The Somerset reporter., 1903-11-26
Improvement Is Apparent.

door construction cannot be carried on
with the facility. advantage and comfort
of the earlier days of the season, and,
excepting the completion of enterprises
well along and small repairs, the outside
building operations of the year are prac-
tically at an end.
We can therefore look around town
aud see what has been accomplished in
the way of Improvement, substantial or
temporary, and determine in our own
minds, it may be, whether such improve
ments have been all they should have
been and whether we have done our part
in the work.
The erection of buildings have not
been on as extensive a scale as in some
former years. We do not recall any
thing in way of buildings for manufae-
turing purposes excepting the completion
of the Marston Worsted Mills structure,
including commodious business office
for that plant, and the completion of the
mill for woodworking purposes erected
ny IL w " CobOlif lhSl 1NoI.
A good number of residences have
been built during the season, several
nice ones, including the stands of build
Ing erected for their own occupancy
by James Holt, Joseph r. Viles,
George H. Pishon, Capt. Fred c. Dur
Jap, DR.. VIM. M. Pusfer and w. H.
Heselton. There have been an increase
in the tenements for renting purposes
so that our town has the capacity for
housing more people than it had year
ago, and still there is call for more tene-
ments bearing a moderate rental for the
use of people who work in our factories.
A large amount Of work has been done
in way of repairs and keeping premises
up in good order, something as neces-
sary as the erection of new buildings.
The heaviest expense in way of new
structures this season has been the
building of bridges by the town. Two
bridges have been built at an expense
rising $4,000. One is the concrete
bridge across Wesserrunsett river near
its col fluence with the Kennebec, some
thing over two miles from the village
down river; the other steel bridge As
feet wide across the north channel, to
replace the unsightly wooden structure
that accommodated the public safely
for many years.
There is general satisfaction with
these two bridges among our people,
especially with the one across from the
North side to the Island. 1t certainly
has the appearance of a structure of
great strength and it is not without its
lines of beauty, moreover its width is ad.
cquate and its capacity ample.
Another job of respectable magnitude
In interest of the public is the long
stretch of macadamizing done on Water
street. This section of road is $50 feet
In length AZ feet wide from ditch to
ditch. 1t was a difficult piece of road
to macadamize. The character of sur
face and soil increased the expense ma
terlally. In some parts of the road bed
bhClC WIZ POiubS VI lNukO DlOLl uuilR
above the surface and in others there
were pockets of muck, clay and quick
sand. These u.s. d up large quantities of
crushed rocks before the surface would
stand the pressure of the steam roller.
But at last the work was completed and
a splendid street constructed, probably
the best In town.
Another job in way of permanent road
Improvement was long piece of retain
ing wall built near the foot of Parkman
hill on the road to Canaan, heretofore
noted in the REPORTER.
A long stretch of concrete walk was
constructed the past summer on Mt
Pleasant Avenue from j. F. Williams
premises to Factory street. A fine, wide
concrete walk was also built on the
southerly side of the business part of
Water street, from Goulds block to the
railroad crossing, replacing the brick
and stone walk which had become very
uneven and dsagreeable to travel upon.
SO much for the larger items in the high
way line. There were numerous small
ones and the usual amount of repairs.
A job OF magnitude and transcendent
importance to the industrial interests of
our town is now in process, the rebuild
ing Of the dam across north channel.
The central part of the dam became
shattered and broken so that it WAS
necessary to rebuild it from the very
bottom. The height is 20 feet, and large
expense is involved which must be
borne, we understand, by the Skowhe-
gan Dam Company. This portion of the
dam WAS rebuilt 10 years ago. The i'm
portance of this dam appears when the
fact is recalled that upon it depends the
water power for all the mills here, also
the generating of electrical power for
the running of the Marston Worsted
Mills, Porter's grain and feed mill and
various smaller motors in town also for
the running of the two electric roads
the water works, and for electrical light
ing of streets, stores, shops, churches
residences, etc, in town. The putting
of this dam out Of commission for ATTY
. considerable length of time would be
little better than a catastrcphy, the