Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-11
Gully genuehtt Sua'raaI.
CITY GOVERNMENT
Appropriates $500 for Cutting Chan
mel in Ice Below Jam.
Inspector 81 Buildings TO Receive Salary o
S1O0-Oiher Matters.

government was held, Tuesday evening,
at the rooms in Opera house block.
An order was passed determining that
the salary OF inspector of buildings be
made 500.
The roll Of accounts, amounting to
s21S0.4 6, was passed.
The special committee consisting CT
Mayor Millixen, Alderman Cunningham
and Councilman Allen, appointed, Mon
day, to make report on the jam ques.
tion, made reports to the joint meeting Of
the two branches.
Mr. Ira H. Randall. upon request, re
garding he advisability Of appropriatina
money toward removing the jam at Swan
island. said that, to him, the danger Of an
inundation was NEST serious one. The
money to be raised could not be raised by
any one corporation or city and that /,
seemed to him the duty Of Augusta to dc
Der part.
Regarding the division of expense by
percentage, Mr.. Randall said that that
was the only possible way, as the expense
could not be determined. Any definite
appropriation which might be made would
not be satisfactory or equitable. The case
was one of an emergency, and not one that
could be treated with any delay.
The season of the year was one that was
especially dangerous, the warm weather
which might be looked for at any time
would melt the ice and snow in the boys,
ponds and rivers. and with rain do dam.
age inestimabie.
The case was one of insurance, and
should be considered rs any other kind OF
insurance is, by property owners, looking
for means of protecting themselves.
Alderman Cunningham was called up
on to testify to what he had found. HI
stated the situation of the Jam. and the
five miles of ice behind it. He found
none of the reports exaggerated, and
firmly believed that in case of IA flood, th'
water would be 10 feet on Water street.
Mr.. Cunningham further outlined tn,
plan of cutting the ice behind the jam,
and spoke of the estimate by Mr.. George
N. Lawrence to cut the proposed channel
in four or five days at the outside, at cost
of $4,000 at the outside.
I. l. 4 \ l..
the cost or time Of breaking away the
jam, the ice Offering the uncertainty OF
the task.
Various estimates, ranging from s7000
to SIS, 600, had been made by those witt
whom he had talked. Mr.. Cunningham
expressed himself as of the opinion that
should they begin work in the jam, to
morrow, they might be still at it, for somt
time to come, possibly for two months.
He believed in paying a proportional
expense of the channel, but not to entel
upon the plan with any unlimited appro-
priation, as defined percentage would
demand
Councilman Allen believed in paying 8
proportionate share Of cutting the chan
mel. Regarding the jam, be was convinced
that the ice and debris extended to th,
bottom, and was an obstacle to be feared.
Mayor Milliken spoke of the matter, b
a citizen and tax payer, and believed il
intrusting the matter to the hands of tn,
competent men appointed to go into th'
destruction of the jam, as far as it seemet
advisable He believed III Augusta do
ing her share with the other cities.
Councilman Hamilton testified that b,
had made II careful examination of til,
cast channel, and had discovered that the
water was passing beneath the ice jammed
there and that he believed that 1t wa
working on the ice and with an increase,
head, such as would come with a general
melting or rain, the mess would he cut
out. What ice might come from above
he maintained, would be powdered by th,
time it reached the lower jam, at Swan
island He estimated that it would take
from two to three months to cut away the
jam.
After discussing the uncertain nature
of the jam, and what it would do and
would not do on a rise of water, the con
currence was dissembled.
The following order was passed by both
branches: Ordered, that there be and Is
hereby appropriated on behalf of the city Of
Augusta, sum of money not exceeding
$500, for the purpose OF cutting channel
from open water in the Kennebec river to
the lower end of the present jam in said
river, at Swan island.
No further action will be taken until
the lam is reached, when the question will
come up for further consideration.
1t is expected If it is found practicable
to work through the jam, the city will
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