Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-09
IMPORTANT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.

IMfOkTAAT PlBLlC lMPkOtEMEAT.
We are glad to learn that measure OF
great public Importance, and Of special
interest to the people of Portland, has
Dcen matured after some years of labor,
and will be brought to public attention
through the action of the Legislature.
which is to be called upon to give the nee
essary sanction to render it Immediately
available
The Commissioners of the photographic
Survey, Messrs Poor, Lockwood and
Hamlin, in their report, page 23d, make
use OF the following language: among
the remarkable facts in the physical feat
ures OF the State, one deserves notice
upon the Androscoggin water. The upper
lakes apparently had at one time an outlet
by way OF Ellis river, through the town of
Andoyer, which is more than eight hum
dred feet below the level of Richardson's
lake, but which outlet was cut Off by the
raising OF their southern shores, OF the
cutting down of the present channel. A
short cut or canal into Black Brook, the
head of Ellis river. from the lake. would
allow the water to flow through this short
route, in a. distance of twenty miles, to
the Androscoggin, instead Of the circuitous
one of more than one hundred miles from
the lake to the mouth of Ellis river in
Rumford. A survey of this route has
been made, through the enterprise of in-
dividuals, in view of an Improvement Of
facilities in sending lumber to market.
Mr.. Walter Wells, in his last report
upon the water power of Maine, just is
sued from the press, dwells more ut length
upon this important measure, with some
details of the survey. 1t appears that a
careful survey of the plan was made in
1866, by the Hon. Noah Baker of Exeter,
very competent Engineer, and in 1867,
reported to Messrs. Lynch and Wood,
owners OF lands on the upper Androscoggin
Qion. John Lynch, Member of Congress.
and James Wood of Lewiston) by whom
he was employed.
1t appears by Mr.. Bakers report, that
a canal OF 500 feet in length would con-
meet the southeastern arm OF Richardson's
Lake with the channel of Black Brook, at
point OF equal elevation with the lake;
that the deepest cut required would be 2S-
43-l00 feet, requiring the removal of 1861
255 cubic yards of material to make canal
20 feet at the bottom and | 10 feet at the
top, the slopes being | l-2 to /.
The lowest run of the water of the lake
in summer, is the datum or base line. 4
dam has been built at the outlet of the
lake. so that if the top of the waste way
OF that dam is taken as the 6atum line, the
canal would be reduced to 5000 feet in
length, and the excavation reduced to
II 6ll00 ut the deepest cut.
Again, il the present waste-way of the
dam is raised to the height of the dam
itself, the cutting required would be only
ID 9l-l00 feet at the deepest part, and the
canal required only 2700 feet.
The height Of land or summit to be over
come is only 2200 feet from the lake.
From this point the ground falls gradually
to the channel of Black Brook, from which
point to the Androseoggin at Rumford,
there is a fall of over 800 feet. This fall
takes place in about ten miles, and water
could be used advantageously for manu-
featuring purposes from the lake to the
town of Andover.
The timber and wood from fourteen
townships or 800, 900 acres of land, could
in this way be run out. without exposure
to loss or injury, in passing Berlin Falls,
where the Androscoggin river has a de-
scent of 3S2 feet in the distance of miles.
1t is proposed to construct a branch rail-
road from Bryant's Pond to Andover, some
twenty miles over very level route, sur
veyed by the Atlantic and st. Lawrence
Railroad Company in 1916. The timber
and wood from the Androscoggin waters
could come to Andover, and there be placed
upon the rail for Portland market.
The station at Bryant's Pond, 62 miles
from Portland, is 10 feet above tide
water. The level of the Androscoggin as
ascertained by the railroad surveys, is
239 feet, showing n descent of II feet only
from Bryant's Pond summit to the crossing
of the Androscoggin in Rumford. a distance
of ten miles, of which distance three
miles is level, with descent of ten feet
to the mile from Bryant's Pond station to
the Concord river.
From the crossing of the Androscoggin
at Rumford to the town Of Andover along
the line of Ellis river, there is q descent of
less than two feet to the mile, and at the
time of great treshets the waters OF the
Androscoggin flow back ten miles, and the
table-land plain on which the village OF
Andover is situated, is about so feet above
the level of the river, or about 700 feet
above tide water,-this line having been
carefully surveyed in expectation of its
adoption for the railroad to Montreal, it
being the shortest route, finally abandoned
for Il more western route, on account OF
the steep grades from DiXvlle Notch to
the Connecticut river at Colebrook. Um-
bagog Lake was found to be 1886 feet
above the tide water. Richardson's Lake
is 200 feet higher than Umbagog. or about
800 feet above the level Of Ellis river at
Andoyer.
The value of this improvement to Port
land is obvious to all, for Il supply Of
wood for the Portland market for years to
come, would be afforded at Il cheap rate
from the upper Androscoggin waters now
shut out from market
Without in any way interfering with the
natural run of the water, by building per-
manent dams ensuring an abundant stor-
age of water, the natural supply could be
maintained throughout the year, which
the supply for the canal would not inter-
fere with, and along the rocky channel of
Black Brook. water could be drawn off for
manufacturing purposes as required, and
the flow OF water SO regulated by means
OF this canal, as in no way to affect in