Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-05-05
The Trrepr.ssis,.

t<.<.,~. efpaa
commences at an early period of hi" ans
ence. 1t would seem more raoson.I,n LII eAist-
'e that they are no execution 10 ON, -
n'isratory nshes. but ascend our r;,,o o'ei r
.nv purpose OF depositing their spawn in f,esh
"d'er. ihe autumnal Journey of the aai -
us tne sea begins in September 7, il -,
.s period so many of them are cangh, ~
eei-pots and eel-weirs. There is nre;ud;an -
against them by some people on accom-, os
LII ~; reptllian form; yet they are excellen,
:aung. Tins Is also classical fish. Casar
- salu 10 nave distributed 200 of these sbes
asnohs r's MS friends on the celebration of ono
VI his 'rinmphs. 1t is reserved for the far
60 Spsrior hsn, IN beauty Of form and delicacy
a'or-the lordly salmOn-to grace the
triumphs of modern civilization and f,rn;"t ;"t
1000 nit for the gods.
Salmon. alewives. lamprev eeIs .na .;,.
eeis fnd but little trouble in maxine tha;.
way through a we'll constructed fsb.way.
pu' II mas not been so clearly proven in re-
saru 10 shad. There is doubt whether they
VIII go through such an artificial structure
The Augusta Fishway.
Messrs. c. G. Atkins and Everett Smith
CNi Engineers, met at Augusta Jul 23. ISIS
a' request OF the Commissioners Of Fisberiss
q anu determined upon the form and site of
,nsh-"ay adapted to the requirements Of the
iocation. August 10, 1873. the corporation
owning the dam was served with plans and
I.speclncations, and notice to build in accord-
ance Herewith, by the Commissioners NJ
risheries. NO steps were taken by the cor
Poration, however, toward building the fish.
way, either in 1873 or 1879. In February
iooo' SAID corporation presented to the lepis
lature petition. stating that said plans re-
quired an expensive and complicated struc
lure ana one that would endanger the safety
OF the dam, and asking TO be relieved of the
requirement to build it. An engineer
was then employed by the Commissioners as
an expert to examine the dam and the fish
way plans. The petition was then Withdrawn
and an agreement made on behalf of the cor
poratlon to build the fishwav in accordance
win sad plans and specifications, as nothing
better could be offered in substitution, nor
any notifications suggested.
In consideration of being relieved from
penalties incurred for not having previously
bullt the tishway, an agreement was made to
build and complete it previous to Nav IL.
1880 The work was Immediately begun. and
has been most energetically carried forward
by Capt. n. W. Cole. In spite of the
difficulties and delays in putting insehe foun-
dations at this season Of the year the fshwav
was completed before the expiration of the
9iNNiSh tiiic. Ht HtdN WDTk OF Du1ulnr
the pier and laying the foundations has been
in charge of Mr.. T. J. Emery of Waterville,
and the framing of the fishway in charge of
Mr.. J. NJ Murch of Augusta. The whole
work has been done under the direction of
Mr.. Everett Smith.
The protecting pier first completed,
and had its first test during the freshet of
April 9TH, when there was feet Of water
flowing over the dam. 1t was then seen that
the pier accomplished just what had been de-
signed by Mr.. Smith The great eddy for
merly existing below the West end of the dam
in which logs and ice collected and did much
damage. was cut off as to be rendered in
appreciable. Besides protecting the fishway
from destruction by the Immense freshets to
which the kennebec river is subject, this pier
affords protection for the wharf and saw mill
below the dam.
The fishwav has been built under the per-
sonal supervision of Everett Smith, Civil En-
gincer, of Portland, Maine. and several i'm
portant changes and improvements made in
the original plan whereby great saving in
cost has heen effected, rs well as rendering
the tshway more efficient. Mr.. Smith re-
CARDS one improvement especially as an in
novation in regard to fsh-ways that is of
great value, and one applicable to any form
of fishway or any dam. The fall at the Au
gusta dam is about Is feet, and rs this is the
first o, lower dam it forms the key to the
Kennebec river, as regards the ascent OF fish.
From the West end of the dam massive
crib pier extends downstream, and the space
betwe cen this pier and the canal wall is filed
bv the tish-way, which is about the shape OF
a diamond IN its general exterior form. The
head Of this protecting pier has an elevation
of ~ feet above the dam. to insure safety to
the tish-wav. from logs or ice during the
great freshets to which the Kennebec river is
subject. The water for the tsh-way flows
from the river above the dam by passage
through the head of this pier. This passage
NAV be closed by a drop-gate: there Is a
waste-wav across the pier, and still farther
along is the ffume from which the water is
delivered directly to the upper portion OF the
fish-wav by means of gate-ways occupied by
iron swing-gates.
These gates are so arranged that when one
is submerged it NAV be closed ana tue
next higher one opened Thus the water
NAV always be delivered gently without any
..head The fishway Is three stories hish,
and the interior divided into II series OF
chambers through which the water flows in
nn;form descent. twice making the entire CIR
cu;t of ,be structure which it finally leaves
at the outlet. In making a descent OF IL feet
tho water flows an extreme distance vi
,oi feet although as measured by the centre
Of rho current the distance is considerably
loss The floors are paved with stone whlch
,orves TO load the structure, to retard tue
current of the water flowing over IT. ana 10
nresent TO the fish a bottom resembling 'he
natural bed of a stream
At the lower end of the fiume thers Is a
wastewav, and the water ho"!"S io'' ~
mites with tha. flowing through the fisll-way
n, ;,s outlet. The volume of water Is thus
increased at the outlet in order to a''rac'
6sb to enter the fsh-way. The flsh: aiter en-,
ter;np the fishway at its outlet. VIII a,cehu .,
.ha Current that flows therein. until t,e
amme is reached. whence they pass 70 Tue
river above.
The new political drama by Joaquin Miller
on,;,,ed ..The Danites," is to he presented al
Granite Hall next Thursday evening see
advertising columns for particulars Inc
nress has given much praise to TINS Pi"s anu
is presentation here will doubtless be a very
satisfactory performance. The D's''"
Herald, in speaking of its presen'a.lo" q" ~. w
Howard Athenaum, says OF II he S"
ows Of the mountains are upon IT, anu '"e
Golden sunlight that fingers IN the e'e",