Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-19
NO. 24s.
Miseellaneuns.
THE BREAK IN OVER Dam.
BY B. P. sHILABER (MR,. pARr1SeroS.) ,

BY B. P. sHILABER (MR, pARTINaToy.
The little village of Bethnell was one of
those charming localities so frequent in
New England, that spring into existence
as it were, by magic, and have there origin
through the accident of association with
some stream that gives them power. At
first, single mill, to grind corn and saw
boards for neighborhood, is built beside
it, with a little dam to obtain ..head" of
water; and then some shrewd eye, seeing
its advantageous position, will also see to
the gathering of capital which shall inn
prove the facilities that exist, and straight
way village rises; the hum of wheels
and spindles is heard, population increases,
and all the primal beauty and grace of the
little rurality, with its romantic mill and
tiny waterfall are blotted out by the pre-
tentious city that succeeds.
Such is the history of nearly all of our
manufacturing towns and cities, and the
city OF Bethnell is an instance in proof.
1t is situated on the Upper River, that con-
meets with the Lower River miles below,
the stream dividing the town, a bridge con-
Meeting the sundered sections. Here is
waterfall OF some hundred feet, its crests
now crowned by dam, and water is led
from above it by sluice-way that turns
the wheels of dozen mills. Here, orig
inally, was the customary grist- mill, the
ruin of which, grim and dark,-the old
waterwheel clinging but feebly to its for
mer rpostion,-remained until quite lately,
as if to remind the spectator of the
changes that time had made. But now no
trace is left. except the foundation stones
of the ancient mill, and the channel
scooped in the rock, by which the stream
was made to serve the humble purposes of
the mill without marring the beauty of the
waterfall by the obtrusive dam.
Upper river was a charming stream,
small, tranquil, and peacefully beautiful,
| flowing on, like gentle life, making glad
every spot it moved among, until it fell in
graceful profusion over the fall at Beth
nell, turning aside wave or two to spin
the mill-wheels of old Zebedee HAYDEN,
who made moderate living by tolling his
neighbors. 1t had its origin IN Over pond,
a small sheet of water some ten miles
back from Bethnell, that in the spring
thaws filled the little stream to its utmost,
and gave it the Importance of great
river, as it rushed wildly and rapidly
) along, and plunged at last, in a fury Of
foam, over the fall at Bethnell, keeping
miller Hayden busy, night and day, with
a redundancy of power.
1t was at this time of pristine innocence
that the discovery of the merits of Beth
nell Falls as a water privilege was made.
and straightway surveyors came there,
and factory buildings were contracted for,
and boarding-houses erected. Miller
Hayden's privilege was bought for sum
that made the old miller independent; a
huge dam was stretched across the fall,
md Rntln 81 I'LL Al I
said it was at the commencement of this
story, at which time the incident of the
break of Over dam occurred.
i Over dam was also creation by the
same spirit that reared the village of Beth
nell itself. The erection of the factory
buildings involved the necessity of seek
ing for more power than that required by
miller Hayden's water-wheel, and this
was easily secured by purchasing the pond
that formed the source of Upper river
and damming its outlet, whereby they
were enabled, not only to supply enough
water for use ordinarily, but could keep
an amount in reserve for times when the
river was not so full The fact that the
pond was situated quite a number Of feet
above Bethnell, put it into the head of the
agent to call it Over pond. and the dam
was known as Over dam. This dam was
about one hundred feet wide, and like that
of Bethnell, was built above gentle fall,
was very strong, and was capable, it was
thought, OF resisting all the pressure from
the water that it would ever be subjected
to.
The village of Bethnell had prospered
and increased wonderfully. There were
no such goods made as those of Bethnell,
and it was predicted that the village would
! h.. ~ft 81 H.. tNIan nj a
country The rush of the big dam Jared
the town, and the music OF the spindles
made glad the hearts of the stockholders.
The Over dam had answered all expecta-
tions. The river had been built upon by
farmers who supplied the growing town
with vegetables aud the Eden of Beth
nell had became worldly and sharp; even
farmer Hayden, the old miller, driving
smart bargains with the corporations in
selling them wood and owned stock in
the mills.
1t was in the spring of 1884, and every
thing looked the most prosperous for Beth
nell, a particular feeling OF happiness per-
vading the entire population. The river
had begun to break up, and the melting
sow, of which there had been much dur
mg the late winter, was filling the stream
to its utmost capacity. 1t rolled on, q
dark and turbid body, to the dam. over
which it plunged surlily. vast in volume,
but not so noisy as when about its cheerful
duty-happy as when it turned miller
Hayden's water wheel. The people look.
ed upon it without alarm. They heard
the ice crash against the flood, and felt the
jar, but they felt no fear. They knew the
timbers We're stout, and had resisted the
same pressure for more than twenty years.
In the midst of this security, horse
man came dashing into the wn.-his
horse in q lather Of sweat, who looked
} deadly pale-the man of course-who
uttered no word, but rode hastily to the
company's counting-room, where he DIS
mounted, and disappeared within. A few
moments thereafter, the spindles suddenly
ceased, and Sabbath stiffness rested up
a on the busy mills, though It was but nine
al o'clock in the morning. The great gates
al, g.. re~s~l l. AZ