The Somerset reporter., 1901-12-19
SEVERE DAMAGE.
THE LOSS IN SKOWHEGAN
HEAVIEST FOR YEARS
BY A FRESHET.
Industries Run by Water Power
All Suspended. Many
Hands Idle.

Hands Idle.
Mr.. Levi W. Weston, for so many
years lumber manufacturer at Show
hogan, informs US that the freshet OF
Sunday and Monday morning was "a
severe as any that has occurred on the
kennebec since the year 1892. That was
the biggest of record. He further SAYS
they had one in 1856 and another In 1869
in which the water was nearly If not
quite as high as the present one. In
December, rs, a severe freshet occurred
but the water did not rise as high by
about feet
The rise of the water on Sunday and
Sunday night was exceedingly rapid.
The rain OF last week and the warm
weather had melted the snow so that
the rain which fell gently Saturday ev.
ening Increasing In the night with
the accompanying wind caused the snow
to melt with rapidity seldom IL ever
equalled' This, followed all day Sunday
with incessant precipitation, promptly
filled the brooks, streams and rivers. The
freshet reached its height here between
and o'clock Monday morning when it
fell off gradually at first and then more
rapidly.
The high banks with solid ledge foun-
dalton proved a great advantage at this
time as they have many times, hereto.
fore. Wind, wave and running water
had little effect upon them, otherwise the
damage would have been much greater
to the dams and mill property of our town
than it proves to be.
The damages appear to be about as
follows, not reduced to an estimate OF
dollars and cents in all cases:
The Marston Worsted Mills were flood
ed in the first floor below the main ore
and that even had nearly foot of water
on it at the height of the flood All
movable goods and machinery were
carried to the upper floor and every
thing possible was kept above water but
the damage to machinery from the soak
ing it received will be considerable.
The company will be fortunate if their
business is not injured more than $1,000.
The company is benefited at their
Lakeside mill at East Madison by the
rise OF water and can now run that mill
day and night. This will in part offset
the loss at Skowhegan.
The Skowhegan Pulp Company had
their lower floors flooded, machinery
soaked and the wooden walls on the
water side and end of their mill badly
stove in with ice and logs above the solid
granite wall. Windows were smashed
and the plant disabled for some DAYS.
This company had from 400 900 to 800.
600 IT. of spruce logs carried out. They
were piled on the bank and were sup
posed to be secure beyond question.
| This WAS not far from one-half of the
supply they had on hand for their use
during the winter and early spring and
were expected to keep the mill running
until May. This loss is hard for the
company and for the men at work in the
mill unless the lost logs can be replaced
A few OF the logs were drawn out of the
water at the Eddy and will be hauled up
to the mill with teams, which will help
out somewhat.
Robinson Brothers had their maehiu-
cry subjected to the soaking process and
| a DoFfipn nf tho mooJan mall ox ~, -.
side was broken in, windows smashed
and injury done to stock to some extent.
Steward Brothers got off without seri-
Gus damage. Their lower floors were
flooded but goods and light machinery
were removed to the floor above the high
water mark OF the freshet. Their wheel
house was subjected to terrible strain
but 1t stool up we'll. The shaft from
power house to mill was somewhat
sprung. The flood wore hole in the
end of their mill but they got off very
easily.
The new building recently erected by
by II. E. Spear to be used as saw mill
was crushed and ruined by logs and ice.
The building was not an expensive one
but answered the purpose and its des-
truction drives him out Of business for
the time being. His saws and machin-
cry are much damaged by the water and
ice He had but recently got this build
ing ready for business. This disaster
leaves the village without sawmill,
again.
The Skowhegan Electric Light
Company are among the heavy
losers. Their sawdust burner, erected
but few years ago by l.. w. Weston &
Co. was undermined and toppled over
into the raging current One large
lumber shed was swept away aud a sec.
ton Of another went down river with the
food. Their wheel house was carried
off and wheels with all the gears and the
machinery in the wheel house and on the
lower floor of the electric light station
were submerged in water. Fortunately
the large steam engine was not subjected
to serious wetting. Water was two feet
deep in the engine room. The great Is
inch belt was removed early so that it
was wet but very little.
The power of the Milburn Company
on the island seems to have suffered very