The Portland daily press., 1901-01-05
Lumbermen Will Vigor-
ously Object.
Oxford Wants To Annex Piece
of Franklin County.
lsrrcIAL ro rHE rRrss. ]

of the session the linss are being drawn
for one OF the greatest lights that has
been wa0ed here for many year. The
lines are being drawn, but Of course 1t
does not necessarily follow that the fight
will take place. because there are many
uncertainties in the course Of legislation,
and the battle may not be precipitated,
but IL II does come on it will be con-
dict of mighty interests in the business
Of northern Maine. For several yeers the
Great Northern Paper company have been
building mammoth mills and new town
at Millinockett. There, where few
years ago. the deer roamed the forest un-
ufbed, the ak OF the woodsman mas
made a clearing, and in 1t has sprung up
tImodern town olusteringsaroundlthe great
paper mills. With the erection OF these
great manufacturing establishments has
come q new demand upon the Penobscoe
waters. The current of the mighty river
is relied upon to turn the mill wheels,
but the current is not q constant power.
At some seasons OF the year there is more
Of It than is needed by the mill men. AT
other times, in the dry season, there is
not as much as they think necessary
Back OF MilIinookstt, over In Piscataquis
county, is Chesuncook lake, and num-
Ter OF other small lakes which compose
what is known as the Chesunoook basin
and are sources OF supply for ths Penob-
scot river. II the paper mill people
can, by building dams, hold back
lot Of the water in these lakes in the
spring when they are high, then there
will be a supply OF water for the dry
season of the year, but here is
where interests clash. All along the
Penobscot river In the vicinity Of Ban
gor are mills which seize in their rapac-
lous maws the annual drives OF logs float
ed down from the headwaters Of the river
and with the rasping of the whirling saws
the monarchs of the forest are converted
into the various kinds Of sawn lumber.
In the winter, gangs of men in the lum-
Der camps far to the north OF Bangor are
busy Telling the trees. In the spring.
down they come in the shape OF great
drives, floating along when the stream is
high. Then the river towns are alive
with the brawny lumbsrmen who COM
Then the heavy boots echo on the plank
walks Of the towns, and then there Is the
iubllation which accompanies this an
nuaI ppearanoe of the log drivers whoss
steeds gallop on the foam crested waters
of the river. Now the lumbermen see In
what is said to be the scheme of the MILL
nockett people blow st their own par
ticular industry. They say shat II the
water is held back 1t will not bs possible
TO get the logs to the mills in the spring
following the winters operations. In
stead the drive OF one winter would not
get down until year from the following
summer, and this, says ths saw mill
men, would work a great injury to their
business. Back of it, too, Is Whispered
the dread news that the paper mill people
want all the logs themselves, and IL they
get these powers for which they are pre-
pairing to ask, there viii be hard times In
store for the saw mills. So with the first
arrivals came prominent lumbermsn Of
eastern Maine. One of them, gentle
man who has served in both branches OF
the legislature, and knows the ins and
outs of lawmaking, said to the writer
that the saw mill forces did not know ex-
aotIy what the Millinockett peoule wanted,
but II they wanted anything which would
tend to work injury to the interests OF
the Iumbermen, there would be fight,
and nig one, The State house bugzss
with the rumors OF lobby on each side
to tell ths members all about 1t, ana the
prospect Of great battle.
Somewhat eimi,ar to this situation over
on Penobscot waters, Is the attempt to
store mora water in Moosehead lake. At
dam which holds back much OF it's con-
tents, and it has been reported that tine
owners OF the dam would ask for the
right to raise it six feet. Here the oppo-
kition would come largely from the own
ers of surrounding property which would
be flooded. The scheme Is a big one. All
summer engineers have been making sur
veys of the property which would be
affected by the rise OF tine water and 1t
Is said that their report win show that
Iani damages might reach the comforta :
BILE sum OF two millions of dollars This
is quite 3 burden even for great interests
60 assume, and the size OF the bill may
put an end to the scheme before IL makes
its appearance in Legislative halls. Among
the property which would be affected Ia
the hoIeI pronerty at Kineo and parts of
the town OF Greenyills where the Bangor
and Aroosteok railroad has terminal
facilities. If the plan Is pushed and the
powers asked for at the hands OF the leg
isiature. there viii be another big fight
on, and probably more distinguished mem