Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-02
THE kEkSEsEc DAN.
Built and Washed Away Several Times Yei
Important in Augustus History.

'-sssta usSAS'Js
one OF the very important events il
the history of Augusta. was the building
Of the kennehec dam and a great under
taking it was. mourning enormous ex
pense and great labor. but enterprisine
men were behind the movement and
carried it through. Its birth dates from
March Z, 1884, when the Kennebec Dam
Company was organized. As early as
1885 William Howard advocated the
building of dam across the river at this
point. The plan then was to build 1t near
Cushnoc Island, now disappeared. The
capital stock of the Kennebec Dam COM
pany was 100000 The officers of the
enterprise were. Asa Redington, Jr.,
president; j. l.. Chids secretary and
treasurer; Daniel Williams, Allen Lam.
bard. James Bridge, and Lot Myrick,
directors; William Dewey and E. T.
Bridge, auditors. Ruel Williams sue
ceeded Asa Redington, Jr, as president
and he In turn was succeeded by Z. T.
Bridge
1t was these prominent men of their day
who undertook the bold experiment of
damming the rapid waters of the Kenne-
bec William Boardman was the engi-
neer engaged to superintend this impor-
tant work. 1t viii not be out of place to
mention here what Nathaniel Hawthorne
wrote in his notebook regarding Mr.
Boardman, while he Nathaniel Haw-
thorne) was visiting his friend, Horatiot
Bridge. in 1887. Hawthorne describedt
Boardman ms follows: "A plain country
squire. with good figure, but rather of a
a ponderous brow, rough complexion,
gait stiff, general rigidity of manner,
something Ike that of o schoolmaster
He originated in country town in New
Hampshire and is an EDUCATED man.
In 1885 work was begun on the dam.
Two years after this the name of the
corporation was changed to the Kennebec
Lock & Canals Company, with authority |
to increase its capital stock to 5000, 600 |
The dam was completed Sept. 81, 1897, |
the lock Oct. 12 of the same year The |
dam was made IS feet above ordinary |
high water. This triumph of engineering
skill, great for that day, was the COM
mencement of new era in the business
history Of this city. 1t was the outcome
Of William Towards dream 90 years
previous and he was the original predeces-
sor of the stupendous plant of the Ed
wards Misunderstanding Company. The
lam, however, was not success, for in
May 80, 1889, an unusual freshet came
and the dam gave away at the western
end where the canal and unfinished mills
we're located. The torrent swept away the
unfinished mills, cubic acre Of land
rom surface area of half dozen acres
Ruel Williams said that this was the first
,iece of land he ever knew to slip away
Under mortgage. The great freshet did
much damage.
Hawthorne in his notebook also men,
ions the building of the dam and made
pleasing notes regarding the fishing trips
he enjoyed on Bond brook
The rebuilding Of the dam began in
$40, under the inspiration OF Alfred
2ediDgton and was again finished in 1871
tia cost of $4,000. In 1912, Samuel
Romans built a saw mill at the east end,
lanes Bridge about the same time erected
wood working and machine shop In
s45, the building OF the cotton mill be- ,
AN. Following this building six saw
Mills were erected. Another catastrophe
anne and In 1916, a freshet washed away
so feet Of the dam. Ia 1853. a disastrous
re destroyed several saw mills the ma
hine shop and flour mill. The dam was
ebuilt 10 1856, and before fully completed
mother freshet carried away 100 eet Of
and an expenditure of SEQ, COO was
ecessary to repair damages. Another
re occurred in 1868 and several indus
ries were burned, making loss of siO.-
90. The fourth disaster Of the Kennebec
am was In 1870 and 160 feet were washed
own river. So from 1897 till 1870 the
dam was built, washed out and q
sbuilt, making the outlay of funds very 81
,rge. Finally the Sprsgues took the
latter In hand and under the engineering
npervision of Henry Dewitt the dam was
rmly rebuilt and stands today as they
1T 1t.