Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-03-05
GREAT BENEFIT.
hain Did Good in Northern
and Eastern Maine.
Mills Have Been Handicapped by
Lack Of Water.
Weakening of Ice Along Coast and
in Bays.

Bangor, March 4.-(SpeCiaD.-Yes
tcrday's heavy rainstorm even though
it came too late to prevent serious
iosses by drought, has nevertheless
IHen of great benefit to hundreds Of
people in Eastern and Northern Maine.
last fall has been unusually severe for
the time Of year Many mills and 9TH
er industries have been handicapped
by lack of power to turn their wheels.
wells and cisterns have been dry or
very low and farmers in almost every
section have been obliged to either
haul water by team or drive their cat
tie u long distance daily.
The big mill of the Great Northern
Paper co. Mt Millirocket was obliged
to shut down altogether early in the
winter. and after fesuming work found
it necessary to do SO with fewer men,
This company had planned to cut 35.-
1G0.GGo feet of spruce lumber for pulp
in addition 10 about 10000. 900 feet con-
tracted for from lumber operators. The
outside contracts, We're allowed ~
stand but its own operations wCrr cur
tailed by more than One-half During
most Of the winter the mill has been
run by using pulp obtained from Can
ada and elsewhere. and at times this
pulp he's not been readily obtainable
These conditions have now been ma
terlally relieved. although the ground
is still frozen 50 hard that but little
water p"r"olateS through into the wells
and tho farmers will be obliged to
eCCnomize in using water for some
time to come. 1t has been so cold. this
winter. that before the warm days of
| this week everything was frozen more
solidly than for years. so that none of
the4rivcrs and streams in this part of
| the State were in danger Of breaking
:hcir bonds Of ice. At High Head
| Bangor. the ice in the pcnobccot is 19
inches thick. Above tho dam where
| there is no action of tide the ice is
two feet thick. ON the JsncsborO riv-
CT. which cmptics into Machias bay
| the ice is thicker than ever before
Smclt fishermen who put nets down
There, last week. were obliged to cut
| through solid ice three and IL half feet
| thick. SO 1t will require moro than an
| ordinary rainStorm and considerable
warm weather hcfore Eastern Maine Is
thawed out, The arnual spring freshnt
is apparently \ long way off vet, hut
| when it comes many predict thar it
| Will he hi" one. \ rainy season
| usually follows u season Of protra cted
| drought. 50 some heavy storms are to
| be looked for within n month. There
is. too n large quantity of snow in
the great northern forests and this. as
1t is melted by rain. will swell the
| volume Of tn" mighty P.nobsrot. the
! lFiscataGuiS. Union and Machils riv-
crs
One effect Of the rain. vcsterdav
| which will be appreciated IS the weak
| cninC Of the ice along tho coast line
and in the bays. There the ice is form
cd Of salt water. il porous. weak and
EASILY broken. SO that now conditions
are wonderfully improved since n week
| Hgn. The outer harbors of Penobscot
bay We're reported. this morning, to be
FREQ. and it is believed that the entire
P"nohsCot bay from Bucksport down
will h" open to navigation within fow
| days. md the remarkable ice-bound
| condition of this winter will have
lchang"d. The clam and fishing indus
try which has been almost ruined this
winter by the great ice fields. is ~
ready beginning to revive. Clam dig
| gers Mt Ia noine and Hancock on the
| Hancock county coast have resumed
work and are meeting with good sue
| cess.