Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-03-13
MENACE TO CITY.
Big Jam Above Augusta, Me-,
Causes Much Fear.
Ice Is 30 Feet High.

AUGUSTA Me-. March l0-Although the
water in the kcnuehec has receded consider
ably during the past few DAYS there is great
apprehension over the situation Of things.
Merry Meeting bay il piled full of lee, logs,
slcepers, drittwuod. houses and bridges, in
some places mountains high; and from
Swans island, oppusit" Richmond, the jam
of lee and logs is solid mass for miles be-
low. with only narrow channel through
which the water II passing.
There Is also another jam al Carratmk
fails which extends Tor l5 miles. Should
this break and come down. nothing could
prevent the water from rising even higher
than last week. Hon. Ira II. Randall OF this
city, one of the leading and most active lum-
hcrnen ON the kcnnebec has spent week
in going up and down the river, investigat-
ing the true situation, which he considers
alarming.
To correspondent he said: "The enor-
nous jam now existing for about five miles
at Richmond can and will be removed by
one of three methods. namely, a heavy rain,
causing another trcshet or To melt out by
the sun and warm weather, or to be dis
lodged by the assistance Of human agenies.
II It goes out by the first cause named We
have an object lesson before us of what will
in all probability occur.
The jam at the present time is practi-
'All ll4iilbNublN iIDlll Alf llN'l llt9lAtN nav
ing already resisted as high water rs has
ever been known at the location of the jam.
Hence. We reason from this standpoint, We
must naturally come to the conclusion that
it is hardly reasonable To expect it to pass
away this month. until weakened by con-
tuuous warm weather.
If there was any certainty that there
would be no more heavy rains this month
the damage would be somewhat lessened.
That, however, no one knows anything
about. In all probability there will be heavy
rains long before that Jam will have melted
out.
"Now the situation is still further endan-
gered by the condition of the river above
Solon. From Carratunk falls, in that town,
the river for % miles is for more than three
quarters Of the distance jammed with lee
that is from six TO 20 feet deep. There are
large quantities of logs mixed through this
jam, and thousands more that will come in
when the jam moves. There is nothing now
TO impede the progress of this enormous
mass until it reaches the present Richmond
jam.
The second or thawing method of dis
lodgment Of the jam is not safe to even Sc
riOuSly consider. In that method lies the
grave menace to this section Of the kennc-
bee valley, with all its vast property inter
csts. II the jam is allowed to remain until
thaWed out by warm weather the cnhnceS
are in favor of repetition of the great
JOhnstown flood Of few years ago.
"The third or artificial method should be
begun with the least possible delay. There
IS no time to waste or lose. And | know of
no more practical way than to have meet
ing at once of people, firms or corporations
that are liable to be injured by a flood Of
equal or greater magnitude than the last
one. The question OF expense is something.
Of course, but hardly to be considered when
measured by certain results. do not think
that conditions similar to those now existing
on this river were ever known before.