . .............

nary.

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

Geo. W. Perkins.... ............

Ryan-Parker Construction Co. - .

J. G. Thorp.....................

Co.

E. L. Stratton ..................

F. L. Colby.....................

C. H. Abbot....................

L. E. Kimball. .................

J. G. Thorp .....................

A. H. Dresser. . ..................

Airs Birsre

.....do. .........................

Southwest Harbor Water Co .....

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

Gever & Torev

J. C. Rogers & Co. .............. 

.....do..........................

.....do..........................

S.V.Bennls. ................... 

Wm. Burnham .................

completed. Year 

1902

1893

1905

1905

1888

1904

1891

1902

1893

1894

1896

1899

1906

1896

issn

1904

1902

1903

1888

1888

1902

1896

1899

1899

1896

1891

1895

1900

1893

1906

1 QQQ

"1902"

(inches). Diameter 

6

6

6

5

6

6

6

6

6

inn

6

6

2

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

51

C7

5i

6

6 

6

10

6,5 

6

Type.

Drilled......

.....do......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Drilled......

.....do.......

shaft.

.....do.......

.....do.......

Drilled......

....ido.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do. ...

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Drilled......

.....do ......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do... ...

.....do......

drilled. 

Drilled...... 

.....do.......

(feet). well Dpth of 

87|

74

208

90

112

104

87

55

80

303

871

90J

98

cr

78

65

37

51

189

90

43

JO

77

65

37

92

114

61

297

183

94 

279

no

108 

199

(feet). Depth rock to

2

4

20

2

43

14

14

i

g

o

12±

3

7

... .

12

4

6

0

21

0

0 

0

30 

6

a. 14 wells.
RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS. 245

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

principal water Depth to 

(feet). supply 

QTl

ios

100

070

62

48

90

62

Ofi

30

72

rr\

60

10

37

1C

86

23

60 

34

Qfi

95

144

65

180

210

199

supplies other Depth to 

(feet).

50'

20,60

300 4-

45

rfi

30

33,44

'iS

174

Material in 

which water 

occurs.

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Slate........

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Sand........

.....do.......

..............

.....do.......

Gravel. ......

.....do.......

Slate........ 

.....do.......

Slate........

Slate........

Slate........

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

Slate........

Trar>........

Average heightto which (+ above, rises water well mouth). below, 

_ 2

- 0

- 26

- 20

- 0

- 20-

- 8

- 15

- 25

- 25

- 25

- 27

- 40

- 9

- 3

- 12

- 20

- 45

+ 5

- 4

- 6

_ 30

- 10

- 10

- 83

- 7

- 20 

- 20

59

- 7 

3

+ 0

- 11

- 14

on

! _ q

!

i - 30

- 7

- 18

4

- 8

- f

Quality.

Good.........

Soft..........

Hard, iron . . .

Hard........

Soft..........

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Salty........

Good ........

Salty........

Soft..........

Soft..........

Soft..........

.....do.......

Soft. .........

.....do.......

Soft. .........

Hard.........

Iron, muddy .

.....do.......

Soft..........

Soft. .........

Hard.........

Soft..........

Soft..........

Hard.........

Soft. .........

min- Yeld (gallons per

ute).

15

71

01

many

10

1-

13

8

1

i

10

5

16

40

10

6

4

45

100

11

3

28

f 60

20

How obtained, 

where used.

.....do... ......

Windmill .......

Hand pump. ....

.....do..........

Gasoline engine .

f Windmill and

steam pump.

{....do. .........

Windmill.......

Windmill. ......

Not used. .......

Windmill .......

Windmill and

gasoline engineis1 atural flow. ...

Windmill and

gasoline engine.

.....do..........

.....do..........

Not used. .......

Windmill and

gasoline engine. 

Hand pump. .... 

.....do..........

.....do..........

Not used. .......

Abandoned .....

.....do.. ........

and windmill. 

.....do..........

Windmill .......

gasoline engine

Hand pump and 

windmill.

Gasoline engine.

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

Stock.................

Domestic and quarry

supply. 

Stock.................

.....do................

Sardine factory. .......

Domestic .............

Domestic and boiler. . .

Domestic .............

Washing and boilers. . .

Hotel.................

Drill stuck. ...........

Public supply. ........

....do.................

....do.................

Dairv... ..............

Domestic and stock. . . .

Too little water.......

Water saltv ...........

Public supply ........

Stock.................

.....do. ...............

Drinking fountain... . . Domestic and stock. . . .

Domestic .............

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

City water installed . . .

Domestic and irrigation. 

House unoccupied. . . . 

Domestic .............

.....do................

Poor water. ...........

Formerly village supplyPublic supply. ........

.....do................

Domestic... ..........

Supplies 15 families. . .

Never connected ......

Drinking. .............

Domestic .............

No.

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

156a

157 

158

159

160 

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174 

175

176

177
233 Tenants Harbor . 

234 .....do............

...... J. B.Aldrich............ 

...... Wm. S.Richardson......

0000 

CD CO

*£

0 0

-I*- 

o;

Rockland ........ Rockland Breakw

...... Rockland Machine Co. 

iter. . Ricker Hotel Co.(Hotel Sa

: ; ; ; : : ; : ; |§

3 OOO32OOOOOO ^n

i i i : : : ; : i : B :

: : : g,: 3: : : : : % 

: : : "-<: a ; : : ; : ; 

::: S; ::::::: 

3 ... j, ......... 

g : : : CD ..:.:,:.:

CD CD OO OO CO CO CD OO OOOOCOCO' OOCO 

Ol O I * O< CO Is3 tO GO ' GJ OS rf». Ci i 'Si

" «« #£<»«»; »: : «! ««

ooo ooooooooooooo

§2?

Hk£- tO IN3 tO O ' CO- OS O ' ' O 1

 MM ton ' NIH . . i .

gS >\j OOO^SOOSOOffOSDO 0 ^ E.0^020g

"I" ! : : : o : : : : ?: : : : 3 : '' ' ' ' 

0, 0 . . . B ....... , . . ........

~ s . . . £* .......' . . .,.:,...

s .., 3 ....... . , , ........

' ; w- ; «-i § ; ; ; ' ^ B ; ' 

: . s. : : ' . ; i : : a°: : : ; < : o- : ' ' ' 

............... 0 ........

COCO GCOOGCGCCOCOOO" GCCOCOCCCOCO 00 COCOCOOOOO" ' OO

: : :::::::: ::::::: : ::::::

OO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 3 OOOOOOOOO

,1 8gEg55gn3|«»rM«8E«§»

 i^-1 t i CJi CO Oi H- * 

i ' 4^tO^OlN30OO' O^iCncDCJiCn O»' OS hf^- O

: : : : H- if : : : : 
11

1 o to

s?a

. , ; ^. . , ,

: : : : : : Lx|: : : : ; ; : ; ; ; S'S4 ' : : : :

M i i : : : : : :

oo co"IX: :

: : : 3: : ' 

 i&. to n 

to OOtO OOi ^S 4*.

Windmill. ... 

.....do.......

. ; ...pp..:,;

: O ^s; 50330 

: !?§§ S|§_°|

o £ ^ cr» o ro $ 52 2 

 rj-- rtfjr- a p-j±^-^

. 0 < , P 0 » 1 0

: : ; S. ^: e

 : ^; ir s: g.

; ; |; i | ^ i

: : _: : : : Sto to

CO CO

*.co

^ i : ;

Poor...... Soft....... Hard...... Little iron.Good.. .

_:

Abandoned . Gasoline engiWindmill ....

. Ruined byaccident e. Domestic... ....... 

.....do............. 

. Hotel and5cottages

o "2.: ooo'oo'o'oooo^-oooo

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

to ^ o> to to to

: ll::: I

: to »:

JT* <j&° o i : : oM o: o: K

g 

p

Windmill....

.. Domestic. .........

ro « , a; c «^ C i

: : : 3: §3; 

p : . . v 3-d 

? P.. ..,.:..

c : o o o o 3 2; rvS^SS^x

"O ' '§§',' 

 ^": '. & P.. ! :

i i g * s

Hand pump . 

Steam pump. Windmill .... 

.....do....... .....do.......

. Drinking andstock 

. Boilers .............

.. Public supply .... 

.. ...do............. .....do.............

00

Hand pump .

I ; ; 

il-icowli-o's

 OOtO.OCOOO

: : : : ; : : 

. . . , ^I . , . 

22' '. £c.' il .:

1 III

^-1 ^.1 hp*. O

Soft....... Little hard

o'. £

Windmill.... Hand pump . Airlift ....

.. Domestic.. ........ 

.. ...do............. 

.. Domestic and irrig 

tion. . Cooling acid,but no 

abandoned. 

.. Drinking. ..........

tototo totototototototoNototototo ioto lotototototototototototoiototo

COCOCO tOtOtOtotOlotOtotOtol^l^l^ i' 1"-' r-h^l 'r 1 'OOOOOOOOOO

i : i i 

?O it*. CO 

C0 : : ^ 

2, . . S, 

; ; 

p.OpC

§ ; : 3 

Ol O O 

D ; o § 

&: 3 CL

?r* ', ! ^r 

co !ocoococD!c>!c>co
248 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE. 

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

235 

236 

237 

238 

239 

240 

241 

242 

243 

244

245 

246 

247

248

249 

250 

251 

252 

252a 

253 

254 

255 

256 

257 

25R 

259 

260 

261 

262 

263 

264 

265 

266 

267 

268 

269

270 

27] 

272 

273 

274 

275 

276

277 

278 

279 

280 

2S1 

282 

283 

284 

285 

286

287 

288 

289 

290 

291 

292 

293 

?f)4

Locality.

Knox County Cont'd.

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Lincoln County.

Birch Island. South 

Bristol. 

Bristol..................

.....do.................. 

Cooper Mills............ 

Christinas Cove ........ 

.....do.... ..............

.....do............. ...

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do......... ........ dn

Damariscotta ... . .

.....do.......'..........

.....do..................

do

Owner.

Thomaston Brick Co. ...........

Sanborn,Gliddenand Raymond.

Vinal Haven Fish Co. ..........

G. W. Wheelwright. ............

J. W. P. Goudy.... ............

.T.C. Hyson...... ............... 

Cbas. H. Ashford...... ......... 

D. Y. Comstock.. . . ............ 

G. K. Denuett..................

W.E. Little....................

A. T. Thorpe...................

G. W. Waltz....................

.....do..........................

TTorl priori Rrns

do Cflntain Race . _ _

.....do..................

.....do..................

Hodgdons Island, Bristol.

.....do..................

Jefferson

Frank Rice. ....................

Abrarn Rrann

do ! L. R. Hod Flans .

.....do .. .............

do

F. C. Lowden...................

J. M. Glidden...................

W. T. Glidden .. .. ..

New Harbor TC. W. Fossett .

.....do..................

North Edgecomb

C. T. Poland....................

F. R. Cnrtis . ....

.....do..................' A. R. O. Smith.................

Ocean Point T.. .T. Croolcer

...:.do..................

Pemaquid Beach C. A. Snronl

do W. A F.llioft

Waldoboro. .............

Mrs. C. A. McMichael...........

K. II. Richards ........................

completed. Year 

"isso

1903

1897 

.1904 

1897 

1903 

1899 

1903

1905 

1885 

1906

1901

1905 

1905 

1906 

1896 ±

'i902' 

1902 

1902 

1901 

1903 

1902 

1902 

1902 

1905

1891

1891 

1905

1904 

1904 

1904 

1904 

1905

1904 

1890 

1884 

1880 iaoi

1904 

1892

1892 

1902 

1901 

1901

i904 

1905 

1889 

1889 

1903

1904 

1901 

1900 

1901 

1902

1901

R. L. Benner. ................. I 1902

Diameter (inches).

"e"

Type.

Drilled ..... 

.....do......

rlo

6 .- .do

5| 

4

?

6

6 

6 

6

6

6 

6 

6 

6

" 0 

6 

6 

P 

6 

G 

6 

4 

fi

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

Drilled... ..

.....do. .... 

... .do...... 

.....do...... 

.....do......

"Drilled."!.".^;

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...- .

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do...... 

.,..,do. .. . 

.. .rlo.

5 '.-...do.... .

6 

6

6 

6 

6 

6 

6

6 

6 

6 

6 

6J 

6 

5

SI 

6 

6 

6 

6

6

4 

6 

0,5 

6

6 

6 

6 

6

6

6

6

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do... ..

.....do......

.....do......

... .do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

(feet) well Dpth of 

386 

125 

220 

185 

120 

"203 

181 

225 

180 

196

95 

50 

109

75

703. 52" 

621 

65 

40 

50 

130 

106 

123J 

83

mo

55 

87i 

50

157 

154 

84 

120 

51 

72i 

72 

11SJ

119 

021 

91 

119 

250 

95 

85

8SJ 

76 

33 

140 

33 

142} 

84 

105 

114 

360

67» 42' 

55 

51 

102 

56 

200 

41

(feet). Depth rock to

6 

12 

2i 

0 

5 

0 

0 

4

5 

3

6

3

4 

12 

18

0 

16 

22 

0 

0 

0

25 

12

} 10

2 

0 

3

0 

10

0 

0 

0

12

9

3

0 

35 

9 

0

""3" 

0 

0

io'

0 

2
RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

249

principal water Depth to 

(feet). supply 

50

180

115

60

175

215

27

70

73

52

50

86

94

92

56

47

65

117

60

25

85

OK

84

40

i 90

114

3C

100 

56

3S

supplies Depth other to

(feet).

40

30

50

40

34

85

16,85

30

39, 7V

36

Material in 

which water 

occurs.

.....do.......

Trap........

Trap........

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Complex.

.....do.......

which heght to Average rises above, (+water mouth). below, well 

- 3

-14

-10

-27

-30

-15

+ 5

-22

-12

-30

- 9

- 6

- 8

-25

14

-14

- 6

- 3

- 6

_ 4

-60

_ 31

34

-15

20

39

_ 4

-65

- 3

Quality

Hard........

.....do.......

Hard.........

Soft..........

Alkaline.....

Hard.........

Soft..........

Hard.........

.....do.......

Hard.........

Soft..........

.....do.......

Soft..........

Good........

.....do.......

Soft..........

Hard.........

Good.........

.... do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Good........

Hard.........

Hard ........

Hard........

Soft..........

.....do.......

Good........

Salty........

Hard, iron. . . 

Soft..........

Hard ........

_c'3

M 

fe 

» 

If"3

t£

2 !s

>-!

10

22

255

20

5

100

8

3

2

1

5

U

12

2

many

U

many

31

5

7

8

9

21

10

i

i 01

1

How obtained, 

where used.

Windmill.......

.....do..........

gasoline engine.

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.....do..........

.... do..........

gasoline engine.

.....do..........

.....do..........

Hand pump

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

.....do................

Domestic and stock. . .

Domestic. ............

.....do................

Drinking. .............

.....do................

Hotel burned .........

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do................

Domestic and stock . . .

irrigation.

Farm .................

Stock.................

Hotel.................

Domestic...... .......

Domestic.. ...........

No.

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

252a

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

261

J262

264

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

272

273

274

275

276

277

278

279

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

287

288

289

290

291 

292

293

294
250 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

295 

296 

297 

298 

299 

300 

301 

302 

303 

304 

305 

306 

307

308 

309 

310 

311 

312

313 

314 

315 

316

317

318 

319

320 

321 

322 

323 

324 

325 

326 

327 

328 

329 

330 

331 

332 

333 

334 

335 

336 

337 

338

339 

340 

341 

342 

343 

344 

345 

346

347 

348 

349 

350 

351 

352 

353

Locality.

Lincoln County Cont'd.

.....do..................

Walpole

Owner.

E. M. Woodman

.... .do. .................' W. G. Hubbard.. . ..............

.....do.................. A. R. Smith. ................... 

do .T- P. TiifiVfir

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Oxford County.

do

Turnpr Center Creamery

.....do..........................

U. S. Government (customhouse).

completed. Year 

1902 

1902 

1905

1905 

1904

1890

1905 

1904 

1890 

1905 

1905

1890

...do ..... ................

Rumford Falls .. C. M Rishp.p, andR .T Virgin

.....do.................. Rumford Falls Light and Water 

Co.

do . . freorpp R. Morf.on. . . . _-..... .

Sweden .................

Penobscot County.

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

do

Walter Evans. ..................

H. C. Chapman <fe Son (Bangor 

House). 

City of Bangor (high school). . . . 

City of Bangor (Larkin st. 

school). 

City of Bangor (Palm st. school). 

City of Bangor (Unionsq. school). 

Eastern Maine Insane Hospital. . 

Fnstp.r A/ Sprihnpr

.....do.... .............. Maine Creamery Co. ............ 

do Morsp & Cn

.....do..................

do

Penobscot County courthouse. . .

T. T. RPPVPS

.....do.................. H. T. Williams.................

do . T. "K. HHSPV

.....do.................. 

Charleston .............. 

.....do..................

do

O. A. Stevens................... 

Charles Elden. .................. 

Higgins Classical Institute. .....

A. H. Mitnhpll

Corinna .... N. Rp.pd Packard .....

.....do..................

East Newport

E. D. RoweU. ..................

Northern Maine Packing Co.... 

T,. D. Babb. . ......

1891

1901 

1904

1890 

1906 

1906

1899

1906 

1906

1906 

1906 

1896

1905

igoe"

1905

1882 

1895 

1885

1899 

1899 

1902 

1902

1900

1904

1884 

1888

1890

1895

1887-

1899

1887

.....do.................. C. M. Loud.....................

Etna.................... H. L. Grove. ...................

.....do.................. G. B. Hibbard. .................

.....do. ................. G. A. Sanborn. .................

1883 

1897 

1900 

1890

(inches). Diameter 

6 

6 

6

6 

6 

6

6 

6

"e"

5 

6 

6

8,6 

21

12 

6 

6

6

6 

6

6 

6 

6

6

~~6 

5 

8 

8 

6

6 

6 

6

7

6

"e"

7,6 

6

6

6

6 

6

6 

6 

6 

6

Type.

Drilled .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do.... ..

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

... .do...... 

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. ..... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do.... .

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

well (feet). Depth of 

56 

156 

110 

100 

48 

154 

70 

154 

80 

50 

64 

95 

79

115 

62 

102 

73 

22-3o

122

117 

52 

89

290

217

188

72 

203

425 

57 

2474 77" 

120 

255 

201 

54 

197

61 

350 

250 

66 

58 

75 

50 

105

190

61 

59 

108 

70 

58 

112 

465

79 

57 

63 

55 

54 

80 

57

(feet). rock Depth to 

4 

24 

6 

0

0

7 

0 

6 

20 

3

24

17

7 

20 

n. r.

50 

42 

0 

6

50

0 

0 

14

50 

0

59

66

10 

0

40 

4

3

0 

24 

5

8

0 

4

""~9 

6 

60 

56
EECOEDS OF DEEP WELLS. 251

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

principal Depthto water 

(feet). supply 

48 

150 

106 

90

supplies to other Depth 

(feet).

37 

17

35

68 18

56

79 72

25 

a 20

55

40 

79

280 1 AA

425 50

247J

255 

60 

35 

20

58 

21 

50 +

50 

12 

50

100

61 

59 

20 

20 

53 

112 

450

70

Material in 

which water 

occurs.

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Sand and 

gravel.

Complex. .... 

Trap........

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

height whic Average to (-f above, rises water below, well mouth). 

- 26

- 12

- 20 

- 8

 20

- 10 

- 50 

- 8 

- 3 

- 12

- 17

Quality.

Hard........

Little iron....

Hard ........

.....do....... ...

C 

1

610

2

5J 

5

5

15+

Good -----

.....do....... 

Salty........

Hard ........

Hard........

- 20 ...............

....... Soft..........

 50

- 60 

- 1

- 17

100

"-"8

-200

 22

r)n

- .rln.

17 

80

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

rln

Good ........

Hard........

Good......... 

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

Good, hard... 

Good.........

.....do.......

. do.

- 10'-.- .do. . ....

+ 2 

- 50 

- 19 

 20

Hard.........

.....do....... 

rln

. ....do. .. . 15 .... .do. ......

rln

.....do.......

.....do.......

rlo

.do. ..

20, 30

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

rln

rln

35

35

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do.......

rln

rln

'so

80 

60

'"20 

50 

41

.....do....... 

.....do.......

.....do....... 

.....do.......

- 21 

- 20 

 16

- 12

- 8

- 18

- 15 

- 20 

- 20 

few 

- 6

- 15 

- 55

- 15 

- 10 

- 20 

- 10

Hard.........

.....do.......

Soft..........

Hard........

Good........'.

Hard.........

.....do.......

8

few

few

40

27

many 

30

many

30 

many

2

 Jl

15

many 

4 

3

Soft .. ,....

Hard......... 

Hard, alkaline 

Sulphur and 

iron. 

Soft..........

Hard.........

.....do.......

Fair......... 

Soft..........

few 

""20" 

30

'is

How obtained, 

where used.

Not used... .....

Windmill.......

Gasolene engine . 

Hand pump ....

.....do.......... 

Abandoned ..... 

Steam pump .... 

Hand pump. ....

Windmill. ......

Steam pump. ...

Not used........

.....do..........

.....do... ....... 

... ..do. .........

Hand pump .... 

do

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

Never completed, ..... 

Drinking and stock . . . 

Domestic and stock. . .

Drinking and stock . . . Domestic and stock . . . 

Drinking and stock . . .

Domestic and stock . . . 

Salty water........... 

Cooling cream .........

Domestic and stock. . .

Too little water .......

Too little water .......

Drinking and boilers . .

Strong taste. .......... 

Hotel.................

.....do................

.....do................

.....do. ...............

Drinking..............

.....do. ...............

Hand pump .... 

Electric pump...

. ...do.......... 

/Steam pump.... 

\....do. ......... 

Hand pump .... 

do

Cooling cream and sold 

Domestic ............. 

Drinking... ...........

Domestic and stock. . .

.....do................ 

Domestic .............

. . . . .do .......... Domestic .............

.....do..........

.....do. .. ....... 

.....do.......... 

Steam pump ....

Windmill.......

Hand pump .... 

.....do..........

rln

Little iron.... ....... .....do..........

Domestic for 4 buildings.

Domestic and stock... 

Domestic. ............

Domestic .............

Domestic and stock. . . 

Drinking and canning.

Domestic and stock. .. 

Domestic .............

.....do................

Domestic and stock. . . 

.....do................ 

.....do................

Farm .................

No.

295 

296 

297 

298 

299 

300 

301 

302 

303 

304 

305 

306 

307

308 

309 

310 

311 

312

313 

314 

315 

316

317

318 

319

320 

321 

322 

323 

324 

325 

326 

327 

328 

329 

330 

331 

332 

333 

334 

335 

336 

337 

338

339 

340 

341 

342 

343 

344 

345 

346

347 

348 

349 

350 

351 

352 

353

o Average.
252 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

354

9 CQ

359

366

368

369

370

071

070

374

375

077

378

379

380

QQO

383

9QC

386

387

000

389

391

QQO

394

395

3%

397

3QP

400

401

df!9

403

404

406

407

408

4flQ

411

Locality.

Penobscot County Con.

.....do..................

.....do..................

......do............. ....

.....do..................

.....do..................

North Dixmont. ........ 

.....do..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

Orono. ..................

.....do..................

.....do..................

....".do..................

.....do..................

Sagadahoc County.

.....do..................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

Somerset County.

.....do...................

.....do...................

Waldo County.

Brooks. .................

Owner.

C. L. Philbrick.. ................

J. E. Shaw......................

J. E. Shaw......................

Geo. H. Smith..................

Thos. L. Bragden ...... ......... 

S. E. Harris.....................

.....do..........................

N. W. Page.....................

H. M. Gage.....................

H. W. Stackpole. . ..............

R. A. Fitts..... .................

 Tibbetts.. ..................

Frank Williams. ................

F. W. Carleton..................

J. Collins......... ..............

F. C. Tobey ....................

F. H. Burrell...................

.....do...........................

.....do...........................

W. E. Whitcomb...............

Jerome Geness ..................

completed. Year 

1898

1901

1899

1889

1886

1887

1889

1891

"i896"

1897

1895

1903 

1890

1886

1894

1893

1885

1887

1883

1885

1883

1900

1904

1885

1885

1904

1905

1892

1887

1897

1884

1897

1880

1905

(inches). Diameter 

6

6

6

5

fi

fi

6

fi

6

6

fi 

4i

5J

6

6

fi

6

fi

1?

4

6

6

fi

4

fi

4

6

6

fi

5

fi

fi

fi

fi

fi

8

fi

fi

fi

fi

8

fi

10 8

Type.

Drilled .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do...... 

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Dug....... 

Drilled. .....

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

.....do......

Drilled. .....

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.....:.

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Drilled. .....

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Drilled. .....

.....do.......

well (feet). of Depth 

103

85

50

100

122

65

100

fifi

109

53

75

100

76 

75

55

55

54 

53

54

50

66

73

1004-

74

100+

57

167

149

100

200

180

124

242 949 

270

246J

335

40

962

91

42

65

100

98

98

53

96

91

26

157

80

80

47

49

52

81

187

51

(feet). rock Depth to 

20

2

52

0

9

3

52 

4

10

50

n. r.

509*;

n.,

°

..,

0

0

0

27

n

1

0

11

0

0

0

5

0

7

10

43

0

0

8

0

. 12
ft PJ

O 3

1

CO

5

co

f?

am pump..

b

g

1

S3

3 

ft

c

;

: ft:

£ : js 

~ : sT;

o | i

: l

| O

. tola

$*

5 & &3 

3 * r~ 

P:

. Dairy andstock. ..... 

. City water installed .

o

p. 

o

: 

-i -

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|

S§ D

ft

:

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: : : 22 Q

pp pf £

i i i ^ i

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; ; ; ft ft

oi ' a.

p O y' CD p .

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S"0 0 j| CD 0 0

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S3 3 sT ; s= 

ft' co~: ft

r-t- " ' ' e-t1 - I t§ '

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QO 

3§

 5"

: i ^: S

Little hard. Sard.......

00 ' 

x>S3 o^

andoned . 

tid pump. . do.........

. Poor water. ........... 

. Domestic andstock. . 

. Farm....... ..........

O Cn O-.

 o 

; o

&t

 CD

1 ^

 hH

:P|

 3

to' to

': H SO

nd pump . do.........

. Domestic. ........... 

. Stock andlawn ......

S

2 

o

p

:D_

o 

1

5'

o*

s

o 

»

D en

': 

^ . ** >

§1 

<

WS3

ad pump. . .

. Domestic. ............. 

. ....do................

-

x D

D 

^

tO ' I-" f 

fe' 0 O O ' OO

. . o o. . 

Q' O O' : O 

a '. » p ; . B

- ' ' °°'' & i'

CD ....

i : i i MIL Cn - to to CO

a; % s, \ pg.;

ip p : : :

^ f: ^ fe; g^

BoCS ft t3c3ft 

i 1 B *^ B 1 Q^ 3

. Domestic.... ......... . City water installed . 

. ....do................. 

. Formerly usdinboilers. 

. Domestic andirrigation. 

. Bushing works........ . Pump broken.. ....... r Domestic....... .......

0-

ccS3"

?

L

'Tj

8 -i

«.

o1 &

§ ft

9. 5?

-f-Miif

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ftt rrii ! 

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^b^b bb: 

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ft ft I ft.

OJ OJ CO 

CO Oo ^I

oa cc co OO -J -J

* oco oo
254 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE.

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

No.

419

415

417

418

419

491

4?,?,

424

4^5

4-37

428

429

430

431

439

434

436

437

438

439

440

441

449

443

444

449

AKf\

451

453

455

456

457

458

460

461

463

464

465

466

468

469

470

471

472 

473

474

Locality.

Waldo County Cont'd.

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do.. .................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do.. .................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

Kidders Point, Searsport

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do..............:....

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

.....do...................

Washington County.

.....do...................

Columbia Falls ..........

Eastport................

Owner.

.....do...........................

F. E. Bond.....................

II. E. Bond.....................

Miss Caldwell ...................

D. Hatch........................

F. W. Hatch. ...................

P. D. Hatch.....................

T. B. Homer. ...................

.....do...........................

ment Co. 

- j£i<^cl

.....do...........................

W. S. Pendleton. . ..............

C. S. Pierce .....................

Helen L. Pratt. .................

E. S. Preble... ..................

David H. Smith ................

J. D. Winsor. ...................

M. S. Hatch. ....................

Northern Maine Seaport R.R . Co.

N. W. Staples...................

A. II. Soden....................

S. Chase.........................

C. W. Nealey...................

F. N. Beckett.. .................

A. H. Chandler. ................

Seacoast Canning Co. ...........

Year completed.

1 Qfl =

1900

1906

IW

1902

1901

1898

IQfll

1899

1 Qf)9

1892

i onn

IQnQ

loni

1901

1901

1 Qfll

1901

1901

1 OQO

1900

1902

iQfll

1887

1902

1885

1885

1904

1887

1905 

1904

1903

Diameter (inches).

8 6

6

6

6

6

£7

6

6

£i

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

5«

6

n

51

9 6

7

7

6

S,6

6

6

6

8,6

6

6

6

f>

4 

6

6

Type.

Drilled. .....

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Driven...... 

.....do.......

Drilled......

Depth (fet.) of well

225

64

100

150

218

218

50+

266

165

102

70

180

66

63

60

120

200

149

220

75

150

300 +

210

65

54

50

69

71

225

125

101

70

90

198

134

73

252

53

45

285

61

50

108

329-J

301±

97

100

64

50

247

100±

57

115

90

49

46

72

408

Depth rock to(feet.)

704-

4

65

25

28

4

nl

5J

5

10J

is

0

0 1

5

130

4

13

12

0

71

56

6

62

47

4

17

105

80

10

6

34

15

74

6

15

49

n. r. 

n. r.

0
8

Cn 

O'

+ I I I ffi1

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C%3*W,

P % J. C o M P B a « 

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i |! i i I- i ; r i 1 15

rjJ(^| <^>r^2p- ^'3MO * ^ C 3 C 0 

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....... 11 . . . ........

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f-i OJ f-i ts3 f-i K) 1 ' 

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Kittcry Point..... 

..--. do ............. 

.....do............. .....do............. Lebanon Center.. .

...... Horace Mitchell ........ ...... Pepperell House ....... 

...... John Thaxter.......... 

...... Roland Thaxter........ ...... N. BShapleigh........

00 - OO ' '

_°J =-o

300000

5OO<CnH' O

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s ' ' ' ' 00' s 1^ h^ 1'^

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OOOOOQOOOOOOOOOO

LI. 

!l!i!!l!!l 1 H-l 
EECOKDS OF DEEP WELLS. 257

Records of deep wells in southern Maine Continued.

Depth to principal water 

supply (feet).

Qfi

on

* >

97

100

110

45

122

65

56

50

89i

60

60 

60

325

supplies Depth to other 

(feet).

30

95

30

......

Material in 

which water 

occurs.

.....do.......

Slate........

Slat'e........

Slate........

Slate........

.....do.......

Slate........

.....do.......

Slate........

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

.....do.......

Slate........

.....do.......

Slate........

height to whichAverage rises (+ above water below, well mouth).

-12

- 1

_ 34

-12

+ 0

-24

+ 0

+ 2i

-20

- 6

- 3

-20

-10

- 74

-14

-10

-20

+ 0

+ 0

+ 0

-14

-18 

+ 2

-30

Quality.

Hard.........

.....do........

Poor.........

Hard.........

Soft..........

Soft..........

Soft. .........

Soft. .........

.....do........

Hard.........

Soft..........

Hard.........

Hard.........

.....do.......

Salty.........

Yield (gallons min- per 

ute).

01

many

30

J

24

0

15

1

f

1

8

10+

5

""84"

16

How obtained, 

where used.

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

.....do...........

Windmill .......

.....do...........

Use, or if not used, the 

reason why.

.....do.................

.....do.................

.....do.................

Hotel. ................

.....do.................

.....do.................

boilers.

.....do................

No.

478

479

481

482

483

484

485

486

489

490

493

495

496

498

505

510

511

512

513

514

515

517

519

521

522

523 

524

525

526

59969 IEE 223 09- -17
INDEX.

A. Page.

Absorption, relation of, to underground water. 23-25 

Acknowledgments to those aiding....... 16-17,239

Addison, springs in......................... 224

springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 87

Addison Mineral Spring.................. 224

Addison Point, public supply of............ 227

wells at................................. 222

Albion, well in, record of.................. 246-247

Alfred, wells in.............................. 234

wells in, record of................. 1... 256-257

Alna, wells in............................... 175

Aluminum in water, range of................ 88-89

Ames Spring, description of............... 216-217

Analyses, character of....................... 75-76

recomputation of........................ 76

table of................................. 77-87

See also particular counties. 

Androscoggin County, description of........ 92

public supplies of..................... 103-104

rocks in.............................. 38,92-93

springs of.............................. 96-103

water of, analyses of................. 84

water, map of........................... 92

wells in........................ 50,57,58,93-95

records of......................... 240-241

types of........ t.................... 93

water of, analyses of.............. 77,82,83

quality of....................... 93-94

Androscoggin River system, drainage of . 19,20,23 

Appleton, well in, record of................ 246-247

Arctic Spring, description of................. 194

Arostook County, rocks in................... 32

wells in.................................. 34

Artesian wells, conditions in................. 49-50

conditions in, diagrams showing......... 49,50

Auburn, springs in.......................... 99

springs in, water of, analyses of.......... 84

wells in.............................. 31,94-95

records of.......................... 240-241

water of, analyses of................. 82,83

Augusta, spring in........................... 156

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 85

wells in.................................. 152

records of.......................... 246-247

water of, analysis of................. 77

B. 

Baker Puritan Spring, description of...... 234-235

Baldwin, well in, record of................ 240-241

Bangor, public supply of.................. 196-197

spring in................................ 194

wells in............................. 35,188-190

records of.......................... 250-251

water of, analyses of....... ......... 79

Page. 

Bar Harbor, spring in....................... 146

spring in, water of, analyses of........... 85

well in, record of...................... 244-245

Bastin, E. S, aid of......................... 163

Bath, public supply of...... .............. 199,202

wells at................................ 198,199

records of.......................... 252-253

water of, analyses of................. 81

Bayley, W. S., on flowing wells.............. 50

on public supplies....................... 69-70

well records by........................ 238-257

work of.................................. 16

Bayville, public supply of................... 173

wells in.................................. 173

Belfast, public supply of............... 212,217-218

wells in................................ 212-213

record of........................... 252-253

Belmont, wells in............................ 213

wells in, record of ..................... 252-253

water of, analysis of................. 80

Berwick, public supply of................... 237

well in................................... 233

records of.......................... 256-257

water of, analysis of................. 83

Bibliography, character of................... 15

Bicarbonate radicle, amount of............... 90

Biddeford, public supply of.................. 230

wells of.................................. 230

Birch Island, well on, record of............ 248-249

Black Island, well on, record of............ 244-245

Bluehill, springs in.......................... 146

springs in, water of, analyses of......... 85

wells in................................ 135-136

records of.......................... 244-245

water of, analyses of................. 83

Bluehill Falls, well in, record of........... 244-245

Bluehill Mineral Spring, description of....... 146

Bolsters Mills, public supply at............ 119,124

springs at............................... 119

water of, analysis of................. 84

Boothbay, wells in........................ 173-174

Boothbay Harbor, public supply of......... 173

wells at.................................. 173

Boothbay Medical Spring, description of..... 175

Bowdoinham, wells at....................... 200

wells at, records of..................... 252-253

water of, analyses of................ 80,83

Bowlderclay, character and distributionof. 28,39-40 

water in................................. 40

wells in.................................. 40

water of, analysis of.................. 82

Bradford, wells in, records of.............. 250-251

Brewer, springs in..................... 190,194-196

springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 87

259
260 INDEX.

Page. 

Brewer, wells in............................. 190

wells in, records of.................... 250-251

Bridgeton, wells in.......................... 118

wells in, records of..................... 240-241

water of, analyses of ................ 77

Bristol, wells in........................... 171,172

wells in, records of..................... 248-249

water of, analysis of................. 77

Bristol Mills, wells at, records of........... 248-249

Brooklin, wells in........................... 136

wells in, records of..................... 244-245

Brooks, public supply of.............. 214,216-217

wells of.................................. 214

record of........................... 252-253

Brooksville, wells in, water of, analyses of... 82 

Brunswiclr, public supply of........... 118,121-122

springs in............................... 119

water of, analyses of................. 84

wells in................................. 118

record of........................... 240-241

water of, analyses of................. 82-83

Buck-field, public supply of.................. 179

springs at............................... 183

wells at............................... 179-180

Bucksport, wells in.................... 134-135,137

wells in, record of..................... 244-245

water of, analysis of................. 78

Buxton, wells in.......................... 230-231

wells in, record of..................... 250-257

C.

Calais, public supply of...................... 220

spring at................................ 220

water of, analysis of................. 87

wells in................................. 220

records of.......................... 254-255

water of, analyses of................. 83

Calcium in water, range of................... 89

Camden, spring at......................... 165-106

wells at................................. 165

Cape Cottage, well at........................ 117

well at, water of, analyses of ............ 78

Cape Elizabeth, wells in..................... 117

wells in, records of..................... 240-241

Cape Jellison, well at, record of............ 254-255

well at, water of, analysis of............. 80

Cape Neddick, wells on, records of......... 256-257

Carbonate radicle, amount of................ 90-91

Carmel, wells in............................. 192

wells in, records of..................... 250-251

Carrabassett, springs in...................... 129

springs in, water of, analyses of ......... 85

Carrabassett Mineral Spring, description of.. 129 

Casing, importance of....................... 54

kinds of................................. 66

Castine, public supply of................. 1 147-148

wells in................................ 37,137

records of.......................... 244-245

Cataract Spring, description of............. 182-183

Chapman's Spring, description of............ 194

Charleston, wells in......................... 193

wells in, records of..................... 250-251

water of, analyses of................. 79

Chebeague Island, wells on.................. 115

Chelsea, springs in, water of, analyses of..... 85

wells at................................. 154

Page. 

Cherryfield, public supply of................ 227

springs at............................... 227

wells at................................. 223

Chlorine in water, amount of................ 91

distribution of........................... 27-28

Christmas Cove, slate at, view of............ 66

wells at, records of.................... 248-249

water of, analyses of................. 81

Clapboard Island, well on................... 117

well on, record of...................... 240-241

Clay, character and distribution of....... 28,41-42

water in................................. 42

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 82

See also Bowlder clay. 

Cliff Spring, description of................... 103

Climate, relation of, to underground water.. 21-23 

Clinton, spring in, water of, analysis of...... 85

Cold Bowling Spring, description of......... 235

Columbia, spring in, water of, analysis of.... 87

wells in.................................. 223

Columbia Falls, wells at................... 222-223

wells at, records of..................... 254-255

Combination wells, description of............ 49

objections to............................. 54,66

Complex, character and distribution of...... 38

water in, composition of, diagram showing 38 

quality of........................... 38

wells in.................................. 61

water of, analyses of................. 81

Connected wells, description of........... 48-49,68

Coopers Mills, well at, record of............ 248-249

well at, water of, analyses of............. 81

Corinna, wells in............................ 193

wells in, records of..................... 250-251

water of, analyses of................. 79

Corinth, wells in............................. 193

wells in, record of...................... 250-251

Correspondence, information from........... 15-16

Cow Island, wells on.....*................. 114-115

wells on, record of..................... 240-241

Cranberry Isles, wells on..................... 142

Crescent Beach, public supply of............ 167

well in, record of....................... 246-247

Crocker Hills Springs, water of.............. 185

Crook, J. K., on Maine springs............... 45

Crotch Island, well on....................... 139

well on, record of...................... 244-245

water of, analysis of................. 77

Crystal Mineral Spring, description of........ 96

Cumberland County, description of......... 104

flowing wells in.......................... 109

public supplies in................. 121-124,125

rocks in............................ 32,104-107

sections of........................... 106

springs in............................. 119-121

water of, analysis of................. 84-85

water map of............................ 104

wells in................... 50,57,58,108-119,124

recommendations on.............. 124-125

records of.................. 107,110,240-243

types of............................. 108

water of, analysis of........... 77,78,82,83

quality of....................... 109

Gushing Island, public supply on............ 124

wells on................................. 114

records of.......................... 240-241

water of, analysis of................. 83
INDEX. 261

Page. 

Cutts Island, wells on..................... 232-233

wells on, water of, analyses of----------- 80,81

D.

Dalotville, quarries at, weathering in, view of. 30 

Damariscotta, public supply of.............. 170

wells in............................... 170-171

records of.......................... 248-249

water of, analysis of................. 77

Damariscotta Mills, well at.................. 171

well at, record of...................... 248-249

water of, analysis of................. 77

Dark Harbor, wells at....................... 63

Deer Isle, wells on......................... 138-140

Depth, relation of, to head.................. 56-57

relation of, to purity..................... 57

to supply............................ 55-56

Depth, statistics of.......................... 57

Dexter, wells in............................. 193

wells in, record of..................... 250-251

Diorite, weathering in, plate showing........ 30

Dixmont, wells in........................... 192

wells in, record of...................... 250-251

Dole, II. B., work of......................... 16

Drainage, description of..................... 19-21

Driven wells. See Tubular wells.

Drumlins, nature of......................... 39

Dug wells, use of............................ 54-55

Durham, spring in, water of, analysis of...... 84

E.

East Auburn, wells in, record of........... 240-241

East Boothbay, spring at.................... 175

spring at, water of, analyses of........... 86

wells in............. ................... 173

records of.......................... 248-249

water of, analysis of................. 81

Eastbrook (Hancock County), spring at..... 146

spring at, water of, analysis of........... 87

Eastbrook (WashingtonCounty), spring at,

water of, analysis of............. 87

East Corinth, well at, record of............ 250-251

East Livermore, wells at.................... 95

East Machias, spring at, water of,*analyses of. 87 

East Newport, wells in, records of.......... 250-251

wells in, water of, analyses of............ 79

East Northport, wells in, records of....... 254-255

wells in, water of, analyses of............ 81

East Orland, well in, record of............ 244-245

well in, water of, analysis of............. 83

East Otisfleld, well in, record of........... 240-241

East Poland, springs in, water of, analyses of. 84 

Eastport, wells in ...................... 37,220-221

wells in, records of ........_ ........... 254-255

water of, anatyses of................. 81

East Troy, well in, record of............... 254-255

East Turner, spring in...................... 103

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 84

Eden, wells in............................. 140-141

wells in, water of, analyses of............ 77,82

Edgecombe, well m......................... 170

Elevations, description of................... 19

Eliot, wells in............................... 233

Ellis, E. E., on depth of cracks.............. 31

Ellsworth, wells in.......................... 135

Page. 

Ellsworth schist, deposition of.............. 43

Eskers, nature of............................ 39

Etna, wells in............................... 192

wells in, record of..................... 250-251

Evaporation, relation of, to underground

water........................... 23

Fairficld, springs in......................... 208

springs in, water of, analyses of......... 87,208

wells in................................. 205

record of.......................... 252-253

Falmouth, wells in.......................... 117

wells in, records of.................... 240-241

Falmouth Foreside, spring at............... 117

spring at, water of, analysis of.......... 84

Farmingdale, wells in....................... 152

wells in, records of.................... 246-247

Farmington, public supply of............... 128

wells in................................. 128

record of.......................... 242-243

water of, analysis of ................. 78,82

Faulting, relation of, to underground water . 24 

Farmington Falls, public supply of......... 130

spring at................................ 130

water of, analysis of ................. 85

Field work, extent of........................ 16

Fissures, water in........................... 24

Five Islands, well in, record of............ 252-253

Flowing wells, occurrence of.... 36,37,49,56,60,115

sources of, diagrams showing........... 49,50

Forest Springs, description of............. 156-157

Fortune Rock, rock at, view of .............. 66

wells at, records of..................... 256-257

Frankfort, wells at.......................... 214

Franklin County, description of............. 126

public supplies of ..................... 130-131

recommendations on.................... 131

rocks of.................................. 127

springs in............................. 128-130

water of, analysis of ................. 85

water map of............................ 126

wells in.............................. 57,58,128

records of.......................... 242-243

water of, analyses of................. 82

Freeport, public supply of................... 119

wells in.................................. 119

records of.......................... 240,241

Friendship, public supply of................ 167

Fryeburg, wells in........................... 180

Fuller, M. L., aid of......................... 16

on amount of ground water.............. 25

Galvanized-iron casing, effects cf.... 66,171-172,184

Gardiner, wells in......................... 152-153

wells in, records of .................... 246-247

water of, analyses of ................ 78,83

Garland, wells in............................ 193

Geologic history, outline of.................. 42-43

Georgetown, wells in ....................... 199

wells in, record of...................... 252-253

Gerrish Island, well on...................... 233

well on, record of..................... 256-257

Ginn Springs, description of............... 216-217
262 INDEX.

Page. 

Glacial deposits, description of............... 38-42

Glaciation, occurrence of..................... 43

Glenburn, wells at........................... 192

Glenrock Mineral Spring, description of..... 96

Glenwood Spring, description of............. 207

water of, analysis of..................... 207

Gneiss, character and distribution of...... 28,29-30

joint cracks in........................... 29-30

water in.............................. 28,31-32

quality of........................ 31-32,38

 wells in.................................. 61

See also Granite. 

Goodale, G. L., on Maine springs............ 45

Gorham, wells ai............................ 115

well, records of........................ 240-241

water of, analysis of................. 78

Granite, character and distribution of.. 28,29-30,38 

joint cracks in........................... 29-30

plate showing....................... 30

structure of.............................. 30

water in........................ 28,31-32,38,56

composition of, diagram showing.... 32

depth limit of....................... 31,56

quality of........................... 32.38

weathering in, plate showing............ 30

wells in................................. 61

water of, analyses of................. 77

Granite quarries, views in................... 30,32

Gravel, character and distribution of..... 28,40-41

water in................................. 41

wells in................................. 41

water of, analysis of................. 82-83

Great Chebeague Island, well on, record of. 242-243

Great Cranberry Island, wells on, records of. 244-245

Great Diamond Island, public supply on.. 123-124

wells on............................... 112-113

records of......................... 242-243

water of, analysis of................. 78

Greene, spring in............................ 96

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 84

Greenings Island, wells on.............. 67,141-142

wells on, records of.................... 244-245

water of, analysis of................. 77

Greens Pond, spring at.................... 145-146

Greenstone, wells in......................... 61

See also Trap. 

Greenville, wells at....................... 35,50-51

H.

Hallowell, public supply of.................. 158

wells in................................. 152

record of.......................... 246-247

Hampden, wells in.......................... 191

wells in, records of.................... 252-253

water of, analyses of................. 79 j

Hampden Corners, wells in, records of..... 252-253 j

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 79 !

Hancock, wells in..................... 135,142-143

wells in, records of.................... 244-245

water of, analyses of................. 78,83

Hancock County, description ol........... 131-132 '

flowing wells in......................... 135

public supplies of..................... 147-149

recommendations on.................. 149-150

rocks of......................... 36-37,132-133

springs in............................. 145-146

water of, analysis of................ 85

Page. 

Hancock County, water map of............. 132

wells in...................... 50,57,58,133-145

records of......................... 244-247

types of........................... 133-134

water of, analysis of........... 77,78,82,83

quality of..................... 134-135

Hardness, causes of......................... 91

Harpswell, well at........................ 118-119

See also Mere Point. 

Harrington, public supply of.............. 225-226

springs at............................... 225

wells at................................. 223

Harrison, spring in, water of, analysis of..... 85

wells in................................. 118

records of......................... 242-243

Hartford, springs in, water of, analyses of.... 86

Hartland, wells in........................... 206

Head, relation of, to depth of well........... 56-57

Hermon, wells in............................ 191

Heron Island, well on....................... 172

view of............................. 52

water of, analysis of................. 81

High Island, well on, record of............ 246-247

Highland Mineral Spring, description of..... 96-98

water of, analysis of..................... 97-98

Highland Spring, description of.............. 194

Historical geology, outline of................. 42-43

Hodgdons Island, well on, record of........ 248-249

Holden Center, spring in.................... 194

House Island, well on....................... 114

well on, record of...................... 242-243

Hudson, wells in............................ 193

wells in, records of..................... 252-253

I.

Indian Hermit Mineral Spring, description

of................................ 234

Inner Heron Island, wells on ; records of... 248-249 

Investigation, need of........................ 15

Iron in water, range of........................ 88-89

Ishka Spring, description of................. 146

Isle au Ilaut, well on, record of............ 244-245

Isleboro,joints at............................ 34

wells at....................... 35,63,67,215-216

records of*......................... 254-255

water of, analyses of................. 80

quality of........................ 36

Isochlors, distribution of .................... 27-28

J.

Jackson, wells in............................ 214

wells in, records of..................... 254-255

water of, analysis of................. 80

Jefferson, spring at, water of, analysis of..... 86*

wells in.................................. 175

recordsof.................. . ..... 248-249

Jet process, description of.................... 48

Johnson. B. L., work of................. 16,75,239

Joints, character of....................... 29-31,33

character of, figures showing............. 30,50

effect of, on drilling ..................... 65-66

water in........................ 29-30,31,55-56

zone of, view of......................... 30

Jonesboro, quarry at, section of, plate showing.............................. 32

wells in................................. 222

water of, analysis of...--..._-....... 82
INDEX. 263

Page. 

Jonesport, wells in.......................... 222

wells in, record of..................... 256-257

water of, analysis of................. 81

Jones's spring, description of................ 183

Kames, nature of............................ 39

Katagudos Spring, description of............ 146

Katahdin, Mount, altitude of................ 19

Kenduskeag, wells in........................ 193

wells in, record of...................... 252-253

Kennebec County, description of.......... 150-151

public supplies of...................... 157-158

recommendations on.................... 158

rocks in............................. 32-33,151

springs in, waler of, analysis of.. 85-86,156-157 

water map of............................ 150

wells in......................... 57, 58,152-156

records of.......................... 246-247

types of............................ 151-152

water of, analysis of........ 77, 78-79,82-83

quality of........................ 152

Kennebec River system, drainage of......... 19,20

run-off of................................ 23

Kennebunk, public supply of............... 231

spring in, water of, analysis of-.,..--..-. 87 

wells in................................. 231

records of.......................... 256-257

Kennebunk Beach, spring at.............. 235-236

well at, record of...................... 256-257

water of, analysis of................. 87

Kennebunk Beach Mineral Spring, description of......................... 235-236

Kennebunkport, public supply of........... 231

wells in.................................. 231

records of.......................... 256-257

Keystone Mineral Spring, description of..... 98-99

water of, analysis of..................... 99

Kidders Point, well at, record of........... 254-255

well at, water of, analysis of............. 80

Kingfleld. public supply of.................. 131

Kittery, wells in ........................... 232

wells in, records of..................... 256-257

Kittery Junction, slates at, views of......... 34,36

Kittery Point, wells at...................... 232

wells at, records of..................... 256-257

water of, analysis of................. 80

Know! ton soda spring, description of........ 130

Knox County, description of ................ 159

public supplies of...................... 166-167

recommendation........................ 167

rocks in................... 35,36-37,38,159-160

springs in............................. 165-166

water of, analyses of ................ 86

water map of............................ 160

wells in...................... 50,57,58,160-165

records of.......................... 246-249

types of...............".............. 160

water of, analysis of................. 79,81

quality of....................... 160

Lake Auburn, spring at..................... 103

Lake Auburn Mineral Spring, description of.. 103 

Lakes, public supplies from, list of.......... 73-75

Lamoine, public supply of.................. 149

Page. 

Lebanon, well in............................ 234

well in, record of...................... 256-257

Levant, wells in............................. 192

Lewiston, public supply in.................. 95

springs in........................... 96-98,103

water of, analyses of.............. 84,97-98

wells in................................. 94-95

records of......................... 240-241

Limerick, well in, record of............... 256-257

Limestone, cavities in...................... 36,161

cavities in, view of...................... 36

character and distribution of......... 28,35-36

water in............................. 28,36,161

quality of........................... 36

Limington, springs in, water of, analysis of.. 87 

Lincoln County, description of............ 167-168

public supplies of....................... 176

recommendations on.................... 176

rocks i n............................ 38,168-169

springs in............................... 175

water of, analysis of................. 86

water map of............................ 168

wells in...................... 57,58,81,169-175

records of......................... 248-251

water of, analyses of................. 77

quality of...................... 38,169

Linekin Neck, wells on, records of........ 248-249

Lisbon, wells in............................. 95

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 77

Lisbon Center, public supply of........... 103-104

Lisbon Falls, public supply of................ 104

well in, records of...................... 240-241

Litchfield, springs in...................... 156-157

springs in, water of, analyses of......... 86

well in, record of...................... 246-247

Lithium in water, range of.................. 91

Little Chebeague Island, well on............ 116

well on, record of...................... 242-243

Little Cranberry Island, well on, records of. 244-245 

Little Diamond Island, wells on............. 113

wells on, record of..................... 242-243

Livermore Falls, wells in, records of....... 240-241

Long Island, wells on..................... 114,140

Lubec, public supply of.................... 224-225

springs in............................. 224-225

water of, analyses of................. 87

wells in................................ 37,221

records of......................... 256-257

water of, analysis of................. 82

M. 

Machias, wells in............................ 222

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 83

Machiasport, wells at........................ 222

McMahans Island, well on, record of ...... 252-253

Magnesia Spring, description of.............. 183

Magnesium in water, range of............... 89

Map, showing area described................ 14

Maps, water. See particular counties.

Marshfield, wells at......................... 222

Matson, G. C., work of................... 16,75,239

Mechanic Falls, wells in..................... 95

well in, record of...................... 240-241

water of, analysis of................. 82

Mere Point, well in.......................... 119

well in, record of...................... 242-243

water of, analysis of................. 78
264 INDEX.

Page. Page.

Millbridge, public supply of............... 226-227 North Raymond, spring in, water of, analyspring at................................ 226 ! sis of............................ 85

water of, analysis of................... 87 North Sullivan, quarry at, view in.......... 32

Millbridge, well in.......................... 223 wells in................................. 144

well in, water of, analysis of............. 83 well in, records of...................... 244-245

Milton Plantation, spring in................. 182 view of.............................. 34

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 86 water of, analysis of.................. 77

Mineralization of water, method of.......... 27 North Whitefield, wells in................... 175

Monhegan Island, wells on .................. 175 wells in, records of..................... 248-249

Monroe, wells in............................ 214 Norway, wells in............................ 180

wells in, record of..................... 254-255

water of, analyses of................. 80

Moose Island, wells on...................... 139 | Oak Grove Spring, description of.......... 194-196

Moraines, nature of.......................... 39 water of, analysis of..................... 195

Mount Desert, spring at, water of, analysis of. 85 Oakland, public supply of................... 155

Mount Desert Ferry, well at, records of.... 244-245 Ocean Bluff, well at, records of............ 256-257

Mount Desert Island, rocks of............... 30 Ocean Point, wells at........................ 173

wells on........................... 140-141,142 wells at, records of..................... 248-249

Mount Desert Spring, description of ........ 146 water of, analyses of................. 81

Mount ] lartford Mineral Spring, description Ogunquit, spring in......................... 236

of............................... 180 spring in, water of, analysis of........... 87

' water of, analysis of..................... 181 wells in, records of..................... 256-257

Mount Mica Mineral Spring, description of .. 183 water of, analysis of................. 80

Mount Oxford Mineral Spring, description of. 182 Old Orchard, springs in................... 234-236

Mount Zircon Mineral Spring, description of.. 182 springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 87

	wells in................................. 230

N- Oldtown, wells at........................... 191

 , , , ,-,,,, Olde Yorke Spring, description of........... 236 Naples, well in, record of.................. 242-243 ._. ,. , , , . _.

 , L, ,. ' , Open wells, advantages of................... 53-54 ^eddick, Cape, wells on..................... 00 , . '. .

 , ,, , , , description of.................. ......... 48 >i ewburg, wel s at..................... 191 j Q ^^ .^ w of........... 88

Newcastle, public supply of................. ,0 Qrland, wells in....................... 135,137-138

wellsm. .......................... 1,0-1,1 wells in, records of..................... 244-245

records of............. .... 248-249 water of, analyses of................. 78,82

New Gloucester, spring in, water of, analysis Orono, wells in . 191

 . of-------------------------------- 8o wells in, records of..................... 252,253

well in, record of....................... 242-243 , . . . . '

 TT ' . ,., . ,_ waterof, analysisof................. 82 New Harbor, wells in................... 06,171-1,2 . , . . , ,,, 

... , , MO ->An Ornngton, springs in...................... 194,196 wells in, records of..................... 248-249 ..,,... ' ' . springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 87 Newport, wells in........................... 192 .. .

'. , , - -,- wellsm................................. 191 wells in, records of..................... 2o2-2o3 , . .

,T , , , . . ,_ water of, analysisof................. 79 Nobleboro, spring m. ........... l,o Qtisfleld, wllsin............................ 118

spring m, water of, analysis of........... 80 wells in, record of...................... 242-243

Norridgewock, wells in...................... 20o ._.,, , . , , ...,. ._

,, . , . , . Otter Creek, well at, record of............. 244-245 wells in, records of..................... 252-2o3 _ ., , _. ' ... , ,_, , 

, . . . , _ Oxford Co., description of................. 17b-177

water of, analysis of. ... SO of...................... 183-185

North Auburn, spring m, water of, analysis ^ in ............................ 38. j 77_178

of...... ........................ 84 springsin............................. 180-183

North Berwick, well in...................... 233 + , , f 0<. 0~ 10-,

, , , water of. analyses of............. 86-87,181 well in, record of....................... 256-257 | f i-fi North Boothbay, well in, record of........ 248-249 waer map o ......................... t

^ ^ ^. /' . . , , wells In.......................... 57,58,178-180 North Dixmont, wells m, records of....... 252-253 , ., . _, .!.,., recordsof.......................... 250-251 wells in, water of, analysis of............. 79 Northeast Harbor, wells in, records of..... 244-245 . -- -- -------- --- ---- - 

- T ,. , , , f . . water of, analyses of................. 53 North Edgecomb, well in, record of........ 248-249 ., fj

North Fryeburg, well in, record of......... 250-251 quality ot....................... 178

North Haven, wells in................... 37,59,164 P.

recordsof.............................. 246-247 Palmyra, wells in...................... 60,205-206

water of, analysis of..................... 81 wells in, records of.................... 252-253

North Jay, well in, record of............... 242-243 Paradise Spring, description of............ 119-120

North Kennebunkport, well in, water of, Paris, springs in, water of, analyses of........ 86

analysis of...................... 82 Paris Hill, public supply of................. 185

North Lubec, well in, record of............ 256-257 wells at................................. 179

North Norway, wells in, records of........ 250-251 Peaks Island, public supply on............ 123,125

North Penobscot, well near.................. 135 wells on............................... 112,125

Northport, wells at.......................... 213 records of......................... 242-243

Northport Camp Ground, public supply of.. 217 water of, analysis of................. 78
INDEX. 265

Page. 

Peale, A. C., spring classification of.......... 44,46

Pejepscot Mills, spring at.................... 200

wells at ......-.------...-.-..-.-------- 198

records of. ..........-.....-..-- - 252-253

Pejepscot Spring, description of............. 99

Pemaquid, well in........................... 171

Pemaquid Beach, well at, record of........ 248-249

well at, water of, analysis of............. 77

Pemaquid Harbor, well at, water of, analysis

of...............-..---.-..-.--. 77

Pemaquid Point, wells at................... 171

wells at, records of.................... 248-249

water of, analyses of................. 81

Pembroke, wells in.......................... 221

wells in, records of.................... 256-257

Penobscot, wells in.......................... 145

Penobscot County, description of............ 186

public supplies of..............-....---- 196

recommendations on.................. 196-197

rocks in...................... 32-33,66,180-187

springs in....... .................... 194-196

water of, analysis of................ 87,195

water map of............................ 186

wells in....................... 57,58,59,188-194

records of......................... 250-253

types of........................... 187-188

water of, analyses of................. 79,82

quality of................ 35,37,50,188

Penobscot River system, drainage of..... 19,20-21

Perry, wells in.............................. 221

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 83

Perry basin, rocks in........................ 37-38

Perry formation, character and distribution

of............................ 28,37-38

water in................................. 28,38

Phippsburg, wells at........................ 199

Pine Grove Spring, description of............ 208

Pine Spring, description of................ 200-201

water of, analysis of..................... 201

Pittsfield, wells in........................... 205

wells in, records of..................... 252-253

water of, analyses of................. 80

Pittston, wells in............................ 155

wells in, records of..................... 246-247

Plymouth, wells in.......................... 192

wells in, records of..................... 252-253

Pockets, water in............................ 61

Poland, spring in............................ 98-99

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 99

wells in.................................. 95

record of........................... 240-241

Poland Spring, description of............... 99-103

water of, analysis of................... 101-102

Pollution, existence of....................... 17

Pollution, sources of................ 17-18,27,52-54

Ponds. See Lakes.

Popham Beach, wells at, records of........ 252-253

Population, density of....................... 17-18

Pores, water in.............................. 24-25

Portland, public sup ply of................... 109

sections at............................. 106,107

wells in................. 63,67,105-106,109-115

records of...................... 110,242-243

water of, analyses of.............. 78,82,83

Potassium in water, range of................ 90

Pownal Spring, description of............... 120

Page. 

Presumpscot River system, drainage of...... 19,20

Prospect, spring in........................ 214,216

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 87

wells at.................................. 214

Public supplies, classification of............. 71-75

ownership of............................. 69-70

sources of................................ 69-71

See also particular counties, places, etc. 

Pumping, methods of........................ 49

Pure Water Spring, description of........... 157

R. 

Rainfall, records of.......................... 21-23

relation of, to underground water........ 23

Rangeley, public supply of................ 130-131

springs in............................. 129-130

water of, analysis of................. 85

Rangeley Mineral Spring, description of... 130-131 

Raymond Spring, description of............. 120

Results, summary of........................ 17

Richmond, wells in......................... 200

wells in, records of.................... 252-253

Ridlonville, public supply of................ 185

Robinson, A. C., work of.................... 16

Robinson, F. C., work of.................... 16, 75

Rockland. limestone at, view of............. 36

public supply of....................... 161-162

springs in............................... 36

water of, analysis of................. 86

wells in............................... 160-162

record of.......................... 246-247

Rockland Breakwater, well at, record of... 246-247 

Rocks, water-bearing, descriptions of........ 28-38

distribution of, map showing ........... 28

types of................................. 28

See also particular counties, sorts of rock,

etc. 

Rockport, wells in.......................... 163

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 79

Rocky II ill Spring, description of........... 208

water of, analysis of..................... 208

Roque Island, well on, record of........... 256-257

Rumford Falls, public supply of.......... 183-185

spring at.............................. 182-183

water of, analysis of................. 86

wells.............................. 178-179,183

wells at, records of.................... 250-251

water of, analyses of................. 83

Run-off, relation of, to underground water... 23

S. 

Saccarappa, wells at......................... 115

Saco, public supply of....................... 230

spring at................................ 236

water of, analysis of................. 85

wells at................................. 230

records of.......................... 256-257

Saco River system, drainage of.............. 19-20

Sagahadoc Co., description of................ 197

public supplies of....................... 202

rocks of............................... 197-198

springs in............................. 200-201

water of, analyses of................ 87,201

water map of............................ 198

wells in......................... 50,58,198-200

records of......................... 252-253

water of, analyses of................. 80,81
266 INDEX.

Page. 

St. Albans, springs in....................... 207

springs in, water of, analyses of.......... 87

wells in................................. 206

records of......................... 252-253

St. Croix River system, drainage of.......... 19,21

St. George, wells at........................ 162-163

Samoset Mineral Spring, description of...... 175

Sand, absorption by........................ 25

character and distribution of......... 28,40-41

water in................................. 41,56

wells in................................. 41

water of, analysis of................. 82-83

Sanford, public supply of.................... 237

wells in................................. 234

Sanitary analyses, value of.................. 76

Scarboro (Cumberland Co.), spring in........ 116

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 85

wells in................................. 67,116

records of.......................... 242-243

water of, analyses................. 78,82,83

Scarboro (York Co.), spring in, water of, analysis of............................ 87

Schist, character and distribution of... 28,32-33,38 

water in.............................. 33-35,38

quality of........................... 35,38

wells in.................................. 61

Scope of report.............................. 13-14

Seal Rock Spring, description of............. 236

Searsmont, public supply of................. 217

wells in.................................. 213

water of, analysis of................. 83

Searsport, wells in...................... 62,213-214

wells in, records of..................... 254-255

water of, analyses of................. 80

Sea water, difficulties with............... 34,61,67

Sebago Lake, public supply from...... 109,121,125

well at, record of...................... 242-243

Sedgwick, wells at........................... 136

Sedimentary rocks, character and distribution of........................... 37-38

water in................................. 38

Sheet joints, water from..................... 31

Sidney, wells in, records of................ 246-247

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 79

Silica in water, range of...................... 88

Skinner, W. W., work of................... 75,

98,100,195,201,207,208 

Skowhegan, public supply of.......... 204,209-210

spring in................................ 209

water of, analysis of ................ 87

wells in............................... 204-205

records of.......................... 252-253

Slate, character and distribution of.... 28,32-33,38

drilling in............................... 65

flowing wells in.......................... 35

outcrops of, views of..................... 34,36

'water in.............................. 33-35,38

composition of, diagram showing.... 36

depth of............................. 34,56

quality of............................ 35,38

wells in.................................. 35,61

water of, analyses of................. 78-81

Small Point, well at, record of............. 252-253

Smith, G. O., aid of......................... 16

Sodium in water, range of................... 90

Soil, absorption of........................... 18

Page.

Solids, in Maine waters, amounts of......... 88

Solution cavities, origin of................... 24

Somerset Co., description of................. 202

public supplies of...................... 209-210

recommendations on.................... 210

rocks of................................ 202-203

springs in.............................. 206-208

water of, analyses of............ 87,207,208

water map of............................ 202

wells in....................... 50,57,58,203-206

records of.......................... 252-253

types of........................... 203-204

water of, analysis of................. 80

quality of........................ 204

Sorrento, public supply of................. 144-145

wells in...................... 34,67,135,144-145

records of.......................... 244-245

water of, analysis of................. 82

South Auburn, spring in, water of, analysis

of................................ 84

South Brewer, springs in.................... 190

South Bristol, wells in....................... 172

wells in, record of...................... 248-249

South Freeport, spring in, water of, analysis

of................................ 85

wells in.................................. 119

records of.......................... 242-243

water of, analysis of..................... 77

South Newcastle, well in.................... 170

well in, record of....................... 248-249

South Paris, wells in, records of............ 250-251

South Poland, springs in................... 99-103

springs in, water of, analyses of...... 84,101-102

well in, water of, analysis of............. 277

Southport, wells in.......................... 174

South Portland, wells in..................... 117

South Strong, spring in, water of, analysis of.. 85 

South Thomaston, wells in.................. 162

Southwest Harbor, public supply of....... 148-149

wells in..................( ............... 141

records of......................... 244-245

South Windham, well in, record of........ 242-243

Sparkling Spring, description of............. ] 96

Springs, Importance of...................... 44-45

list of................................... 45-46

origin of.............................. 24,44,47

public supplies from, list of.............. 72-73

types of................................. 44

water of, analyses of.................... 84-87

curative powers of................... 47

quality of........................... 17,47

See also particular counties, places,

springs, etc. 

Springdale, spring in........................ 236

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 87

Squirrel Island, well on, record of......... 248-249

Standish, wells in...................... 62,117-118

wells in, records of.................... 242-243

water of, analysis of................. 78

Steep Falls, springs at....................... 235

Stetson, wells in............................ 192

wells in, records of.................... 252-253

water of, analysis of................. 79

Stockton Springs, well in.................... 214

well in, record of...................... 254-255

water of, analysis of................. 80
INDEX. 267

Page. ' , Page.

Stonington, public supply of................ 149 Underground water, occurrence of, modes of. 24

rocksat................................. 29,30 quality of.......................... 27-28,75-92

springs at............................. 132-133 recovery of............................... 43-63

water of, analysis of................. 85 relation of, to climate.................... 21-23

wells in.......................... 29, (13,138-140 sources of................................ 23-24

records of.......................... 244-245 \ temperature of........................... 26-27

water of, analyses of................. 77 | uses of................................... 63-64

Streams, public supplies from, list of........ 73-75 Underwood Mineral Spring, description of. 120-121

Strong, public supply of..................... 130 Union, public supply of..................... 167

spring at................................ 129

Sullivan, wells in.......................... 143-144

wells in, records of .................... 244-245 Vassalboro, well in, record of.............. 24(1-247

Sulphate radicle, amount of................. 91 well in, water of, analysis of............. 82

Summit Spring, description of............... 121 Veazie, wells in.............................. 190

Sumner, spring in........................... 182 Vienna, springs in........................... 158

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 86 springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 86

Surface deposits, description of.............. 38-42 Vinalhaven, wells in....................... 164-165

Surface water, public supplies from, list of... 73-75 wells in, records of..................... 248-249

Surry. wells at..................'......... ... 145 water of, analysis of................. 77,81

Suttons Island, wells on.................... 37,142 Volatile matter in water, range of............ 88

wells on, records of.................... 244-247 Volcanic rocks, character and distribution

Swans Island, water on ..................... 140 of................................ 28,36-37

Sweden, wells in............................ 180 water in................................. 37

wells in, record of...................... 250-251 quality of........................... 37

Switzer Spring, description of............... 216 Waldoboro, wells in......................... 174

j records of............................. 248-251

	water of, analysis of..................... 77

Temperature, records of..................... 21-23 Waldo Co., description of.................... 210

Temperature of ground water................ 26-27 flowing wells in......................... 212

Tenants Harbor, wells at, records of....... 246-247 public supplies of..................... 216-217

Terry, spring in, water of, analysis of........ 87 recommendations on.................. 217-218

Thomaston, wells in........................ 162 rocks in......................... 35,38,210-211

wells in, record of..................... 248-249 j springs in............................... 216

Thorndike, spring near...................... 216 water of, analysis of................. 87

wells in................................. 214 water map of............................ 210

Thorndike Mineral Spring, description of.... 216 wells in................... 50,57,58-59,212-216

Ticonic Mineral Spring, description of....... 157 records of......................... 252-255

Till, character and distribution of........... 28,39 types of........................... 211-212

water in................................. 40 water of, analyses of.............. 80,81,83

wells in................................. 40 . quality of...................... 35,212

water of, analysis of................. 82 Walpole, well in, record of................. 250-251

Togas, spring in, water of. analysis of........ 86 Warren, public supply of.................... 166

Topography, description of.................. 19 well in.................................. 163

Topsham, public supply at........ 121-122,199,202 ' record of.......................... 248-249

springs at............................. 200-201 water of, analysis of................. 81

water of, analyses of................. 87 Washington, well in, record of............. 248-249

wells at............................... 199-200 ! Washington Co., description of............ 218-219

Trap, character and distribution of.......... 28 public supply of....................... 224-227

water from, composition of, diagram recommendations on.................... 227

showing......................... 38 rocks in............................. 36-38,219

wells in................................. 61 > springs in............................. 223-224

Tremont, spring in.......................... 141 water of, analysis of................. 87

spring in, water of, analysis of........... 85 water map of............................ 218

wells in............................... 141-142 wells in...................... 50,57,58,219-223

Trenton, well in, record of................. 246-247 records of......................... 254-257

Troy, wellsin............................... 215 water of, analyses of.............. 81,82,83

wells in, water of, analysis of............ 80 Washington Junction, well at, record of... 246-247

Tubular wells, advantages of................ 54 Water, abundance of........................ 17

description of........................... 48 depth of........................... 31,34,55-59

Tunnels, water from......................... 48 ! See also Water table.

	dissemination of......................... 18

	maps showing. See particular counties. 

Underground water, amount of.............. 24-25 public supplies of........................ 69-75

analyses of............................... 77-87 quality of............................ 17,88-92

composition of........................... 75-92 relation of, to depth................. 57

disposition of............................ 25-26 See also particular counties.

movement of............................ 52 See also Wells; Underground water.
268 INDEX.

Page. ' Page.

Water-bearing rocks. See Rocks, water-bear- West Sullivan, wells in...................... 144

ing. wells in, records of..................... 246-247

Water districts, formation of................ (19-70 Whitefield, wells in........................ 174-175

Water supply, sources of.................... 18 White Sand Spring, description of........... 236

Water table, position of.................. 18,25,51 Whitneyville, wells in....................... 222

position of, figure showing............... 25 Widows Island, wells on..................... 62

Waterville, public supply of-.............. l.">3-154 wells on, record of................. .t .. 248-249

springs in............................... 157 Windham, well in........................... 116

wells in............................... ^ 54-155 well in, water of, analysis of............. 83

Wawa Lithia Spring, description of......... 236 Windsor Mineral Spring, description of...... 103

Wells, capacity of........................... 02-03 Winslow, springs in, water of, analyses of.... 86

casing of................................ 54,06 i wells in................................ 154

depth of................................. 55-59 i wells in, records of..................... 246-247

diameter of.............................. 59 water of, analyses of................. 79

distribution oL......................... 50 Winterport, wells in......................... 214

drilling of, cost of....................... 04-65 wells in, records of..................... 254-255

dates of............................. 68-09 water of, analyses of................. SO

speed of............................. 05-06 Winthrop, public supply of............ 156,157-158

geologic conditions in................... -19-50 wells in................................ 155-156

diagrams showing................... 49,50 ' records of.......................... 246-247

intereffect of............................ 63 water of, analyses of................. 79

locating of............................... 51-53 Winthrop Center, well in, record of........ 246-247

pollution of....-.--....--.....---....--.. 52-53 well in, water of, analysis of............. 79

public supplies from, list of.............. 71-72 , Wiscasset, well in, view of................... 52

records of.............................. 238-257 wells in................................ 109-170

salt water in...................... 34,01,07,135 records of.......................... 250-251

shooting of.....-.-..--....--.-...---.... 68 water of, analyses of................. 81

types of................................. 48-49 Woolwich, wells in.......................... 199

choice of............................. 53-55 ( wells in, records of..................... 252-253

uncertainty of........................... 59-02 water of, analysis of................. 81

use of...-.....---...---..----...-.....-.. 17 Y ^

views of................................. 52 ,, ... , ,

, , __ 0 ., Yarmouth, public supply of................. 124 water of, analyses of..................... ( /-83 ,r ^.-L. ,-, i,,- , f

.. 9 Yarmouthville, public supply of............. 124 yie . ° ---------------------------------- - York, wells in.............................. 35,232

increase and decrease of.............. o2-(>3 . , _

 , ,. , , , wells in, records of.................... 256-257 See also particular counties, places, etc. ' . ...

... ., , ,. ... < ,,, water of, analysis of................. 83 Wells, public supply of...................... 231 york B ^ ^^ of___________ 2M7

springsm................................ 23o York Co., description of................... 228_229

wells in............................... .31 Uc ljes of..................... 236-237

 - «cfjso;------------ ^ rocksin............................ 32,228-229 Wells Beach, public supply of............... 231 springs in......................... ... 234-236

Westbrook, section at....................... 100 water of, analysis of................. 87

wells in................................. 35,145 water map of............................ 228

record of........................... 242-243 wells in...................... 50,57,58,229-234

water of, analyses of................. 78 records of......................... 256-257

WT est Hancock, springs in................... 146 types of............................. 229

springs in, water of, analysis of.......... 85 water of, analyses of........... 80,81,82,83

West Newfield, public supply of............. 237 quality of....................... 230

West Rockport, well in, record of.......... 248-249 York Harbor, wells at, records of.......... 256-257

o