Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-11
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
FLOOD RECEDES.
River Banks Are Emerging from
the Muddy Kennebec.
Fires Have Been Rebuilt in Some Ct
the Water Street Plants.
General Condition Along the Kenrcbcc North
Of The City.

where its normal condition before
many days. The waite: is relinguishing-
its hold on the cellars. coal sheds and
wharycs, leaving behind Il liberal dona-
ton OF mud and debris. The easements
on the east side Of Water street will be
damp fer some time but the proprictors
are so glad To see the water depal t
that any little AFR effect doesn't
trouble them much.
The damage caused b. the flood in
this city will reach well into the hun
dreds. but 1t is nothing compared to
what might have happened had not the
merchants forester :; rise and removed
their stocks to places of safety.
At z. NJ. yesterday, the water below
the dam was about four feet lower
than Tuesday evening and was till go
ing down. The pilinSs of the steam
boat wharf were several feet above the
surface and the iron fence behind the
post Office was well out of water. a
number of the Water street Easements
were clear of water.
At the dam the water was falling
slowly all day, and, at $50 last evening,
the height at the dam was feet, 3 in
ches. making a fall of 10 inches from
the highest point reached. The water
was still falling slowly and the mill
will probably be able to resume opera
tions within a day or two.
The water was still bringing down
more or less of drift wood, logs, etc,
yesterday, which was being quickly
landed on the banks if it once came
within reach of the men and boys with
pick poles.
1t has been Il severe 1rcshct and every
day some new story of damage has
been found. The stone wall which runs
along under the City hotel and which
was in rather bad shape before the
flood is full of holes and needs re-
pointing and in some places rebuilding.
The earth under and around the wall at
the City building has caved in and
washed away, neccsSitating consider
able work
quantity of pressed hay, valued at
from $500 to $500. stored in the base
ment under the Postal Telegraph Of
flee, is saturated with water. 1t be-
longs to J. h. Norton,
\ great deal of money and labor will
have to be laid out on the country
roads which are in wrctched condition.
Culverts have fallen and deep gulches
have been washed out in the roads. A
party of lumbermen recently started
for the drive of the Augusta Lumber
Co., situated at the head waters Of the
kcnnebec. They encountered places
in the road where the water was sew
ereal feet deep and were obliged to turn
around and give up the idea of reach
ing the drive for time.
Purinton Bros. were able to put their
heating plant in working operation,
yesterday, and oti.er places which have
been without fires We're equally fortu-
nate.
The lumbermen fear that they will
not have successful drives, this sea-
son. 1t would be folly to- attempt log
driving while the water is at the pres
cnt pitch and ii is feared that when the
river reaches its normal Condition that
the streams will be very,lpw, as the
heavy and constant rainS., have taken
away most of the snow. Having no
snow banks to fall back on many logs
may be left high and dry. although of
course it will depend on the amount of
rainfall, later in the season.
At midnight, the water below the
dam was steadily receding. 1t had gone
down almost foot since o'clock. Re
ports from uD river show the water to
be falling and no more rise of any con-
sequence seems probable at Augusta
flying trip on the afternoon ex-
press to Waterville and return on the
Yankee was taken by Journal man,
yesterday, and proved well worth the
time. The water below the dam shows
the greatest falling off, as the feet or
so flowing over the Edwards COS. dam
makes a sufficiently stirring scene to
call it at freshet pitch.
From the bridge to Five Mile island
train No. II made its usual speed. the
track being in good shape and not af-
iected by the flood. Just below the is
land speed was reduced almost to a
snalis pace, and well it might be, for
iiong space of several rods the gravel
pank loosened by the ram and under
mined by the river water has cracked
away for many feet, in some places
having slid down and leaving the
Sleepers over the edge and in other
e. places being apparently willing to take
'iNtl DettH dl any HlollltEl. - tiNN
OF men is al work and will soon have it
in shape.
one or two smaller slides were no
tlced between that point and Riverside.
out of little consequence and had been
easily repaired.
At Riverside was the worst slide.
Inc embankment had gone riverward
lor many feet and the track had been
DOLLY moved to the eastward. Pass
age at any of these points is absolutely
SAFE. or the trains would not be al
iowed to run, but to be on the safe side
they are kept at a low rate of speed
NO other slides or breaks We're noticed
between Riverside and Waterville.
On approaching Riverside a great
amount of drift ice and refuse was
seen, apparently having come down
from some good sized jam on the uppa,
Aennebec. 1t was strung out over q
stretch of some miles or more and
commenced to pass this city about 5
ociock. None of the ice was large
enough to do much harm.
All along the river were seen places
oh the banks where good sized slides
Hau taken place into the river. In
nearly all the low places which had
heen or We're overlooked we're heaps of
ice and debris.
CO. 20 |.