The Somerset reporter., 1905-07-20

The Work of Measuring Stream Wow
.SystemR tically.
Scattered over New England at various
points along the principal rivers are
nearly fifty measuring stations OF the
geographical survey, comparatively
new department of government work
which Is assuming an Importance OF In
creasing greatness to the Industrial de-
velopment.
AT each of these stations Ia gage at
tached to bridge or fastened to some per-
maaent object on the shore, which Is read
usually twice day by an observer I'M
delsgovernment pay, and which gives tie
height of the river. Then from time to
time measurements of the quantity OF
water flowing are made by one OF the
the photographers employed in this work
and In this way an estimate Is obtained
of the river flow tany time.
The information thus collected will,
Ia course of time, have value In reia-
ton to manufacturing as the statistics
gathered by the weather bureau now
have to agriculture and commerce.
1t is nearly five years since the first
gaging stations were established in New
England, bat the great extension OF the
work has come within three years.
The first real work Of measuring
stream flow In general and systematic
way began la Maine in the summer of
1901. The rivers of this state and their
attendant water power are among the
finest 10 the world and they had long
been recognized as of the greatest impor-
lance in the development OF the Industries
of the state. And it happened that at
the time the United States photographers
were beginning their preliminary work
OF determining the value and possioili-
ties of the New England water power
that a demand for just that kind of in
formation arose in Maine. Manufac-
turers, forest owners and capitalists
desired more information than was then
available regarding the quantity of water
available in certain streams at different
seasons of the year and the demand Gull
minated in an offer of cooperation in
field work from the mill owners, lumber
men and interested parties in the Kenne-
Dec valley.
They raised sum of money and re-
quested the chief engineer of the hydro
grapher's Office to undertake the study
of the Kenneoec river and its principal
tributaries. This started the work in
Maine. Several gaging stations were
established that year and in the course of
the next season the state legislature
recognized the value of the work.
In 1903 the Maine Legislature made an
appropriation for carrying on further
ny geographic investigations, and now
there are twenty measuring stations in
Maine, daily accommodating statistics re-
lating TO the river fl wv that become Of
increasing value as each years figures
are added.
Maine had peculiar interest in this
suit jet because Of her great undeveloped
area, her forests and her large and swift
rivers. The work of the United States
Typographical survey which plated the
three southern states 10 the New Eng
land group had still left Maine largely
unexplored, Notwithstanding the fact
that thirty-six topographic sheets had
been published
The rapid development of water power
along the Androscoggin river, giving to
that river pre-emineuce over any other
river in America, with the exception Of
Niagara, in the amount OF developed
water power, also served to stimulate the
desire for wider information concerning
her undeveloped water power
In fifteen years the Androscoggin had
surpassed the Merrimac, which hitherto
had held the honor of furnishing more
developed water power than any other
river In the world.
The recent completion Of the Niagara
water power station has, of course,
greatly eclipsed the power Of the New
England rivers, but the Androscoggin
has also greatly eclipsed the Merrimac.
Each OF the great manufacturing cities
OF Lowell, Lawrence and Manchester
uses about 10000 horsepower from the
Merrimac, and the three cities represent
the larger part Of the developed water
power on the Merrimac. The Andres
coggin s furnishing water power amount
ing to almost 100000 horsepower. In
1897, before the completion OF the great
paper factories at Rumford Falls ard
Berlin, the figures were 70,000-horse
power.
The United States photographers have
done something else besides measure the
flow of rivers. They have devoted them
selves to the work OF procuring river
proflles and such data as would
be Of value In pointing out to capitalists
sites suitable for power development.
The first river to be completed is the
Kennebec, from Skowhegan to Moose
head lake. From tdewater to Moose
head lake. the largest inland body OF
water in New England, is just one hun
dred and twenty miles, and the height OF
Moosehead lake above tdewater is just
one h1usand and twenty feet. The
charts of the river which are now put
lished show the rise of every foot of
water surface, and the banks are cor
toured with vertical interval Of twenty
feet. The charts show the fall between
any two given points and show enough
Of the banks to indicate whether or not
power development Is feasible.
The Penobscot river has also been
chalted from Bangor to Twin lake at
Norcross.
The work thus begun inlMane is to be