Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-07-08
BENDING ROCKS

At Sullivan Falls "Uncle Sans,
Work for Navigation.
| s"Uncie Sam" Is always helping CONNER
cial traffic. sullivan Falls Is thorough
fare that has been used for upward of two
centuries, according to authentic history.
| Sullivan Falls is at the very head OF
Frenchman's bay, six miles across from
Bar Harbor. When the Maine Central
| railroad came into this territory twenty
years ago, the plan was to have the termi-
nus here, but owing to ice in winter the
railroad concluded to abandon this loca-
tion, and from near Waukeag station ex-
tended the survey to what is now Mt.
Desert Ferry, two miles farther down the
bay.
| The lumber industry at franklin dur
ing the first half OF the nineteenth CEN
fury made shipping quite extensive
through these falls, but all OF that bust
ness was done In little two-masted
schooners, and distractions to naviga-
tion were little noticed except by those
actually engaged In the service.
| or late years the granite industry, both
at franklin and at West Sullivan, has
been steadily growing, and a feet OF large
three masters is now engaged in carrying
cargoes to the large cities.
The falls are about fifty yards wide and
100 yards through. There are two chan
nels on the outer side, made by large
ledge of hardest rock. The falls are
tide-way for the upper bay, W hich is about
100 yards wide for mile up; then it forms
into circular bay about a mile across,
then the river again extends, narrowing,
for four miles right up through the town
Of Franklin to the very foot of old
Schoodic mountain.
These falls present peculiar and awe
inspiring spectacle. At low tide there
used naturally to be about six feet OF
water, and triflIe over twelve feet at
high tide. The tide in the outer bay
-Frenchman's- in for two hours
and rises three feet; then the tide in the
falls turns and runs up river at ire
mendous rate.
Only at high water and at dead low
water can work be done here; then there
is but six minutes quiet, when again the
surging begins.
been maintained by the granite operators
to replace the old hazardous method OF
sailing in and out, under a pilot. This
old way was too hazardous, and caused
too much demurrage.
Owing to the use OF larger craft in the
shipping business, it became imperative
on the part Of the government to improve
and deepen the channel. Several good
sized appropriations have been used
here. The one now being expended is
the fifth, and is a IS 900 one.
The work is In charge OF Il former con-
tractor, Mr.. Sturgis, Maine man. The
work is performed by four or five men.
Mr.. Sturgis is diver, aud, with his at
tendant, and the use of a scow and two
assistants, he has six minutes at high
water, and the same at low water to do
his work.
AT slack tide he and his men prepare
the survey ranges and the dynamite
charges. He does not blast at every tide,
as he only has time to make hasty surveys
of what has been done. When he makes
a blast, he has his men get the scow over
the right spot; then he goes down and
places the charge of dynamite, gets his
gear ashore aud expIodes the charge by
electricity.
The charge is simply laid on the ledge
that is to be removed; the immense water
pressure Offsets the recoil, and when a
charge goes off at low water volume of
water is forced into the air for fifty or
sixty yarda, in solid column; then, like
a sky-rocket, it breaks and comes down
in beautiful shower OF spray.
When the blast is in the morning or
late afternoon, With the sun as a back
ground, the spray makes most beautiful
rainbow effect.
Much heavier charges are fired at high
water, than at low water, SO that the ex
plosion effect is about the same.
Mr. Sturgis has become so ak illed at the
work here that at times he makes two or
three explosions each tide.