Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-24

Gardiner Water and stean Power.
In its course Of three-quarters Of mils
through, the city the Cobbossee stream make,
a-fali of 126 feet To appreciate this tumble
person needs only to look At any vertical OBJ
Ject of corresponding height-a mast of a
building, for instance The water is precipi
tated over eight dams before it reaches the
kennebec. The power has been improved
by the purchase of additional reservoir. and
howage right, within few years, and i. now
one Of the best in New England. 1t is owned
by the Gardiner Water Power Company
an organization formed within three wears,
and composed of the owners of the various
dams. viz: The estate of r H. Gardiner F.
u Richards Co., s. d. Warren, Joshua
Gray and Hollingsworth & Whitney. The
Iardiner estate owns three dams, Richards &
Co., one. =. ID. Warren, one, Joshua GRAY.
one, and Hollingsworth & Whitney. two. The
original owner of the power was X. Fl. Gar.
diner, for whom the city was named. His
heirs now control the company. II is differed
as follows: John T. Richards, president: j
5. Maxcy, secretary and treasurer; j. T.
Richards, Gardiner. Joshua Gray. Gardiner,
and Sumner Hollingsworth, Boston. directors
Until within three years, the power has
been unreliable in the summer months The
mills had to shut down, more or less of the
time in July and August, on account of a wa
ter shortage. The saw mills were run by
turns. The day and night were divided into
sections of so many hours each. and one of
these was assigned to each mill. This sort
Of thing has been obviated by the company $
<sTS -.
raising the reservoir dam. The company
purchased few weeks ago, at an expense of
about Sl2. 900, the Whitman mill privilege,
on Anabescook pond in Winthrop, for the
sake of the fowage right. The company now
owns seven ponds for storage uses, as fol-
lows: Pleasant pond, three Purgatory ponds
Great pond. AnabescOok pond and Horseshoe
pond. There is an unfailing supply of water
every day in the year. Along this stream are
located the greater part of the numerous and
varied manufactures of Gardiner. The con-
Germs and number of hands employed on the
various dams are as follows:
MANUFACTURERS. NO EMPLOYED
Dam No /.
II. W. Jewett & Co., saw mill SC
T. :. Robinson, planning mill,
Moore & Brown. carpenters. ETC., 10
eeabury rowle, planning mill,
Wadswerth Bros furniture factory, 10
Wentworth Co., bolts,
Grist mill,
Dam No.
j. Gil ay & son. saw mill, 4t
L. G.. Holmes Co., machine shop 80
II. Scribner machine shop, 10
Gardiner W Olen Mill. 1C
Oakland Manufacturing Co bed stats, etc, sc
Flour mill,
Dam No. 3.
Wentworth spring and Axle Co., SO
II NJ Foster, AXIS, u
W. II. Moore, bed-slats, Is
Hayes Atkins, saw mill, %
Dam No. 4.
Hollingswoith Whitney. paper mill, 40
Dam No. 5.
Same firm, pulp mill, Is
Dam No. 8.
$. ID. Warren, paper mill, 81
Dam No. z.
F. q. Richards Co., paper mill. ~
Total ass
In forming an idea of the industries Of Gar
diner, the two big steam saw mills at South
Gardiner must be added to this list. Brad
street Bros. have a mill that can get out
100, 900 feet of long lumber per day. Ii is
probably the best lumber mill in the State.
They employ IS men. Below them is the
mill of the Lawrence Bros, who cut from
900 to 30, 900 feet per day. and employ 40
men. Gardeners total production of long
lumber. when all the mills are running, will
average 2l0 600 feet per dav, or more than
90 0G0, 600 feet per annum. Her paper mills
produce about IL tons of paper per day. The
paper mills have double crews, and run night
and day constantly. One concern in Gardi-
ner, the Oakland Manufacturing Company.
is probably responsible for great number of
broken heads. 1t manufactures 100000
broomsticks per annum These are exported
to nearly every part of the civilized globe.
Shipments have been made to England. Aus
tralia, New Zealand, South Africa and many
other distant lands. The company has re-
Gently completed large shop. three stories
in height. The company runs three shops.
using l20 horse power, partly water and part
" steam. 1t probably does the largest
wood-~ orking business in the State. Its
production of base ball bats has been eaor-
nous. 1t makes 5000, geo pieces of spring
bed fixtures per annum. Messrs. 2. C.
Holmes & Co, manufacturers of big iron
gears, are so overwhelmed with orders that
they work day and night, and contemplate an
extension of their works.
There is so much available and unused
power on the Cobbossee that the projects for
its employment keep Gardiner continually on
the qui rire. One or two prospective cotton
mills have furnished the city no end of agi-
tation. After the fire, a movement looking
to the organization of a stock company for
the purchase of dam and the erection of a
cotton mill was inaugurated. 1t came to an
uptimely end from causes concerning which
there are divided views. On the one hand il
is said the owners refused to place price on
the dam; on the other hand, the representa-
tives of the Gardiner estate say they are
ready to sell any one of their three dams to
ANYBODY who comes forward to talk business
with the money in his fist. The omens now
indicate that there will never be cotton
mill on the stream. The company charge
rental of $3.50 to So per inch. per annum,
for the use of the naturalization journal
Autumn Leaves.
.,.,x ,oopla VI o have already secured