Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-09-04
For the Democrat.
A SKETCH OF THE ROBINSON MAN
UFACTRING COMPANY'S WATER
POWER, AT THE OUTLET OF
THOMPSON'S POND.
THE OLDEST WATER POWER IN OXFORD
CpUNTY.


Vs'suCiu, Nosco, auu IOiauu. y. r. WAT
ermsn, civil engineer, claims it contains
fourteen square miles of water. Joseph
Robinson estimates its size at eight square
miles. 1t is usually called nine miles long
with an average width Of one mile. A
few years ago, John Robinson, w. X.
Farris and Charles Bumpus, carefully
measured its length on the Ice. From
Rooinson's Dam to the other end Heath
BRIDGE it is 1874 yards miles and l.
l25 Yards. This makes Mr.. Robinson's
estimate of eight square miles nearly cor
rect. The water Is very deep. just this
side OF the island, OFF Lunts Shore. where
some men were drowned few years ago,
the water is one hundred and thirty feet
deep. The height to which the waves run
is another proof or the great depth of wa
ter. Old settlers tell me the waves have
been known 10 run from five 10 ten feet
high. Some good men say ten feet, but
this seems impossible, and probably is q
mistake. A ten foot wave is an Old soaker
The shores are pretty high, though some
parts are low and swampy. A description
OF the scenery was given in the DEMOCRAT
of August Il. The pond only drains a
small sectiou-never called over twelve
miles. The hills, which form watersheds
around il, soon begin TO run the surface
drainage the other way. For this reason
no large rivers run into IL. II has nine
principal streams, or feeders. Six OF the
nine go dry almost every summer, and
their bed, and the frog-ponds, or mud
holes, from which part of the streams rise,
have been plowed up and planted TO pota-
toes In dry seasons. OF course, In wet
weather, there are many little rills from
the hllsiies, but like the old womsn's
children. they "sin't big enough to pay for
counting" The small drainage compared
70 the extent of water also explains its
slowness to rise in heavy raius. The Lit
tie Androscoggin River will rise from IL to
Is inches while the pond is rising single
inch.
At the outlet, or rather ia the outlet, for
il is three-fourths of 4 mile from the pond
proper, stands :he dam OF the Robinson
Manufacturing Company. From this down
To the Little Androscoggin River, follow
ing the course OF the water, 1t is one hun
bred aud twenty rods. The dam is twelve
feet high, based spoI 5 ledge. There is
no natural fall here. There Is about ten
feet head"
| cannot ascertain the date OF the build
ing OF this dam. Bat as there is record
Of extensive repairs" being done on II,
Aug. ), 1877, II can be safely set down as
over one hundred years old. In old times,
Aaron Cragie, a Revolutionary surgeon OF
some repute, purchased most OF what Is
now Oxford. a. a snail farm on which to
raise little garden sass" etc. He built
the saw mill, still standing, which was
the first mill run by this power, ninety or
ninety ave years ago. He also put up
small wool carding Lail, on the opposite or
eastern side. Forty or forty-nse gears
ago, Dennis Hayes put up grist mill, be-
10y the saw mill. II Is now used as s re
pair shop. The stone fiume, very solid
structure, laid with large sIoEe, Is still
perfect, but never used. There was also,
at this time, s machine or carpenter shop,
operated by Mr.. Carmsn, and tsnnery,
concerning which tpoy nothing.
DIR. Crsgie was succeeded In the ~eolen
mill by Gillet Bridge; they run 1t some
yes.s. ! don't know how many. Then
came the reign Of =. l.. Stevens he run it
for some time. Then, Orrin Jonss ( CO.,
or Durren & Jones, tried 1t spell. Then.
a Mr.. sherborn lost what little money he
had In il. Next came Libbey & Kimball.
Then John Hall run it year os more.
They al failed.
In the latter part OF 1857, the mill was
purchased by Joseph Robinson, a native
of England. A sketch Of Mr.. Robinson
has already been given In the DEMOCRAT.
He began as a small boy to work and piece
behind Jack. Then he served an appren-
tlceship at Leeds, Eugland. Next, he
ohtaiued situation 10 Hamburg, Germany.
When he left that place he went TO Reich
tenberg, Austria. He afterward went back
to Hamburg. From thence he came TO
America. His first situation, in America,
some forty-hve years ago, was at Ballet
vile. Mass. Then be became superinten-
dent and colorer for John Townsend, at
Milton Mills. y. II. Next, he was super
intendent of the Norway Plains wooden
mill. Then be run small wooden mill at
Wolfrboro, y. II. He has been connected
with wooden mills sixty-three years
Mr.. Robinson started up his mill here
under very discouragiug circumstances.
Every one who had tried To manufacture
wooden goods here before him had failed
ia a fec years. Their failures were due
more TO circumstances over which they
had no control, particularly an Irregular
aud Insult cient water-power, than any tad
business management. But with his usual
energy, enterprise and good Judgment, Mr..
Robinson went to studying and planning
on the great problem OF how to make
good steady water-power out OF what was
originally very poor, and In dry times, q
useless one.
In 1862, the Robinson Manufacturing
Company Was Incorporated as WOODEN
manufacturers, with an ample capital OF
$500, 600.
one OF Ne. Robiusou's first moves was
TO increase his rights OF howage. As