Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-03

Monday morning people living along
the banks of the Kennebec river felt thank
ful that the freshet of 1886 had not proved
as destructive as that of Feb. 20, 1870 1t
was thought that the gravest danger, that
of blockade down river, Was past. though
the river was still rising. Just why there
was escape from an Ice blockade was not
quite apparent, for the ice was firm and the
rainfall, 5.15 inches. was nearly as great
as 1t was twenty-six years ago, in fact
exceeding the rainfall of any one storm
since that date. At that time, however,
there was large body of snow upon the
ground, and the date being nearly ten
days earlier In the season the ice may
have been somewhat firmer.
All day Monday watching the turbu-
lent tide Of the river was fascinating
occupation in which everyone who could
do SO INDUCED During the greater part
OF the forenoon the surface of the waters
broken into small cakes and covered with
foam and the gtindings of the cakes,
crunching together in the swirling waters.
Occasionally large masses of logs freed
from their confines up river, shed root
or an out building, mingled in the white
masses swept along in the swift current.
When not relieved by these dark patches
of debris the wide expanse Of water was
white, and except in the eddies and along
shore fairly seethed, polar current In
which DR.. Nansen in his stout ship, the
Fran, might well have hestated to risk
his fortunes.
By noon the feeling of ankfulness
gave way to one Of apprehension as tie
waters slowly crept higher and higher.
The big blocks of ice had nearly ali passed
down but the water fingered There was
no ice jam between this city and Gardner
but soon rumors We're afloat OF one in the
vicinity of Merrymeeting bay. Streets in
Gardiner and Hallowell We're afoat, many
of buildings having several feet Of water
on the street floor. 1t was apparent that
the damage would be considerable though
it was felt that it could not be as severe
as when the masses of ice swept down
about 4 O'Clock the waters began to re-
cede there was feeling of general rc.iei
in the belief that the jam down river had
broken. IS it is, though not equal to
that historic food with which compari-
sons are made, the froshet OF 90 made for
itself quite prominent place in local
history.
"reminiscences cf the flood of 1870 weIe
in the minds Of everyone who saw the
terrible scene of that Sunday, when the
great fields of ice above the dam, raised
by the rains of the preceding Friday and
Saturday, swept over and down river as
far as Hallowcll and choked the channel,
damming the waters and flooding parts of
fhe lower streets of the two cities so that
they could DO travelled only in boats, while
the surface of the water was so high that
the kennebec dam was invisible When
that lea iloe came over the dam it swept
the railroad bridge down stream section
at time. One long piece came end on
with seemingly irresistible force against
the old wooden bridge and the people that
lined the banks held their breath in ar.
prchension. 1t was thought impossible
that the old structure could withstand
the shock of that impact. The bridge
trembled as the battering ram plunged
its iron nose underneath the great tim
beers, but it grandly INDICATED the reputa
ton of its builders. The section of the
railroad bridge swung around lengthwise
of the structure and rolled underneath
In doing so 1t lifted, according to the
accounts of eye witnesses, the othe,
bridge a little If so it settled back into
position almost as strong as ever Al
sight of this tremendous shout burs,
from the spectators spontaneously. Ths
| fragments of the railroad bridge wer,
swept down on top the masses of ice tina,
blocked the river from Augusta to steam
MIL point at Hallowell. Between steam
mn point and Browns Island soli,
neid OF ice wlthstood the strain of tn,