The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-02
ON THE SACO,
Biddeford and Saco Alarmed With Re-
minders of. Last spring-No Great
Damage Yet.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1

river and the danger tnat III threatens.
People living near the river were
greatly surprised, this morning, to see
what a rise there had been during the
night, The ice, which two days ago
was of Just the ideal thickness and
quality for harvest, showed signs of
breaking up.
Lumbermen Of the two cities were ear
ly astir and crews were sent up to the
big boom to further strengthen it in
preparation for the freshet that seemed
inevitable In that boom. frozen into
the solid ice, are about 2,000 COO feet OF
logs, most of them under the average
size. Many of them went astray in the
big freshet of last spring, and had been
gathered III from marshes and low lands
skirting the river Iflthat boom gives
way Biddeford and Saco may as we'll
say ''Good bye'' to their wooden bridges,
for 1t was expected that the mass OF ice
and logs coming down with the velocity
of the current would sweep everything
before them. @si1
But the various local lumber manufac-
tuners, among whom the ownership Of the
big boom's contents is divided, have TAX
en- every precaution to prevent that
threatened disaster. All the blacksmiths
who could be enlisted in the service have
kept open shop today, forging links and
pins to be used by the river men in
strengthening the boom.
From noon till nightfall the rise of the
river was phenomenal. About O'Clock
the water was within about six inches of
the highest point reached by last springs
freshet. and that breaks all the records
since 1842.
In spite of the pelting rain, the streets
during the, latter part Of the afternoon
and early evening were lined with sight
seer. And the sights really were worth
jewellers along the street contiguous to
the river, and they were too wrapt up
in their own affairs to appreciate points
Of grandeur.
Early in the afternoon the water began
to flow across Gooch street, Biddeford,
near the end of the Goooh bridge, which
connects the two cities. The street crew
opened the emergency sewer pockets
there, but that soon proved inadequate to
carry off the flow which came in from
behind the old Hamilton saw mill. This
street was one of the first to suocumb to
the freshet.
The ice held remarkably we'll, but the
swift current kept biting off great junks
Of solid ice which threatened to make sad
havoc below the dam.
On Goooh street, near the Hamilton
mill is Thomas J. McDermott's iron
foundry. The proprietor was working
in the shop, getting his blasts and tools
to places of safety when, about O. clock,
| there came crash which he feared
meant the destruction of the building
A big cake of ice had struck one Of the
upright timbers supporting his shaft
which connects with the water wheel.
The timber toppled over and sailed off
with it's destroyer.
| The proprietors of the Garland loom
picker factory on Water street, Saco.
were kept busy during the afternoon.
clearing their basement to make way for
the incoming flood. The factory stands
on a firm foundation and there is nc
fear of the freshet doing much damage
there, unless the floating ice backs III
against the building. The new Golfer
dam which the Saco Water Power Com
site of the old Deering saw mill helps
to turn the current away from the loom
picker buildings.
| At O'Clock Water street. Saco, which
was almost wholly submerged during
the springlfreshet, was passable, but the
water was beginning to enoroach upor
1t. Two hours later, pair OF rubber
boots was necessary to insure pedes
TRANS passage over some portions o
that thoroughfare. The prospect is tina
before daylight the rush of waters acros
that street will have attained depth o
two feet Most of the families living OF
Water street were packing their house
hold goods before night came on, ant
moving to more favorable locations.
A. j. Carll's livery stable near th
head Of Water street contained "a horses
a COW and a pen of swine when the f1oot
began. Pronting by his experience o
last spring, Mr.. CARL set Gre W of car
psnters at work STRENGTHENING his build
ing, and at the same time ho transferre
his horses to place of safety. The onl,
occupants of the stable tonight are tb
noisy porkers, who have forsaken thei
usual aboard for more sumptuous quar-
tiers in a favored corner on the next floor
Between 5 and 6 o'clock the ice abov
the Somesville bridge began TO break II
and crowd against the Saoo end of tn
bridge. Grcat ice foes came sailin
down and joined in the jam. The Sac
end of thu bridge is of iron, while Bic
deford's half is of wood. The latter SEE
, tion was more favored at the time of tn
} breaking up Of the ice fields, but it's bi
wooden stringers are dangerously nea
the surface of the river and il the ris
continues through tho night at the sam
ratio it followed today, Biddeford vii
very likely lose it's share of that import
ant structure.
Street Commissioner Clark set his crey
| at work loading the Somesville bridge