The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-13
SURVEY OF BAaADUcE RIVER.
Major Hoxie Says. Projected Improve
ment Would Aid Commerce..
ESPECIAL TO THE pREss.1

Washington, December 12.-The Secre-
tary of War has transmitted to Conoress
the report of Major Hoxie on the snrvav
of Bagaduce river, leading I'D to Penoh-
SCOT village, in Maine. He says that the
Bagaduce river is the tidal water oneninu
into Penobscot Bay at Castine. where
the mean rise of the tide Is 9.3 feet. about
five miles above the mouth Of the river
are the "narrows, the banks being at
least 700 feet apart, and the channel for
the largest vessels more than half that
width. Immediately above the "narrows''
the river Is much broader and divides
into the North and South Forks. The
tidal portion OF the North Fork termi-
mates in the Northern Bay. From the
"narrows'' to Penobscot the North Fork
is broad, and has COED channel through
somewhat indirect, as far as Bridges s
Point. This point is on the east shore
where the river widens into Northern
Bay, about thee miles from the mar
rows, and little more than three-fourths
of a mile below the head of the channel
at Penobsoot. A Above Brides Point, in
the Northern Bay, the channel is narrow
and at low tide has not sufficient depth
for even the smaller coasting vessels
which carry freights to distant points.
Even this small channel is greatly OBJ
structed by points of ledge and by bould-
ers where 1t passes between Winslow' 8
Island and the mainland. Major Hoxie
then goes on to show that the commerce
of this point is sufficient to load 210 YES
sells year, and that with better facilities
the granite and brick business might be
greatly benefited.
The adopted project for the improve
ment of Bagaduce river eontemplates the
excavation sof channel 1000 feet long,
100 feet wids and six feet deep at low tide
from Bridges Point to Bowden's wharf
at South Penobsoot village in Northern
Bay. This project was made about ten
years ago, and the estimate cost was $45,
600, and there have been five separate ap-
preparations aggregsting $4,000. The
village of Penobscot is about mile north
of South Penobscot. Deep water of the
Bagaduce river extends about 1900 feet
beyond the entrance of the present
dredged channel in the direction of Pc.
nobscot village, butssterminates abruptly
in the mud flats about 2, 600 feet from the
wharf. An improvement to reach Penob'
scot village would neoessitate duplicate
dredged channel of that length.
The cost of completing work under
the present project for improving the low
water channel to South Penobscot, has
been increased by insufficient appropria.
tions and the development of more
boulder excavation than was anticipated.
1t is now estimated at $50, 900 in round
numbers, of which over $34, 900 is for re
moving 4, S99 tons of boulders at 81 pei
ton.
To make the channel from the deer
water in the Bagaduce river to Penobscot
village, it is estimated that there will be
cost Of $45, 700, the proportion of bould
ers being considered about the same as in
the channel to South Penobscot.
Major Hoxie is confident that the i'm,
provement would be a good thing fol
commerce in that region.
PERSONAL.
DR.. j. r. Hill of Augusta, was in
Washington Saturday.