The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-08-24
Terms $500 per anm,,s, d. aa,,auce.
ton, wooden, worsted, silk and tlax mannfac.

Characteristics 0fthe Water Po,oer. Tbasa
are, as set forth by the Secretary, first. ina
comparative cOnstdncy throughout the near.
arising from the uniform distribution Of rain
In the several seasons, the abated heat of the
summer, the cool and humid winds from the
surrounding seas, the vast forests, and mod
whole. !. i.
SECONDLY, The extraordinary amount of
i,.1ta'os iH1o reSercoirl surface. There are 1868
,Ns ,anes anu Pohds represented upon the State
spapl %ap lHuhdfeds I1 OF the smaller ones not being
911i so',n Uns surface Oh which is not less than
zf4l square miles, nearly the whole beinp
susceptible OF conversion into STORAGE bas;nS
at very low cost for either dams or fovaoe
aud to any required amount ""eS'
Thirdly, The remarkable feasibilit, of mr.
tifcidt reservoirs, due to the uneyenness of
the State surface, the water-tight character
Of the underlying rocks, the comparatively
trifling cost of land for fowage, and the IA
vorable provisions OF the statutes relating
thereto.
Fourthly, The unusual measures of tide
poloer upon the coast of the State, owing to
ITS irregular shore line, and the very remark
able range OF the tidal fiuctuation, which is
well nigh twice higher than upon any other
Filthy, The fdrorable relation TO markets
of supply and demand sustained by the
powers, considerable number of the larger
being situated close upon navigable waters,
some upon harborS that are never closed with
ice; and railroads being already built by the
side OF several important series OF privileges.
Sixthly, The almost uniUersd[ supply Of
building material close at hand, granite eV-
erywhere, brick clay, lime and lumber.
Seventhly, The insignificant use nOlo made
of the polcer in proportion to its capabilities;
scarcely any OF the privileges being fully de-
veloped, hundreds not being employed at all
of all dimensions from those that would
operate spool machines to those that would
drive million spindles; the reservoirs being
chiefly unappropristed or appropriated for
only log-driving purposes; the machinery
employed being chiefly of rude construction
and to the last degree profuse and wasteful of
power; and the power. when used, being
with few exceptions as Biddeford and Lew
islon, applied only to the coarser and ruder
manufactures, chiefly the cutting out of lum-
Der. -----.
Eighthly, The lop cost at tphieh the priu-
aeges can be had for property or use, sim
ply because the proprietors have not the
means to improve them, privileges first-class
in all respects, and which in some cases will
be "gtuen dtcdy" to any responsible parties
who will improve them, and in nearly all
can be bought at surprisingly low rates.
Nlnthly, The legislation ofthe State, lib
Cioi aimOot WttuOub pTCCcucuby
towns 10 exempt for period OF ten years, all
manufacturing establishments located there
in, together with the capital employed in
operating the same. Also, as before noticed,
allowing land to be taken for fowage purpos-
es upon payment of damages.
TenthlyE The anxiety felt upon all hands
that capitalists piu come and use the great
potoer notc running to todste, and the uDiver-
sal disposition 10 free them from taxation to
a I'm iTntf nf ho los md 10 ~.
with them in every mode possible.
Digest Of Statistics. This occupies over
400 pages of the Secretary's Report, and con-
sists OF a condensed exhibit OF the water DOW
ers in the several towns. From it, the pres
ent condition, the capacity, chal acteristics,
and value of the respective privileges, can in
the majority OF cases be quite definitely in
ferred. So that any manufacturer in need OF
water-power, large or small, with this report
in hand, will be able to find just what he
wants. ..
A copy of the Report is to be sent to the
Board OF Selectmen of all the towns in the
State the Assessors of plantations, and the
Mayor and Aldermen of cities, for the pur-
pose OF securing additional facts for the final
Report and the correctness of errors in the
present. 1t will also be sent to those private
individuals who furnished information tor the
Report to the members of the Legislature of
tion to public libraries, to newspapers and
other publications, to manufacturing corpor-
atoms and the employers OF mechanical pow
er beyond the State and mother lands. The Re
port will be issued to towns in their alphabet
ieal order, and as rapidly as possible.
1t is hoped that town officers will charge
themselves with the duty of communicating
to the Superintendent any facts respecting
the water power within their precincts, sug-
gested by any deficiencies or errors in the Re
port. The copy in their hands will of course
be open to the inspection of the proprietors
of water power and other citizens, and from
any OF these additional facts will be eceept-
able.
final Report is in preparation by Mr..
Wells, which will embody the statistics of the
present with corrections and large additions,
will incorporate Herewith summary of the
features OF the State as water power dis
trict, and statistical exhibit OF the principal
river systems. 1t will contain also, it is hop
ed, a Water Poper Map of the State, giving
the location and height of fall of every water
power within our limits. so far as the facts
can be reached. 1t is desired that where the
location of the several powers in any town is
not given on the county map, and ID not clear
ly indicated in the Report, definite informa-
tion upon this point las by plan of the
town with the location marked) be communi-
Gated to the Superintendent, at Portland.
The locations OF all powers, small and great,
are wanted. for they all count and all will tell
upon map. ..t...
I Various Plans and Proftes of some of the
more important powers will also be given in
the final reports, as is intended. The power
at Lisbon on the Androscoggin, and on the
CObbossee Coutee at Gardiner, are repre- sent
ed in the present Report by lithograph, in
addition to the text statement, the prOprie-
tors bearing the expense themselves. These
will appear in the subsequent report also.
We hope the proprietors of other large
powers Will emulate this example in the final
report. These plans and pro6les are very
attractive and valuable feature in such pub
lieation. The Superintendent will gladly
communicate with any parties contemplating
this mode of advertising their property. The
State renders some assistance in preparing
the plans for publication. saa
We notice with modification that several
towns have failed to report, some of them
possessed OF large powers. Ii is hoped that
no municipality will fail to furnish the requir-
ed facts In season for the final report. We
want to swell the aggregate to the highest
figure possible, for The value OF a system OF
water power is to a large extent pFoportioned
to the amount of it concentrated within CIV
en- limits. The report is to be widely eircl-
lated and for successive years, and cannot Iail
to compensate State, towns, and individuals
for all pains and expense incurred in its be-
half .rsset Eusssstra
The materials for this work have been col
leefed, digested, and published at an expense
exceedingly trivial in proportion to the re-
suits attained; not over $1,000 having been
drawn from the State treasury at this date OF