New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-30
MAINE.

IT'S MANUFACTURING CAPACITY AND PROSPECTS.
AUGUSTA, Me-, Aug. 14.-One of the most I'M
pertant enterprises undertaken by State for tie
development Of its is the exploration OF ia
vaterpewer inauguraed in 1867 by the State Of Maine
The report Of the superintendent Of the Survey Walter
Wells esq., will DO printed In about two months II will
be volume Of 600 pages illustrated with engravings OF
many important water powers, and with map Of the
principal ri YER basins The manufacturing resources OF
Maine as exhibited In this work are truly extraordinary
The gross power OF its rivers Is estimated at 2s6OOO
horse power equivalent to the force OF 100000 men
working without cessation II concentrated into the or
binary per diem working hours In manufactures the
mower would equal that Of 6GOOOO horses More than
800 different privileges enumerated and briefly de-
scribed half Of which remain entirely uniproved while
but very few Of those nOmnaly improved are fully dc
veoped More $50 natural reservoirs In the form OF
large and ponds, covering an aggregate surface OF
400 square miles, tributary TO these powers, and
upon improvement for storage will impart to them the
steadness OF steam and making water dearths and
freshets comparatively unknown in Maine The great
storage basins are many OF Them situated at the head OF
the rivers and at remarkable elevation Thus Moose.
head Lake, containing 100 square miles OF surface, is
lO23 feet above the tide and hold reserve OF ten
feet depth Its entire area, all OF which be made
tributary TO the Kennebec River In the OF low
water. The Umbagog Lakes holding In reserve volume
Of eleven feet depth n miles Of ndss
outlet through the Androsooggn River, by fall OF lo
900 above level and will hold ten feet OF water
The gncance OF these facts will appear when IL Is
membered that Lake Wnnepsogee the grand feeder OF
the MerTimac Ouly sol feet above the and has an
average depth Of only 90 inches The rivers also offer
almost Incompatible advantages for tho establishment OF
dams and mile fer the construction Of canals fumes
and rsceways The falls ALMOST universally over
lodges and tho channels being rock bottomed aud rock
sided improvements made viii stand forever the
esvng In of banks at the shifting OF river courses is
almost unknown. - 49,.
SO far ease OF the commercial centers OF
the country and OF the world concerned Name is not
surpassed The great steamship track from the United
States Europe leads along her shores Hundreds Of
Hnrvaed harbOrs tempt the mariner and OF rivers
OF hrstcass magnitude precipate their waters directly
into the The eastern end OF Its transcontinental
railway let the rest Of 1t where 1t must pass
through Maine. Railroads already constructed or
constructing that will open available power equiv
aeut 10 that OF 10000 horses the sacO, 25o on the
Presumpsoo IS 900 the AndrosoOggn 100000 on the
Kenuebec and 6O,0O0 the PenObscOtin their lower
sections alone IL useless 10 talk Of steam in this CON
II nection With coal at e6 tun steampower costs go
wear for each can furnish water power
Tor Is year for each horse privileges
II coal and cotton were side by side the great cotton
ports New Orleans Mobile etc. and the coal worth only
Is per tun we could still bring cotton to our water
falls and manufacture IL and carry the goods cheaper
There being great surplus OF power be pur-
chased at prices merely nominal as compared with the
nj cost in other districts The State allows exempt
from taxation for the period Of ten years. all anufsc
turing capital invested therein and the towns gladly
avail themselves OF the PRIVILEGE me towns moreover
capacity TO the stock Of manufacturing enterprises This
water power is sure soon to be taken un In the year
1860 IS per cent OF all the manufactured articles pro.
h dnced United States mHde IN the district Of
water falls and only per cent were produced outside
p, ali other parts OF the country Ia 1850 the tOth
HI features OF the region OF water falls valued at
t 1850 the capital was $3.50 100000 and the product
81 z00OOO an increase OF IS per cent By 1873 the capt
tai will be 81 900, and the product t950OO0O0.
No where else that capital lie INVESTED in mana
Ill lectures 20 good advantage "a ~ hehe superb
S lie libraries aud ue employers OF mechaca p"wcF ana
! rli doubtless b. sent FREQ Of cost ~ a2pcngtt