Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-20
IMPROVING UPPER KeMNEBEc.
Changes which Will Husband Water and Re-
ducc Cost Of Driving Logs.

SoIon. Me-, Oct 19.-(SpeciaD.-T
work of removing the distractions in
the Kennebec by the Log Driving and
Kennebec Water Power Co. has now
been completed. A crew of men is still
at work on the dam at Moosehead lake,
but the work will be completed in
short time. When they have hnlsheo
their work over $4,000 will have been
extended, instead of the $5O00 planheu
at the first of the season.
The work was commenced during the
early fall when a most unusual task
was laid out. There were at certain
points all along the river obstructlons
that were a menace to the river driving
companies. Hardly a driving season
was passed through that did not see
one or more large jams formed in some
Mace after the logs had entered the
river. In order to remove these Jams
II was necessary for the gates at Moose
head lake to be raised, and by means
of the large quantities of water thus
allowed to flow away. clear up the OBJ
structions further down the river.
This method has been in use for
wears. and until the water power at
tie damage was felt by the industries
further down. Later, when the water
power began to develop, the Importance
of saving this water that was wasted
was felt by the manufacturing COM
panies One of the first men to call at
tention to this fact was Sumner Hol-
lingsworth, the president of the Hol-
lingsworth & Whitney Co. He spent
IL. !; -,
section. one summer a few years ago.
and being hydraulic engineer of
standing. put in his vacation going
over the whole of the river and noting
the improvements which might be
made.
When he completed his work he made
very exhaustive report, recommend
ing that certain changes be made. the
most important of which was the re-
pairs and changes at the outlet of
Moosehead lake. He stated that the
lake as then used was almost worth
less as storage basin. He also rec
commended that certain changes be
made in the river. F. f. Boston, the
agent of the Hollingsworth & Whit
ney Co. put a great deal of study into
the matter and as a result, made a re-
port at the last annual meeting of the
Kennebec Water Power Co., embodying
the changes he recommended.
The changes have now been completed
except those at the dam. At the dam
at Moosehead lake new gates have
been put in and the log way narrowed
down from Al to % feet In addition
sluiceway is being put in, through
which it will be possible to control the
water.
In addition, Turtle island. which con-
tanned over n surface acre of ground
and which in places was thickly wood
ed, has been blotted off the face of the
map. This was one of the worst places
on the river. and. last year, a jam of
10000, 900 feet was there formed The
removal was at a great expense to the
log driving companies. In add-
ton large number of boulderS
have been blown out of the
river and at places where the rocks
made frequent jams blasting has been
done so that even with the distractions
alone removed, there would be great
saving of water, from the fact that
fewer jams will be formed. In addition
the dam at Moosehead is to be repaired,
so that the saving will be so great that
that manufactures along the river do
not anticipate any trouble, next year,
on account of low water.
The distractions in the river have
all been removed at a cost of about
$4,000. The repairs at the dam will be
completed in few weeks This. it is
thought. will cost between $4,000 and
$4,000. The expense of making the re-
pairs is borne equally by the Log Driv-
ing Co. and the Kennebec Water Pow
er Co. Plans have been made for max
ing further improvements in the river
but whether or not this work will be
done. next year, has not been decided