Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-01-05
THIS is SERIOUS.
MILL REFUSE MUST NOT BE
Thrown IN UNION RIVER.
IF PRACTICE Is NOT STOPPED Gov
ERNMENT APPROPRIATION MAY BE
WITHDRAWN.

A dispatch from Warrington, D. c.,
Monday says, Mai. r. l.. Hoxie, corps of
engineers, emphasizes again in report to
Congress, just made public, the growing
evil of depositing mill refuse in the
rivers of Maine. The statement is made
in connection with his recent survey of
Union river, Ellsworth, which was
examined last year by Lieut.. Col. Dam
rell.
Washington dispatches to Maine at
that time mentioned Lieut.. Col. Dam
rell's warning on the same subject to the
effect that the government could hardly
a ford to institute Improvements where
the carelessness of mill-owners was al
lowed to undo the work that cost the
government thousands of dollars to ac
complish.
W hile tae result of Maj. Hoxie's survey
was announced in Maine little while
ago, his exact recommendation, which
was forwarded through the division
chief on to Secretary Alger and thence to
Congress, will be interesting, in view of
the large interests in Maine which are
affected. Maj. Hoxie says:
''The preliminary examination of Union
river with view to its improvements, re-
quired by the same act, was made under
the direction OF my predecessor, Lieut..
Col. A. n. Damrell, and report submitted
Jan. 30, 1897. | agree with Col. Damrell
i'll the opinion that the field work OF ad-
ditional surveys is unnecessary, the
ground having been fully covered by
OF Lieut.. Col. Jared A. Smith, Of which
the maps and detailed estimates are now
Oh file in this office.
"From these surveys it appears that the
sum of SIPS, 900 is required for channel
through the bar at the mouth OF the river
100 feet in width and six feet deep at low
tide, and through the narrows below Els
worth, increasing to $50 feet in width in
front of he wharves at Ellsworth.
"The estimate includes The construction
Of a jetty and training wall, the latter to
be marked with three rough stone bea-
cons, built to the height of six feet above
mean high water, to preserve the channel
over the bar after the dredging Is COM
pleted. This project having been pre-
sented to Congress prior to he recent APP
preparation of $4,000 in the river and
harbor act of June 8, 1896, must be con-
sdered the approved project for the i'm
provement of Union river, although the
appropriation of $1,000 is to be expended
in dredging under the terms of the act.
"The contraction works at the mouth
Of the river will probably maintain the
channel at that point, but the annual
cost OF maintenance of the channel
through the narrons and in front of
Ellsworth can not yet be estimated.
ssFor the economical prosecution Of this
work it is necessary that sufficient APP
preparation should be made to- justify
the employment of a suitable plan for
doing the work expeditiously and eco
nomicaly.
sin this connection it is proper to invite
attention to the necessity for further leg
islation to prevent the deposit OF mill
waste and OF her refuse in rivers. The i'm
provement Of all rivers upon the coast of
Maine is more or less iDterfered with by
the practice of throwing mill refuse into
them; and while there has been change
for the better in this respect, the practice
continues, sawdust and other waste being
thrown in above the limit of navigation
and finding its way into the navigable
channel"