Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-11

The country west of the Alleghanies
has been suffering the past week with the
foods which come ~ surely as the winter
thaw sets in. The recent floods appear to
have been more than usually severe On
the Ohio and some of the neighboring
streams. One writer says: The loss this
week alone reaches millions, and it il each
year repeated. The Ohio river has col
lected heavier TAX from Cincinnati than
its city ring. and Pittsburg could have
paid it, city expenses three times over
with It's Losses
A despatch from Wheeling. dated the
7th, says: Zone half OF the city il sub
merged. many houses to the ewes Of the
roof. while quite large number, how
many cannot yet be ascer,ained. have
been overturned and carried away.
The stories of the oldest residents Of
the ravages Of the waters Of 1882. and
again In 1852, have never been duplicated
within .he recollection of the thousands
who have grown up hereabouts in the last
three decades. but the food Of last night
and its results have far exceeded those of
either Of those noted years.
AT the windows of every house could be
seen the terror stricken faces OF men, wo-
men and children. who hailed passing
skiffs and boats and implored aid. The
crashing OF heavy logs of wood through
the windows Of deserted houses. the
crashing and crushing of blocks and
masses Of ice. the surging Of dritwood,
the displacement Of ouihouses and small
buildings the floating fences and dwellings.
the shrieking women and crying children
all served to make terrible scene of con-
fusion. This misery was intensified by
steady downpour OF drenching rain. which
only added to the terror and gloom"
The cause Of these destructive freshets
is represented to be the cutting away Of
the forests upon the mountains and hills
amidst which the rivers flow. allowing
rain and snow to be precipitated by the
thaw IN vast quantities into the rivers in a
few hours time. This no doubt is partial
ly true. But If the water system were
like that Of Maine, where numerous lakes
and ponds form immense reservoirs to re-
ceive and hold the foods that pour into
them from the surrounding country. pre-
venting the water from rising to great
height in the river beds. there would be
no disasters such as have been chOronicled
the past week. With or without forests.
a billy country with rapid rivers and few
or no ponds or lakes. must always be in
danger from destructive floods. and the
banks of its streams unsafe for inhabitants
or manufactures.
1t Is great advantage for Maine as q
manufacturing State that it is not a noun
famous country. and that its surface is
thickly dotted with lakes and ponds.
When the winter and spring rains come,
these great reservoirs. prepared by nature.
receive a large part of the redundant
SHOWS and rains Of the season. and hold
them to prevent heavy treshets upon the
rivers. and to supply the country below
during the heat of the summer with re-
freshing GOODNESS and power to turn
thousands of wheels of factories and mills.
Mill and factory property are here quite
safe against freshets upon all our streams.
the damage annually amounting to but a
trihe upon the property invested. For
those who desire TO invest in factories or
mills this is an important consideration.
which though not yet valued as it should
lis growing with every year in the esti-
nation of those who desire to employ water
power. The western foods make promi-
neut the safe and excellent privileges on
Maine rivers for manufacturing.