Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-02-20

gauge aud one meter from high water
mark and oiled with lead. 1t Is 40 feet
from the northeast corner of Captain Bon
sey's house. The bench mark is 1855 feet
above mean low water. Two auxiliary
bench marks were established, the eleva-
tinns Of which were obtainedny water level
at high tide from the coast survey beach,
mark
Bench mark No. Is shown on chart No.
!, and is a horizontal drill hole 10 ledge
l10 feet above Tinker's wharf and is 90
above mean low water.
Bench-mark No. 2 is shown on chart No
2, and is a horizontal drill hole in ledge on
the point 2, $50 feet below the spindle. and
is IL feet above mean low water.
The mean range OF tides as determined
by the coast survey at the same time is 10
feet.
From the narrnws to Ellsworth there is
a crooked channel having a general depth
! of only little more than feet at mean
low water In 1871 and 1872 the United
; States Government drrdged channel in .
nearly direct lin. between the narrows and
the old steamboat landing at Ellsworth.
1t was made $50 feet wide and to ) feet
deep at mean low water The present sur
ycy indicates that no permanent benefit
made. The rapid filling which has taken
place Is undoubtedly the result of the large
quantities of slabs. elgings, shaying-,
sawdust. and other saw-mill waste which
have been aud are now thrown into the
river. The fats at low water are seen to
be compact mass Of slabs .edging>. butts,
sawdus,, etc. and at times the surface Of
the river is so covered with float
ing debris a. to make it difficult
to get through 1t with a small boat.
The people living along the banks
IF the river gather some OF the best Of the
floating wood and pile 1t above high-water
mark To dry for their winters supply of
fuel In one case | knew Of n small >lo"p
coming into the river and loading with
wood from the stream The supply. how.
ever, greatly exceeds the demand and tn
most OF it floats up aud down with tn
tide until II gradually becomes saturated
and sinks 10 the bottom to perform It's
part In obstructiug the channel
The river At the mouth "ldens TO more
than 3 900 feet. and n large bar has form
cd there which leaves only narrow chan
mel along the eastern shore with an availa-
bile depth of little more than feet at
mean low water. This bar, as shown hy
,iNty-oue borings made j. composed Of
tire absence of mill waste, other than
saw dust, would seem 10 indicate that all
the larger refuge luigt, IN the narrow
river above.
The commerce Of the river. which is
quite extensive, consists almost exclusive
Is In carving nut sawed lumber and hriug
in In coal aud some small supplies The
vessels used for this purpose can not have
a depth II drsught much greater than the
fpw of the tide and are tpwcd In aud out
at extreme high Watsr one >msl! tow boat
performing the wunlr service A small
steam boat connecting with the Boston
and Portland hoat- makes tri weekly trips
between points IN ButhiIl and Union Xiv
er BAYS, and when the tide serves. lands
at Lords wharf, | 3 miles below Els
worth Grncrally. however. the nearest
landing II makes i at Surry, near the head
Of Patten'> BAY.
The following estimate Is to obtain a
channel by dredging from Lords wharf To
Ellsworth with II depth Of SIX feet at mean
low water. and width through the mar
rows Of 100 feet, ard thence width Of
$50 feet to aud in front OF the whsrve, AT
Ellsworth A. this channel is at the head
ui the tidal basin II j. thought that If the
natural conditions were partially restored
and maintained the depth would hold
without the aid of contraction works. In
order to obtain clear depth Of feet II
viii be necessary In material OF this ma
/ ture To make an allowance for dredging at
least foot below grade and the quanti-
! ties in the estimate are calculated ON that
basis for stu measurements.
A. the river a. it-l nnuth has an ahnor-
msl width, IL /. proposed To contract II by
jrity and training wall running from the
western shore cross Horizons Rocks and
/ thence parallel tn and about 500 feet from
| the eastern shore. IL i 10 be built II
! rough stone. with top six feet wide aud
six feet above mean low water, and side
I slopes Of Is degrees The jrtty and train
( ing wall will have combined length OF
[ 600 feet and the training wall will be
marked in three places with rough stone
| bracon> built To height Of six feet abos {
mean high water.
/ ESTIMATES
! 20 go cubic yauis tn scoa ireds sng
| slabs. edging-, ct, at ~ cents tl33, ,nut
1 G-.eD tons Of stone for lrtty and train
ting wall at clio ,3.1t
Contingencies, 1896
Total, t223.op.
Very respectful ly, your obedient ser
want, +. 5. BURRowEs,
Assistant Engineer
Lieut. Col. JARED 4. SMITH.
/ Corps OF Engineers, I. $. A.