Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-12
Good Prospect for Improve
ments in Bucksport Harbor.
Shipping Subsidy Bills Fate Doubtful
loud Bill Opponents Active.
Many congressman Now Working Tor Re eIec.
tion-Spring Visitors Arriving.

will be good news to the residents of
that vicinity and to those whose COM
mercial interests are concerned with
that locality. Gov. Burleigh has been
very active in urging improvements ut
various points along the Maine coast
within his district, and in the last CON
grrss set in motion the machinery Of
the war department for investigating
the merit of different projects. Exist
ing law requires that a preliminary
survey and examination by army en-
gineers shall be made for every pro-
ject where money is to be expended
by the government. This preliminary
examination and survey must also BE-
authorized by a concurrent resolution
of Congress.
Maj. s. w. Roessler. chief of cngi
neers in charge of improvements along
the Maine coast ana stationed at Port
land. has recommended an improve
ment in Bucksport harbCr to cost $40,
600. He submits two plans. one of
which would cost $4,000 and the other
$50. 600 His report ana recommended
ton have just reached the House ana
GOV. Burleissh expects that the i'm
provement will BE- provided for in the
next river and harbOr bill That bill
viii be passed. according 10 the present
outlook, at the next session Of CON
Sress Mr. +. s. HurroWcs. assistant
engineer. mad" the preliminary eN-
animation which disclosed the comb
tion of the shOal there and exempt
fed the rapidity with which Maine
rivers fill up with mud and saWdust.
Maj. RoesSler describes the condition
of the channel as follows:
"Bucksport is located on the left
bank of PenobscOt river. about % miles
below Bangor and directly opp site
Fort Knox on the right bank. The
river at this point divides into two
branches around Whitmores island.
The main channel is down the right
branch, and the rush Of water into it
at the head of the island maintains
deep water along the shore at Fort
Knox, opposite Bucksport harbor. Thr
area directly in front of the line Of
wharfs at Bucksport is outside of the
influence of the main current of tn"
river, but under the influence Of the
more sluggish current of the left
branch, whose velocity is not sufficient
to hold in suspension the material
brought down by the main river. As
result, a shoal has formed, known as
the middle ground" which is the sub
was carefully surveyed in 1873, and,
under a project based thereon, was
dredged between 1873 and 1917 to
depth of u feet at mean low Watcr
over n greater portion of the area and
to depth of feet over portion of
the remainder funds not being sutiiCi-
ent to complete the Improvement as
projected. From the best Information
obtainablc it appears that the bar has
again shOaled to such an extent by
new deposits as to be practically in tn"
same condition as it was before the
Improvement of 1875 and 1871. The
material dredged here was found to be
almost all soft mud. The new deposit
is probably sawdust ana mud and
easy to cXcaVate.
Besides the general commerce Incl
dental to 4 village the size of Bucks
port, a large fishing industry is car
Iied on here many vessels being titte
out for the Grand Banks ana returning
with their catch. The draft ana size
of these vessels is limited to the avail
able depth of the harbur. Those noW
fitted out draw from u to Ii feet"
There still continues to be echoes in
Washington Of the opposition in Maine
to the Loud bill, to restrict the volume
;.t,'.,,,,1 ,,t;,ia,, ~
49, No. =, ,,i'ii.,,. r..
~ !, p;n1,f,,,, II, raiatin,r u IL,
eI,a,,..l Il.,,.1 An can,tn,. II,1a M.
aa,,.', ~ 'ti,;.,, ~ ,.ha,ras ~
Hi. 1-..- Mil.
pa,,,r'. NJ, ,,,,o,,t,o+ina ar,trst
the passage Of the same bill.
,r,,,+ ,,,a,,,,r ,,,..,,,I,,.r. IN C,on,rros,.
or. Inolin,r fn,.,,.,rL IN tboi, Distrirt
cnrv.n,in,,,' u It'll, ,i,,a r,bis in-
,,,l. J, ,.,,t-. ., ,,i. All
tb~,,nt, -, ,l,a -.,,,,,., ,'.,,,,,,, ne. -,
I'LL .I,,
..''' =,
,ha ,,..,,,i,,'tia, ,,,'',,,t,.,. - ran
,r. ~, ,..,,
ttat ,,,,.. W, ,.,l,,,,,.,. nj, !,
rano,linot., III ,t $780,, ~ |
49,, 49,. n,., ll |
CT, - a.. ,,'.- " i'.,I.
,,ot int., .I,i.
,,.or -. 49,, III, 80 ,.t,, ,;,rtt.
for r.ro,,inoti,,, Mo- ori,',Ia. ,l,ni,