Ellsworth American., 1868-11-05
The Water Power Of Maine

hau authority to appoint competent ehgll-
GERS to make thorough photographic
survey of such rircrs as they deemed most
advisable. aud to male y report to the Gov
ernor and council. OF. the fall and volume
Of water Of said rivers, the supply and
consfancy of the water. their lake reser-
voirs snd their accessib hy &c. sc. Ii
was also designated that the report should
be printed for distribution in other States
and countries with view TO invite imnli-
grafton and the investment Of capital in
the development Of manufacturing re-
sources.
In obedience to the Resolve the Govern
or appointed the following gentlemen as
the committee John 4. Poor, A. ID,
. Lockwood and Hannibal lIamliu. Walter
| Wells, Esq, OF Portland, was appointed
Secretary of the board. In December last
| the Commissioners In charge made Re
port TO the Governor.
! The Commission having terminated. n
resolve was passed last February, an'
ihorizing the appointment of a Superin'
| tendent to have charge of the publication
/ of the matter collected. the incorporation.
of additional facts, and the general man
agement OF the enterprise. Mr.. Wells, the
| Secretary of the Board, wa. made Super
Z intendent, and this report is issued under
i his supervision. The report. though but
I partial, nevertheless shows the facilities oi
{ a.. g. ia, IN ha Ia
extraordinary, and Increases the surprise
i that such remarkable resources have been
+ entered to remain so long for practical
purposes unknown.
/ The Commissioners give general view
of the geography of the State. remark al
length upon its political boundaries and
the circumstances by which these have
been determined; also upon the Seograph-
ical position OF the State, with tables ofthe
latitude and longitude of various points
upon Its frontier. They give a collection
OF facts respecting the elevation of the
State above the level Of the sea. The lin.
its of the State a. defined by the Treaty OF
Washington, of the 9th OF August, 1872,
extends through 4 deg. % min. q sec. OF
latitude. in length 4 frifle more than sol
statute miles, from kittery Point to The
outlet of Lake Pohenagomook. Ii has 4
width ~ deg. . min. 53 sec. OF Longitude.
or pa statute miles at its widest part, its
most Westerly point being at the line OF
salmon Falls river, in the town OF Leba-
non aud lis most Eas;erly point at West
Quoddy Head.
The present Gimentians Of the State are
3l,76j square miles, about the size OF the
aggregate area of the other five New En-
gland States inclusive, and nearly two
thirds that OF the area of England.
Viewed as a whole, say the Commission
crs, Maine is undoubtedly one Of the most
interesting portions of this continent, or
OF any portion of the earth, from its I'M
mense extent of sea-coast and numerous
harhors, its variety of surface, its plains
valleys, mountains. lakes and rivers, its
unequalled water power. and the proNimi-
IS of that power 10 the sea and its central
position to the great Acadiin Peuinsular.
HAT portion OF the continent lyiug east of
Lake Champlain. and the HUDSON, and be-
tween th- -. Lawrence river aHd the At
iantic ocean, lying III equal proportions on
each side Of the fortyiif h parallel OF lati-
tudc. ia the temperate zone, with a climate
most favorable to physical health and in
tclleetual activity and it Is the opinion OF
those engaged in manufactures that the
| bracins climate of Maine i. more favora-
t bic TO endurance and to better health. than
i that of any other 81 ate IN the union.
| The whole circn;t of the State is about
/ 9iG miles. but it is believed. measured
along the deep inlcts and river estuaries a.
far inland rs the ebb and flow Of the tide
it will far exceed this; and that the Coas
j Survey, now in progress will make til,
/ shore line, from kittery to Quoddy Head
at least 5000 miles. Between Cape Eliza
beth aud Cape Roster, (the Western poin
of oksyille) on an air line distance o
80 miles, the distance, following the lin
of main land upon tide water. will be eve
l.200 miles.
The Secretary's Report occupies 32
pages Of the document. and from it we eX
trac, the following facts:
Out of the 81 800 square miles within
the State nearly 5000 are represented i
the report. and the number of differen
water powers embodied being 2,0l5. Tn
power on the Penobscot in the twelv
: miles above Bangor is estimated at 100
horse. power. On the kenncbec. August
has 1900, Waterville $500, Solon 4,90G
Showhegau, 800, Fairfield, 1900, Anso
and Madison 5000 horsepower. On tn
Androseoggin, Lewiston has IA 800. Brun:
wick 5000, Lisbon S,749, LivernoIe 3 ,20(
Jay, 4 $50, Rumford, 2l 900 horse powe
gross. These are only the principal fall
= on the lower sections of three of the mali
rivers, and the power specified is for tn
lowest stage OF the streams.
The sum total of power represented i
the report Is estimated not less than $50
900 horse power gross, aud is susceptibl
of being more than doubled by the use
the numerous and great natural reservoir
upon The streams. The SUN OF availabl
power in the whole state is estimated a
not below 1000 900 horsepower. The sic
/ niiicsnce of these figures may be inferre
< from the fact that tie power at Lowell
|, Mass, is 5000 power, and the popuiatio
: of the ci.y is 1000. The power represeI
Z ted in the report is equal to the workin
! power of 4,000, 900 of men, and is twic
greater than the power. both steam an