Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-24


depth of water
A writer in the Boston Journal who Incl
dentally mentions his connection for the past
ten years with public works in Canada, IN de-
Tending the river and harbor bill writes a.
follows:
"There is not harbor on the Atlantic coast that
the large ocean steamers can enter or depart from
until the tide is nearly at high water marx, Wills a
to % feet at low water snd even this depth is con
fined to narrow channels. while our large ocean
steamers require from 20 to 80 feet, and often 10
making these harbors have wait for the tide from
six to twelve hours. Now If these harbors need i'm.
provements, and think you will agree with me that
they do the appropriations for the work should not
be made in driblets. as they. are now made. but
should be large enough to enable the government 70
do the work with economy aud speed CANADA
at its last session of Parliament voted to deepen the
ST. Lawrence to "a feet at Low water from Montreal
to the sea. This means millions OF DOLLARS
Charles Stoue hton, in communication to
the New York Daily Tribune of September
Is, 1886 SAYS:
"Nuch has been said and written upon the neces-
sity OF deep sea entrance TO the port OF New ork
important legislation has been had thereon. and
large apr OPERATIONS OF money made to secure II.
Time is found o be money, and therefore commerce
becomes more and more imperative in its demands
for shorter routes and closer schedule OF time.
Continental railways and ocean steamers change
commercial centers, that it is no longer London.
but New Y ork that controls the worlds trade.
IL mas q deep sea entrance through Long Isiauu
Sound for the largest ocean steamers. which Is indie
pendent of all tidal influences and which the Great
Eastern US in her last two trips Ii VIII be neces-
sary TO render the Harlem river navigaoe ana blast
out the Bronx Kills in order to the Long Island
route to adv .ntage. For the former Work SfOOooo
was appropriated eight years ago. With these much
neede1 improvements made, the largest steamers
could go in deep water direct 10 the docks at Port
Morris and discharge pa seogers cargo and mails
= Therefore every convenience possible for the
merchants trading and the passengers movements
in no elf audD nrts oh h.. DrOVilpQ:
time, labor and money is strictly demanded; the
commerce OF the North and West Is to meet that OF
the Eastern states and Europe in the water around
this city, but this cannot be done TO advantage until
both entrances to the harbor used and till the
Harlem River, of such paramount Importance Is rem
dered nayigable."
The writer in the Boston journal, above
quoted, would probably modify his statement
that there is MT a harbor on the At
lantic coast that the large ocean steamers
can enier or depart from until the tide
i. nearly at high water mark" if his attention
were called to il, and would restrict it to the
harbO.s now extensively made use of by COM
merce. There are several valuable harbors
among the many indentatlons of the coast of
Maine which are now practically unknown
and unused but which are destined through
the present searching activities OF trade to
become worll-famous before many years. and
Of these the most valuable, on account of its
central situation and many natural advan-
tages, Is
WIsCAssET
This beautiful, deep. capacious. and safe
harbor is NOT only the nearest outlet to the
ocean from Quebec, but is the only harnor
north of Cape Hatteras that is always free
from ice, and open 10 navigation IN Tho
winter months.
Nor - hnrh fha Init tnto
either on the Atlantic or Pacific coast, that
has such depth of water as Wiscasset, or
ia more accessible at all stages of the tide
for heavy drsught ships In fact there is
more water in this harbor at dead low water
than Portland, Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, Norfolk or Baltimore has at high water
spring tides. thu, making this harbor the
most eligible one on the cast for heavy
draught ships
Nothing less than so feet of water is found
in the channel from the ocean TO the wharves
off the town, with a clear, wide channel.
Ships bound to this port are never detained
bv reason IF the tides, as is the case in the
ports of Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
where steamships are frequently detained
from six to eight hours waiting tor the tide
to rise on bars or middle grounds. to enable
them to pass these distractions in safety
thus OBTAINING passengers and mails and in
curing extra expenses to the vessels.
The Atlantic Coast Pilot, published by the
United States Coast Survey, in describing
this harbor. on page 378, says:
1.-THE Sheepsc)t River is the first opening into the
land met with to the westward of Boothbay. II is
very Deep nine iathOms being the shoaIest water in
the channel, from the mouth of the river to the
town of Wiscasset 90 fourteen miles above. Its
entrance is contained between Cape Newagen on the
q al n Il nd
called Griffth's Head, on the west; and between
these two points it is II miles wide with almost
unobstructed channel"
Again, on Psge $50, it says:
"Wiscas'et Bay Harbor is of irregular shape,
but W de and deep forming a most excellent harbor
with good anchorage. and very little obstructed and
It's natural advantages as commercial port can
hardly be surpassed''
In 1888 United States Surveying Com
mission visited Wiscasset and were 80 strong
ly impressed with the Importance of the
place and its beautiful land-locked harbor
that they recommended Wiscssset to the gov
ernment as one of the most eligible harbors
on the coast for a naval station.
Mr.. George j. Varney. III his Gazetteer of
Maine, on Page COZ, says;
"Should the projected railroad to connect Wiscas.
set with Quebec by way of Point Lewis be built the
commo iious ha,bor and land locked of the
Sheepscot must become entrepot between Eng
land and the CaDatas by a shorter route than would
be afforded by any other port"
1t is CLEARLY shown bv the unimpeachable
testimony above quoted, aad the
United States Coast Survey Chart. that
the harbor of Wiscasset combines all the
natural features that constitute the perfect
port. The approach is broad and unobstruct.
ed and perfectly easy of access at all seasons.
The man nt-ance to the harbor proper is a
straight passage into the land for fourteen
mil,s- vide slip fashioned by nature, with
bold shores of solid ledge on either side.
The harbor is capacious-in fact, there is
perfect harborage all the way from the sea
and everywhere. in approach, entrance and
hsrbor there is sufficient depth of water at
all seasons and all hours to float the deepest
keels that swim. 1t Is never obstructed bv
ice. Hon. j. Manchester HAYNES. who owns
a shipvard, sawmill and ice houses st Birch
Point, at the head OF the harbor, saws he
has known shipnasters who have laden their
vessels at his wharves in midwinter, when
WlScasset harbor was as open as in June, to
hesitate about putting to sea because the
ports of Philadelphia and Baltimore, Ia
which they were consigned, were reported
blocked by ice The exceptional immunity
from obstruction by ice enjoyed by this far
northern port IL due to the small quantity of
fresh water flowing into il and to the free ad-
mission of the tide, which sweeps up the
main entrance, filling the harbor and the
western. or Montseag entrance, as we'll, thus
maintaining current which protects
its surface from the intensest cold The
same causes that prevent ice-obstruction