Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-09
the river, as at SSowhegan, Shawmut,
Fairfield, Waterville, and Augusta.

fdffHeid, WatefVllle, and Augusta.
The seven powers that are at present
utilized are between Caratunk Falls
and Augusta, and aggregate "a 900
horsepower, covering about 142 feet of
the 81 feet total fall of the river be-
tween those points. The uppermost of
these powers is that of the Internation-
al Paper Company at Caratunk Falls.
That company has about $500 horse
power of turbines installed There is a
natural cascade at this point, with a
pitch of IS feet through a narrow gorge,
above and below which the river wild
ems out. The dam was built in the win
ter of 1891, ana makes the available
fail 80 feet.
Passing downstream the next utilized
power is at Madison, where during
normal stages of the river a head of 20
feet is utilized. The water wheels on
this power aggregate about 5000 horse
power, although that amount is not
available at all times, owing to lack of
water At present several concerns
are using power at Madison, viz: The
Greet Northern Paper Company, manu-
featuring newspaper and sulphite fiber;
the Indian Spring Wooden Company
and the Madison Wooden Company, both
manufacturing wooden goods; and the
Madison Pumping Station. The amount
of power used by the Great Northern
Paper Company varies somewhat, ac-
cording to the flow of the river They
use about 1900 electrical horsepower
at all times, and have grinder units in
stalled requiring n miXimum of about
h tric rlla &c.
run throughout the year at full capac-
ity, While the grinders probably aver
age about half power throughout the
year The wooden companies are sup
posed to use about 400 horsepower
each.
There is a natural fall of more than
so feet. in pitches and rapids, in the
river near Madison, so that only a small
portion Of the mower available in that
'>cality is employed. The Great
Northern Paper Company has pre-
pared plans for developing two falls
just below the town, one Of 20 feet and
the other of 43 feet The 2O-foot fall is |
at Old Point, near the Norridgewock |
town line. and will be used entirely for
electrical power. A dam about $40 |
feet long will be built, and sufficient |
apparatus installed to generate 5000 |
horsepower. At the 43-foot fall a ma /
sorry dam having a height of from 10 |
to so feet and length of crest of so |
feet will be built. This power will be |
used entirely for grinding wood pulp. |
Wheels to generate $4,000 horsepower |
Will be installed, with the idea of stor-
ing the product during high water and |
running whatever part of the plant is |
possible during low water.
The next dam is at SkoWhegan, where |
the power is controlled by the Skowhe- |
gan Water Power Company. The fall |
is Ii feet and 2S water wheels of an
aggregate capacity of 5f00 horsepower
are in use at the various works. OF |
this amount $500 horsepower is en-
ployed in pulp manufacture, $50 horse
power exclusively for electric lighting
and power and the remainder by grist, |
saw, planning, and WOODEN mills, and
sash-and- blind and scythe factories,
some of the turbines operating factories
by day and electric lights by night.
At Somerset Mills, in the town of |
Fairfield, there is a log dam IL feet
high and about 1900 feet long, furnish
ing power for two SaWmills and plan
ing mill. The dam and the sawmils
are owned by the Lawrence Newhall &
Page Company. They have eight Or
ten wheels, developing 1000 horsepower
At the same town there is a fall of 10
feet utilized by pulp mills, an electric
light plant. a furniture factory, and a
wooden mill. This dam is owned and |
controlled by the Fairfield Junction
Mills and Water Power Company.
Water power on the Kennebec is de-
veloped more extensively at Waterville
and Winslow than elsewhere on the
river. The upper privilege, formerly