Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-27
A BENEFIT
That Has Threatened to Prove
a Serious Injury.
Contract for Dredging Kennebec Pro-
vIdes for Destroying HaIIowe|| Boom.
Congressman MiIIken and Interested Parties
Inspect Operations and Suggest Remedy.

People In this vicinity were all glad to
learn that Congressman Milliken at the
last session Of Congress had succeeded in
getting through an appropriation of $780,
ooo for dredging the Kennebec river, be-
tween Gardiner and Augusta. This appro-
priation was very large in view of the
general cutting down in the river and
harbor bill. No one expected to see it ex-
pended otherwise than for the benefit of
all the interests along the river. But the
steam dredge had not been at work upon
the river many weeks before it was dis
covered that II the existing plan for dispos
ing OF the debris taken from the channel,
should be carried out the injury to existing
property rights would, In the opinion of
many, be more injurious than dredging the
channel would be beneficial.
This plan provided for filling up the
Hallowell boom and practically destroy
ing it for the purpose to. which 1t has been
put these many years.
Here was "a pretty how'd 'ye-do. ;"
The kennebec Log Driving Company is
made up Of men whose mills furnish a
very large part of the freight to be carried
through this river. 1t would seem par
ticulariy unjust to iDjure them as much
as benefit them by opening this channel
The Hallowell boom privilege was
bought quite number of years ago by
this company at cost of $4,000. The
owners would not sell it now at any price
because it would be like selling them
selves out of business. They regard it as
an absolute necessity to the success of
their enterprise. Annually seventy-fve
million feet of logs are sorted here, on the
average. Here the logs belonging to the
Lawrences, the Bradstreets, NJ. G. Shaw
& Sons, Gray, Jewett, Fogg, the Bow
doinham and Wisoasset Mills, in short for
all the lumber mills on the river below
Hallowell, are assorted.
The feelings of all these Influential
men, when they found by examination
of the chart that the place marked as the
dumping ground Of $4,000 square yards Of
the excavated refuse was that part Of the
river occupied by their Hallowell boom,
can be imagined. They bestirred them
selves. Congressman Milliken was i'm
medlately notified and he came here at
once and took an active interest In the
matter Arrangements were made with
the lumbermen to thoroughly investigate
the situation, and the time set for this
was Friday morning. Accordingly Col
Elias Milliken, president of the Kennebec
Log Driving Company, and several other
members, including NJ. G. Shaw, Charles
Lawrence, f. T. Bradstreet and l.. G.
Cornish, Esq, attorney for the company.
met Hon. Seth L. Millken at the $40 A.
M. train and went to Hallowell. There
they took M. G. Shaw & Sons tug, Farms
worth, Capt Mcintosh for a trip over the
route where dredging operate rs are con-
templated. When the place below Halo
|
Is at work, was reached W. F. Robinson,
assistant to Maj. d. p. Heap, major of
engineers, and who represents the govern
ment In the management OF this work,
was taken on board the tug
The party then proceeded to the head OF
Browns island, where the Log Driving
Company has several large piers, Orders
have been isshed to remove the upper pier
on the grouna that it caused tho forma
ton of an eddy which washed the sand
into the chanhel, that was dredged sever
al years ago The company has already
got up formidable protest to the removal
Of this pier On the remonstrance are
the names of, those most interested in
navigation on the river, including officers
of the Knickerbocker Towage Company.
All declared that this pier was in no sense
an injury to navigation and that 1t did
not cause any filling up Of the channel.
When the tug arrived at the place sound
,nes were made and the fact ascertained
that the CnaQ0el db tLdb polHo 10 al oACei-
lent condition and sufficiently wide for all
purposes.
The tug then took the party to Au-
eusta, Mr.. Robinson accompanying them.
He pointed out the places where the dredg-
ing must be done and all possible places
along the way where the mud could be
dumped. With the exception OF one or
two sites where small amount could be
dumped with safety the only feasible place
In the vicinity was acknowledged by all to
be the Hallowell boom. All acknowl-
edged that II this were done the boom
would be practically ruined ard that there
Is no other feasible location for the boom
were the company disposed to mde it.
The question where can these $4,000
square yards, which are to be taken from
the channel, be deposited with safety and
without injurys" was then to be answered.
Really 1t ought to be taken to sea. y
said En- gineer Robin son, but he added
that the appropriation did not admit OF
that and that there are places where the