Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-21

IL y. M.-The flood on the 1eHoDScot -
causing grave alarm. The river has
been rising rapidly all day and at $50
tonight, the Bangor boom broke, came
down against the Maine Central steel
bridge, swept it from its piers and
crashed down against the toll bridge
carrying away about 20 feet. People
are known to have been on both
bridges, but it is not known whether
or not they escaped. The damage in
this vicinity VIII be enormous.
The situation at Bangor on account Of
the rising of the river is becoming very
serious. The river is choked at the flats
and at the narrOws with tons of ice
intcrmingIed with thousands of feet CT
logs.
Thursday afternoon, an immense Jam
of ice and logs formed above the Ban
gor water works pumping station. AT
$50 the jam broke, and crashing over
the dam at the station, went rushing
down river until it's progress was re-
tarded by the jam at the Narrows. The
water at once began to rise and has
continued rising during the evening at
an alarming rate.
on Broad and Exchange, Central,
Hammond and State streets, the eel
lars were flooded, putting out fires and
doing heavy damage to stock which
|eouldsnot readily be moved.
1t was reported that part of the
Maine Central railroad track opposite
Mt Hope cemetery had been flooded
and pushed by the ice to one side so
that passing of trains became impos-
The basement of the Bangor Daily
News wax flooded and the press sub
merged u the depth of feet, and the
water isS still rising at this writing.
The News force removed to the Ban
gor CoIenercial building and the paper
will besprinted at that establishment.
At 3sPelock Thursday afternoon, En-
gineer ebber reported that IL feet of
Waterzwas running over the dam.
At present there is not as much wa
ter RAINING in the river as at the time
of the freshet, last spring, but the rapid
rise of water in the city is directly due
to the jam at the Narrows.
The water has carried away part of
the Maine Central freight wharf on the
water front. and buildings and wharves
are completely submerged
Along the east side of Main street,
opposite The square, the easements
have been invaded by water to the
depth of 3 feet, and higher marks than
this have been recorded in but few in
stances.
The ice is still coming down from up
river and the magnitude of the jam is
Incl casing at a rapid rate.
If the situation is not relieved dan
gerous results will ensue and there is
a possibility of a repetition of the 40
freshet.
At o'clock, this evening, the water
had just reached part of the kendus-
kcaS bridge, opposite the post office.
The worst feature of the freshet ap-
peared, at $50 tonight, when the Ban
gor boom broke from its fastenings,
and mixed with ice and debris, was
rushed down the river, striking the
Maine Centrars steel bridge with re-
sistless force. In spite of it's enormous
weight the structure was swept from
ITO bitlS llht IL DiSttDbdfu Dun anu
crashed down upon the wooden toll
! bridge, of which about 30 feet was also
carried away.
Several people were known to have
been on the bridges, but it is i'm
possible to learn whether or not they
| escaped.
All communication by wire. bridges
| or boats with Brewer is cut off, and
| it cannot be learned whether they sue
| ceeded in reaching the Brewer side.
The water had, at II o'clock, come up
4 feet since o'clock, and is steadily
| rising at that rate.
The electric cars between Bangor
| and Old Town are hung up on account
of three or four washouts between
| Bangor and Orono. and the tracks are
| covered in many places.
The Maine Central to the east is tied
| up because of a culvert going out be-
| tween Bangor and Orono, where the
tracks are also flooded.
The Exchange street station is cover
| ed with about 2 feet Of water. All
trains going east from Bangor are
blocked. The trains going west are
all right.
The water has reached the greatest
| height since 1916.
| 1t will only have to rise 3 feet be-
| fore the lower Maine Central depot will
| be flooded.
Bond street. in the lower part is so
flooded that people are going round in
boats.
| 1t is said that there is another great
jam up river which is liable to break
| at any moment. Should this come
down and break the Narrows Jam. the
| damage cannot be estimated.
| All Bangor is out and doing what
can be done to guard against damage.
and Brewer the same. presumably,
though communication is shut off.
Bangor & Aroostook trains are COM
ing into Bangor from Foxcroft by the
way of Newport.
! A washout at culvert at Red Bridge
above Bangor is reported and the track
IS a foot or so under water.
The situation in the flooded section
! is growing. worse. streets, Easements,
cellars and buildings being flooded
Fears We're expressed. today. for the
=