The Somerset reporter., 1890-01-02
Is There Peril?

The Fairfield journal and Portland
Press publish what seems to be the renee
ton of veteran lumberman" who had
''for years feared the dam at the outlet of
Moosehcad Lake would some day 90 out
and let the whole of Moosehead Lake
down the Kennebec Valley clear to the
sea- sweeping village and city before 1t
aud destroying everything in its course.
1t occurs to us that If this lumberman
has had this fear for years he is very late
known through an Incidental talk to u
lawyer while riding along the rive bank.
If he believes this calamity in pending
over the fairest valley in Maine he is
crimminaly and cowarily negligent in
not making 1t known AMI ovrr his own
signature or with his own voice.
Hon. Elias Milliken, president OF the
Kennebec Log Driving Company a gentle
man who has vast property Interest not
only in lumber lands and logs Tut IN mlll-
was seen by the RErogrYn at llnt.l llrs-
elton last evening. He talked freely
about the matter lie says the dam Is a
succession OF heavy log piers and gates TO
regulate the water in the river. The
piers are built OF logs with solid hiling of
rocks, and very strong. The dam IS low
structure raising the water but between
seven and eight feet, and is thoroughly
inspected and repaired every season,
Hon. William Philbrick, for many year,
Treasurer of the Log Driving Co., says
the report of the insecurity Of the cities
and villages along the river from this
dam is preposterous. The dam is in sec
lions and there is not one chance In ten
thousand Of it all going out together
/ The extreme hight from bed of river is .
+ feet, and the top of gates are one foot
lower. The length of dam Is 800 feet
including wings. The log piers are about
/ If one section or even two sections the
dam should go out the outflow of water
would not be sufficient to damage proper
| ty along the river.
Levi W. Weston, for many years en-
gagged in lumber business, considers the
dam perfectly secure. In the extreme
spring freshet it is rare thing for the
water to run over the dam, and ordinarily
not more than two feet lies upon the
apron upon which the gates rest. II tn,
whole dam should go out at once at the
time of the spring freshet /, would not
he said raise the water two feet at Skow
hogan The two Indian Ponds are some .
miles long. The narrow gorge below
them and the flats between the Forks anc
Scion would check the flow in the mar
rows and give the water opportunity t.
spread out on the flats aud thus prevent ,
heavy and sudden rise along the river.
S. W. Phllbrick, Treasurer OF the Com
pany says, that the dam and piers arr
from to . feet high, the wings running
far into the shores, the west side 247 fee
and the east IA feet. There are II pier
from 10 to 20 feet thick and . feet higl
built OF logs and filled with rock
There are 30 gates about 8 feet wide an,
from two to four between each pier
, The dam was built about fifty years az,
and has been repaired from time to tim
until none of the original is left and it l.
| INV S'IObEti VIM tNtl otipit'
About twelve years since -four gates be
tween two piers went out with thu
/ pressure of the ice aud gale in the spring
The company towed n boom Of logs cor
tanning one million feet, or acres, an
turned IL into the gap, illiug il so as t.
stop most of the water. That large body
of logs in strong current turned on to the
piers all at once shows the great resist
i ing power OF tic structure.
II il Of great importance to all the pc o
Pile Of the Kenuebcc valley that this dan
be secure, but to thn-e gentleman whose
business interests are so largely In TIL,
lumber business 1t is of transccndant i'm
portapce. They cannot afford not tc
have the dam secure.
1t appears that the possibility OF
any considerable damage resulting from
this dam is exceedingly remote, yet II
seems to Usa rigid inspection of the
structure by practical engineers would b.
a good thing. The public want to know
the bottom facts and ought to know
them.