The Portland daily press., 1889-06-07
PORTLAND NOT IN PERIL
II the Dam at Lake Sebago Should
be Carried Away.
But Westbrook, Saccarappa and
Cumberland Mills Might Be.

Since the terrible disaster at Johnstown,
Pa, where Lake COnemaugh burst its dam
and inflicted the greatest damage to life and
property known to modern civilization, peo-
pie residing in localities dependent upon
waterworks have naturally felt somewhat
nervous and feared that like catastrophe
might destroy the cities in which they live
The New York World has been gwen a de-
scription of these various places, and this is
what is said of Portland: Portland, Me-,
obtains It's water supply from Lake Sebago,
and dam at the source of the Presumpscot
river holdsthe natural overflow in check
Lake Sebago is IA miles long and six wide,
and has drainage basin of 500 square miles
At high water the surface of the lake is 267
feet above the city, and, though ie fills two
reservoirs of 30.000,000 gallons capacity, it is
constantly OVERLOOKING To show the dan
ger of this dam at the lake, it should be stat
ed that on June 8, 1882, one OF the receiving
reservoirs burst, which in 80 minutes dis
charged 100000 gallons into the streets of
the city. causing great damage to property,
though there were no lives lost"
One error made by the writer is
IA titC otdbChClt VI bIc Vi tuc lcS-
ervoir. This reservoir was not situated a:
the lake but was the service reservoir in the
city.
A representative of the PRESS called upon
President Wescott of the Portland Water
. Company yesterday and showed him the
above item from the World. Mr.. Wescott
Immediately made the correction we have
published. Mr.. Weseott was then asked if
there was danger to Portland provided the
dam at Lake Sebago should give way. Mr..
Wescott said alhe did not see
how there could be. He made
rough diagram of the lake prop
er, showing where, at Whites bridge, its
waters pass through channel no wider than
the Presumpscot river itself, between lofty
embankments, with strong stone supporters
of the bridge at either, end, into
what is called the basin, which has
., large island In the centre. This basin is
comparatively shallow aud it is at its far
thest extremity. thata new and very strong
dam was constructed In 1881, at a cost of
$4,000. This dam extends across the out
let OF the basin into the Presumpscot river,
and also across the old Cumberland and Ok
AoAu Nauois hVN uuuocus WHICH has Tvs tct-
minus in the lake close by this point. Before
this new dam was constructed there were
fears that under extraordinary circum-
stances the old dam might give way and the
water of the lake come whirling down to-
wards Portland. The weakest part of the
lake has always been considered near the
Portland & 0gdensbu-g railroad station, and
If the lake oyerilowed there it would not en-
danger Portland. The new dam Is consid
cred amply strong for all emergencies. III
by any wonderful happening it should be
broken, 1t is not thought the water could get
a chance to enable it to do great damage ow-
ing to the manner in which the lake waters
enter the basin and thence into the Presump-
scot. But il a tremendous torrent should
burst through the dam and down towards
the city it would probably divide at the bend
1 In the river at Saccarappa 10 miles below
and either pass down to the sea striking
through and flooding the Stroudwater valley
or following the river course, sweep through
Saccarappa and Cumberland Mills to the
rivers outlet No great change could take
place in thecondition of the lake, however.
without the. Office being fully warned. Every
Monday report is made to the Portland of
dee stating the changes in the lake each day
for the week previous.