Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-25
THE MESSALO NSKEE.
Fair WatervilIe Has Fine Water
Power as Yet UndeveIoped.
The Beautiful Stream Has Seen I'm
portant Industries Come and Go,
And Now Awaits Progressive Men 10 Again
Utilize Its Advantages.

Waterville, May 24-tSpeciaD.-The
silent way from the chain of ponds
on the west to the greater Kennebec
and thence to the sea. All along the
rockhound shores of the beautiful
stream are spots where the genius Of
man might assert itself and new in
dustries spring into existence If
the industrial eye should once more
be turned earnestly in that direction.
Years ago. even before the aborigines
had retired from these scenes forever
to give way to march of wind and civ
iliZation. there came to the little river
men who found opportunity and cour-
age to build the saw and grist mills of
Mcke cknie and Emerson. DR.. Nc
kechne's mill was then situated near
where the present water works station
is. That mill was built about 12o years
ago. From that time down To the
present the Messalonskee has played
no little part in the Industrial stage.
We will not mention the numerous
wheels turning in Oakland at the
present time. through which flows the
Messalonskee, but. beginning at the
lower privilege near the Kennebec
river we will take a glance at what
the stream has done and what it may
be made 10 do for the future
The writer is we'll aware that what
is to follow in this article is not any
thing new to some citizens but 1t is as
tonishing what little many of Wat
erville's business men know of the pos
sibilities of the future to be gained
from the Messalonskee. 1t is also sin
eular that many old residents have
never noticed or have forgotten what
they have at one time noted of that
stream. An old resident said to the
Journal, Friday: Now you speak of
ii. ] do remember that the Messalon-
skee affords a great deal in the way of
water power" 1t seems to be the next
thing toward which Waterville capital
must surely turn for remunerative in
vestment. 1t will require a good sized
fortune to tap the kennebec river for
power now that 1t IS controlled by the
large corporations but the proper de-
velopment of the Messalonskee means
much for Watervlle and the property
ON NETS aipilS the banks Of the stream
would rather sell for a fair figure than
allow the property. from which at the
present time there is no revenue. to
sap them Of taxes.
Beginning at the lower privilege we
find that this was first utilized by ST.
las and Abjah Wing who constructed
dam that gave head for a saw and
grist mill. This plant was subse-
quently sold to Samuel Hitchings who
in 1859 put up another building where
he made wool carding machines. and
as history has it turned bed posts "
Soon afterward Deacon Daniel Wells
built cardng and clothing mill and
run it until 1882 This mill was built
on the same dam with the Hitchings
mill. The great flood of 1882 which, by
the way was the only one that has ever
been known to do any considerable
amount OF damage. carried away all
of Ifitchings' mills, but the saw mill
was reconstructed. Later the privi-
lege was sold to Francis Bachelor of
Boston, who built another saw mill on
the other side of the stream which he
continued to operate for many years.
The mills We're finally abandoned when
the larger mills on the Kennebec were
Continued on page 50