The Portland daily press., 1900-02-14

With the execution of the freshet OF
1895 on the Presumpsoot river that which
was caused yesterday by the continuous
rains of the past forty eight hours was
larger than any that hiss bein known on
this river for thii.y five years. In fact at
eight o clock last night more water was
reported to be flowing over ths dams az
Westbrook than has ever bten known
since the mills were built, but the dam
age at this place was not as large as IL
was 10 1886. because Of the precautions
which had been taken by the mill owners
for Just such emergencies. The expensive
overflow canal which yas constructed by
the big Warren paper mills at Cumber-
land Mills more than paid for itfef yos-
terday in relieving the mills Of the great
pressure they were subjected to IN former
freshets at this time OF year.
The most serious damage resulting FROM
the frsshet, SO far as reported up to late
hour last night, was the carrying away
Of the center span Of the bridge OF the
Westbrook, Windham and Naples Electric
road at Little rives In Gorhan, the loss
of foot bridge to the Dana mills at
Mes brook, the dar age which was done
to the machinery of the Haskell silk
mills, the Westbrook Electric Light and
Power company at Westbrook and to
ether mills in that city, the damage to
the roadted of the Westbrook, Windhnm
and Naples electric road and the Maine
Central road bed at South Windham by
the overlooking OF the tracks and the
weakening of the town bridges all along
the Presumpscot from Sebago Lake to the
mouth Of the river. Up to late hour
last night none of these two bridges had
been carried away but great many OF
them were said to be impossible and
dangerous. 1t was thought that II the
river continued to rise during the night
as rapidly as 1t had risen during the day
that great damage would result but the
rain ceased to fall about half past seven
O'Clock, the wind swung around Into the
west, the sky cleared and the indications
at that time were that there would be no
more rain at present. OF course the i'm
mepse amount or water which had fallen
during the forty-eight hours found ~its
way quickly into the valleys and themes
into the main river and it would require
some hours for 1t to run off, but when
the property owners along the Presump
SCOT saw the moon break through the
clouds they believed that the worst was
over for the time being.
The most serious aspect Of the freshet
as far as Portland and the neighboring
country WAS concerned was In the damage
which was threatened to the water supply
of this city. At Little river. which Is in
the town of Gorham the two water mains
of the Portland Water company Is
brought across this narrow stream on q
bridge about seventy feet long. This
equsduct bridge as 1t Is called lies jrss
atove the town Or highway bridge and on
the other side of the highway bridge is
the tri6 g of the Westbrook, Windham
and Naples Electric road. About one
O'Clock the water in Little river had risen
about eight feet above the normal height
and was still rising at a rate Of about a
foot an hour. The ice, come twelve
inches In thickness was brought down
stream and lodged against the aqueduct
bridge on which the two water mains
were carried. Had this squsduot bridge
been carried away the entire district
which depends upon Lake Sebago for Its
water supply would have been cut OIL
and for a time the danger was imminent
This squsduot bridge carries two big
water mains, one little larger than the
other. These were laid on iron string
pieces and supported by two or thrie
strong stone Rbutmsnts. The Ice coming
down atream was lodged against these
abutments aud the water climbed up
wards until it flowed over the water
mains.
At four O'Clock In the afternoon .he
Portland Water company notified the
chief of the fire department that the water
of the city OF Portland might be shut of
at any moment II these water mains
should be carried away. The manager Of
she company told the chief that every
thing that man could do to prevent the
sweeping away OF these water mains was