The Portland daily press., 1900-02-14

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neon tn. flash boards Ut this dam carried
away ss they wsrs expected to do when
the strain became too great, and thu
overflow Of the water into tue canal re.
suited. The relief whish was thus
afforded to the river was great and II
prevented great damage being done at
the paper mills. As was remarked Jester
day by almost everyone In Westbrook
the canal more than paid for Itself 10 .
day by swing big loss Of property.
II was feared that II the Toe jam Of
Madison Fails should break away and
sweep down the stream that 10 might take
to the other side OF the river at the Wat
ren's mills and that the canal would not
after all be of very much uss. But
as this jam did not carry away and as
the canal seemed to answer every require
meut and fulfill all that was expected OF
10 the proprietors Of the mills were
the subject for many congratulations
because OF their forethoueht In building
the canal.
-Four years ago this jam OF the Warrens
at Cum bertrand Mills, backed the water
up towards wsstbrook and undermined
many hui d ings and caused Inc slim able
damage beside carrying away the bridge
of the Mountain Division Of the Maine
Central Tiis overflow prevented this
from happening again and though there
was more water rushing through Vert
brook at 8 O'Clock last night than has
been known In great mnny years, the
damage which resulted was very small
rs the river had clear passage on It's
way to the sea.
The magnificent sight ut We s.brook.
when viewed from the Biidge strst
bridge, attracted crowds Of people not
only from westbrook. but from Portland
as we'll. As night fettlsd down over the
scene the sight as viewed from this point
was one of grandeur. Two dana one
alb owe the ether, oan be seen from here.
The upper one 10 known IS the Dana
dam, and furnishes the power for the
Dana warp mills. The lower dam Is
called the Haskell dam and provides the
power for the silk mills. Above the
Dana dam the turpid boiling flood Of the
roar ing Presumpscot could he seen now
leaping upwards Us it took the mighty
plunge over the Dana dam and throwing
high In the air Q cloud OF spray. Then
1t would seem to suhside for q time, and
again when u mighty piece of ice, strong
and hard from the upper river, was
swept over the dana deep roar would
echo from the surrounding mills and an
other cloud Of spray would be thrown
into the air. Watching the Zoe 1t could
be followed whiIling about In the boiling
tide, now caught by the eddy and swung
to one side. now grasped in the mighty
power Of the n ain current and Fastened
onward towards the Haskell dam.
As 1t approached the lower dam the
crowd would become suddenly silent,
when the giant cake would poise for an
Instant over the falls and then with q
splash, Ioar, accompanied by a olcud
OF spray 1t would take the leap and be
lost In the whirlpools below momen-
tariIy. But only for q moment. Sudden
" 1t rsappsars close at hand sweeping
onward towards the bridge whore the
spectators stand. 1t has lost some In
size, but still Is large enough 20 infiict
great damage 10 the aoutment of any
bridge or the foundation Of any building
which 1t strikes as 1t Is whirlet onwa I'd.
Sweeping the muddy river waves to
one side 1t takes the eddy near the Has-
kell Silk mills and surge, against the
stone foundations with a crash which
sounds like the falling Of q house. The
str ong foundations tremble not, the Ice
cake 10 broken up into a hundred pieces
and 10 lost In the flood below.
The scene has a fascination for tine poor
human being who stands In awe before
this mighty power. The night SO tiles
down over the rearing river, the leaden
canopy overhead grows bla-ker and more
threatening, the night seems to hold In
sture more rain and consequently more
dangers to those who dwell along the
river banks. Now 1t begins to rain
again. The wind rises and adds its
pupy roar to the deep reverberstions from
the raging food below. The crowd
scatters. The mill owners are making
preparations for what ever may come and
along the river banks and In the mills
workmen are running about carrying
lanterns making.:the scene more unoanny
The electric lights in Westbrook are
out and the usually well lighted city is
dark. The Using waters have intsrfered
with the operation of the electric light
plant Of the Westbrook Light and Power
company and not only Westbrook, but
Desripg as we'll. is left in dArkDess.
Seven men are In the upper power sta
tion of the sle:trio light company. When
they try to leave the poser house they
tind the water too deep to allow Of their
| re fcning tt5 snUfG Soitte ous iSdst' r.
main in the station all night, surrounded
by the raging water, to be ready II the
necessity arises. Tney are all forced to
rem in. however, and fellow workman
on shore gets for them pot of hot oofft Q
and q lunch which is hauled Into tae
e,e,trio light station by means Of
long rope.
The water has by this time reached the
LAWYER floors of this Haskell Silk mills and