Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-24
THE WORK IN HeLl's GATE.
Uncle Sam Has Made Great improvements In
that Part Of Sasanoa River.

Bath, Me-, Dec. 2s-The thou
sands who yearly pass back and
forth from the Kennebec to the islands
in Boothbay harbor, will read the fol-
lowing with interest:
Contractor Rogers who, with diver
and crew of men has been busy all the
past summer and fall deepening the
channel at Hell's Gate has suspended
operations for the winter and left for
his home, today, in Pittsburgh, N. Y.
Navigators in this river already see a
great improvement in the channel by
means of the work done there, this
summer.
Before the engineer corps of the
United States army commenced to i'm
prove the gate. by removing ledge rock
under water, it was the terror of navi-
gators and vessel owners. In fact
passage could be made at only high
or low water slack. During General
Thom's administration of the Portland
office. a contract was awarded to MI
Cushman of Bath, for the removal of
some rock to low water mark. The
mean range of the tides at this point is
Z feet.
This excavation reduced the force
and violence of the food tide, which at
that time was the predominating one,
and improved the fierce eddies on both
sides. A large rock at the entrance to
the gate as we'll as piece of ledge be-
low was removed by Mr.. Andrews of
Biddeford. These improvements elm
mated some Of the dangers to naviga-
ton, and as the price was almost pro-
hibitory owing to the crude plant used
which was in the experimental stage,
no further attempt at improvement
was made until last March. when
Major r. L. HoXie decided to remove
the gate.
The necessity for this becomes ap-
parent when it is understood that the
business on the river is increasing at
a rapid rate, and at times the crack
steamers of the Eastern Steamboat Co.
are unable to force a passage. A con-
tract was let to Mr.. Rogers of Platts-
burgh.. for the removal of rock to the
II feet contour line at mean low water.
The area to be removed was plotted on
blue prints at 100 feet long by 20 fest
wide with an average thickness of
about 10 feet. Accurate soundings
made during the progress of the work
developed the fact that the u foot
contour line covered an area. of so feet
in width by 135 in length with II
feet of cutting on the west side. This
has been entirely removed. making the
channels so feet wider with u feet of
water at mean low tide.
1.ctive operations were commenced
the goth of last May and the work has
been pushed energetically until compile
ton. Sis hundred and sixty-four shots
have been fired and practically 1000
pounds of Is per cent. dynamite used
to punch down the 16 feet holes, while
the drill steel ranged from one ard one-
quarter to one and one-half inches in
diameter and up to 2S in length. Even
with this heavy apparatus'the fierce of
the tides was such as to confine ali
drilling operations to slack water.
From two to three divers have been
constantly employed on the work. The
highest price paid by the United States
government for removing rock under
water Grower and Corwin rocks, Bos-
ton harbor. Mass.,) has been $3.50 per
cubic yard. The same conditions to-
day would bring about SIS. while this,
one of the most difficult pieces of ledge
excavation ever undertaken by the en-
gineer corps was awarded at SO. In
this work errors of judgment are cost
ly. as the contractor will certify to.
With another seasons work all that
will remain of this celebrated gate will
be the name, Upper He'll Gate. Sasa-
noa river, Me.