Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-03-12
THE FRESHET'S WORK.
THE LOSS FIGURES UP IN THE
MILLIONS.
TWO HUNDRED BRIDGES DESTROYED
MOST DISASTROUS FRESHET EVER
EXPERIENCED IN MAINE.

/ Now that the waters have subsidized, and
1 the rivers Of Maine have assumed their
normal size. it IS possible to take calm
view of the destruction wrought by the
/ freshet of last week, the most disastrous
ever experienced in Maine. Instead of la
ter reports lessening the amount of dam
age first reported, the figure was swelled
as different sections were heard from un-
til It has reached we'll up in the millions
one estimate placing the loss as high as
$4,000 900. though this l. probably much
too high.
The freshet was confined principally to
the central and western part of the State.
The Penobscot river behaved itself re
marksbly well, causing no damage wor-
thy OF mention. Union river, at Els
worth, was not up to the usual freshet
pitch. being at least three feet lower than
last spring.
BEGINNING OF THE FRFsHFT.
The frcshet began with the rain Satur-
day. Feb. % For forty hours the rain
fell and the melting ice and snow soon
swelled the rivers to freshet pitch. On
Monday the rivers were roaring torrents,
on which hoated heavy ice which carried
before 1t bridges and booms, or meeting
greater obstruction caused a jam which
flooded the towns on the river banks.
The height OF the freshet was reached
Tuesday, and the water began TO recede
as rapidly as it had risen.
The destruction of bridges was enor-
nous. 1t is estimated that in all, about
200 bridges, large and small, We're COM
pletely or partly destroyed.
The Androscoggin and its tributaries
destroyed more bridges than any other
river. The principal ones were the two
main bridges connecting the cities Of
Lew iston and Auburn, which were com
pletey wrecked.
Other bridges on the Androscoggin
which went were the bridge at Turner
village, the iron bridge at Pages NJ ills on
the Little Androscoggin, the new iron
bridge at Turner Centre, five small
wooden bridges and the electric lighting
station bridge at Brunswick, two spans
of the old toll bridge, known rs the Bay
Bridge just above Merrymecting bay.
the bridge at North Turner and Jay
bridge. three or four bridges over the
Little AndroscoEgin IN the town OF Paris.
four bridges at Mechanic Falls, two
bridges at Bretton's Mills. the bridge at
SHOWS Falls and Jsckson's crossing over
the Little Audroseoggiu and five bridges
over Stony brook.
AT MERRYMEETING BAY.
The wrecks of bridges and booms,
quantities OF lumber, small buildings
hieh stood on the banks of he Andres
coggin and the kennebec joined III the
mad race for Merrymeeting bay, the
name of which has been given new
significance.
The spectacle in Merrymeeting bay af-
ter the flood was one that those W ho saw
ii VIII long remember. As far a. the eye
could reach there WAS a wilderness of
floating logs twisted timbers, wrecks of
buildings, all intermingled with tossing
ice cakes Never before has Maine held
such spectacle of assembled ruin and
devastation, for here i churned and
ground and pressed together the CLEAN
ings OF the mighty flood along two OF
Names most populou. rivers.
There Will be an opportunity for coll
Letting this immense amount OF debris in
the spring. a. the ice breaks up very