The Portland daily press., 1874-07-01
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.


is to be feared. The high banks of the river
Tor two miles below, are of the firmest kind
OF coarse gravel mixed with round stones and
large boulderS, covered with a close growth of
trees and bushes. In case of accident to the
dam, these banks would make a firm resist
ance to the wash OF the current, and tend to
hold 1t in its channel until its arrival al Steep
Falls, hall mile below, where the bed of the
river and banks are an immense ledge of blue
stone, forming natural dam which no water
power could effect. The same is the case at
Great Falls, another mile below. These nat
ural dams would serve to check the rlpidity
OF the water and divert its course That an
outbreak would cause immense damage there
can be no doubt, but no such destruction as
Mill river, as the less head would lessen the
speed.
Some persons have predicted that in case
the dam below went out that the lake would
bust It's barrier at the foot and run out, bu
if if they will examine they will see that the
whole shore for long distance each side of
outlet, off to deep water. is paved with
boulders of from fifteen feet diameter and
less.
Wherever the banks have been dug into,
they show that the bottom and banks are
composed of bed of stones and course gravel
Even the rapid curr ent under the bridge
which has been steadily flowing since the
waters subsidized after the flood, has not
deepened the chanLe, at least not since
pier was set up there eighty years ago. 1t
seems almost incredible, but several old
residents near the lake affirm that the water
was as high in 1914 as it has ever been since
the dam was built. Before the embanked
road was raised where it approaches the
bridge on the Windham side, it was often
the case in the spring for the water to run
across the road for several rods, so deep that
1t was difficult crossing with horse aThis
\ Tact shows the firm nature OF the subsoil.
which is now covered with sand, most of
which was hauled there to fill between the
walls OF the road, instead Of gravel, because
it was easily sh0veed.
The bridge over the outlet is built of split
granite, well laid, with a waterway of seventy
feet, in the centre of which stands a single
''galows pier" to support the superstruct-
ure. In case of the going out of the dam, of
course the four feet of water would run out,
OF the lake, but think the bridge would
stand and keep the flow between the abut-
ments; if so the water would be many hours
In passing. Perhaps it might carry away
the road at the eastern end, but probably It
would not gully out the firm subsoil any
more than the freshets OF old, which ran
over the same place without damage; then
the lake would subsde into its ancient boun-
daries.
Inc source from which people obtain their
drink, and the possibility of its running dry''
is always mater of anxiety. l want to say
to you who drink Sebaso water that it is
worth journey of fifteen miles to stand on
Whites bridge, over the outlet of the lake,
when the sun shines at midday and look
down through the swift current, Is feet deep
and 70 feet wide, and so clear that the differ
ent kinds of fish, chubs, perch, and suckers,
can be distinguished at the bottom, which
is composed Of clean pebbles. Here is water
enough running to waste to supply every city
OF the United States, and of the purest kind.
On visit to the Brookline reservoir Mass,
few years ago, it happened to be at the
hour when the sun shone through the win
dow of the gate house directly on the en-
trance to the two twenty inch iron pipes
which then conveyed all the water to Bos-
ton. Ofcourse in the sun light all the i'm
| purities and dirty color of the water can be
| seen to advantage. That spoiled my taste for
| Cochituate. was possibly reminded of that
visit when standing on the bridge at Sebago
| yesterday. W..
Windham May 2Sth.