Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-15
IT IS SOLID.
B. F. GasIin's History Of
The Edwards Mil Site.
Water Power Values Discussed
Further at Wednesday Session.
Several Witnesses Testify to Actual
Sales and Rent Rolls.

l
abatement hearing before the county
commissioners yesterday was a his
torical sketch OF the Edwards mill site
given by B. Frank Gaslin. very aged
resident of the city. he said that his
father built a house 10 feet east Of
where No. l mill now stands and that
the house was then four Or five rods
from the water The shore line of that
day did not differ materially from that
of the river wall today.
This evidence was introduced to
meet that of f. W. Elwell, who testl-
fled that he thought that the buildings
were on made land, from the fact that
| in digging whereabouts ne had found
old limbs and other refuse beneath the
surface a number of feet.
The greater portion of the day was
occupied in the examination of ]. Her
bert Shedd. the water power expert
and hydraulic engineer. He stated on
cross examination that his area of the
Augusta drainage basin, $50 square
miles. was obtained from a bulletin of
the United States geological survey,
No 165 which was issued sometime
within the last two years.
The length Of the pond where even
with the top of the dam, was Is miles,
according to the witness. The space
reckOned for the log driving in the d.
rect testimony was 147 feet feet wide
and feet deep and it was understood
| that it was used from March until the
middle of July. Further computations
We're made later in the day. on re-di-
rect. in which a space IL feet wide and
two feet deep was used. GetchelFs
bench mark was the one used as a
basis for the figuring and charts re-
lating to the dam.
In discussing the effect of back wa
ter and the liability of trouble from
| that source. Mr.. Shedd explained that
there is a shoal at the railroad bridge
which prevents the water above from
| escaping as readily as it came in with
| the tide and consequently it took a
| longer time for the power to get the
benefit of low tides. With a three
| foot rise of water on the dam, the
backwater would be 5.34 with the
wheels in use and Sol with the wheels
| at rest.
| Water power is preferable to steam
power in Augusta, said Mr.. Shedd on
account of its economy and on account
| Of the fact that it was more to be re-
lied upon. 1t was stated that surplus
power here is doubly valuable on ac-
| count of the many uses to which it
might be put, if transmitted as cleo
tricity.
| On redirect. Attorney Williamson
asked the witness. "Assuming that for
every foot of water above the dam
there is rise of two feet below, every
foot above the tlashbOards would mean
a loss of one foot in head, would ii
noto" Mr.. Shedd replied that that was
correct. According to a previous wit
ness, when the water was just even
with the top of the dam the fall was
I17.2 net In order to reduce the net
fall to Is feet. the minimum at which
the necessary power for the mill can
be obtained. the water would have to
rise "A feet. He then went on to
show that during the past II years
there had been III days when the mill
could not have had Is feet fall with
which to work. an average of Is days
per year. This. he testified further
was less than could be expected with
a steam plant of equal capacity.
Attorney Williamson asked the wit
ness if the Edwards Co. could not put
in freshet wheels and thereby get pow
er enough during periods of backwater
so that the plant would not be forced
to shut down at all. Mr.. Shedd said
that such wheels could be installed
Governors tend to regulate the power
| IS inc h.,
on a steam engine. regulates it's power
The water power is thereby greatly
improved in value. Two such COVER
nors are in use at the Edwards mill.
The contract between the Edwards
Co. and the Augusta Water Co. was
introduced and Mr. Shedd was asked
to estimate the value Of that contract
to the Edwards Co. He placed value
of 1924 annually, upon 1t.
| Mrs. Abbie Sabine testified that she
bought a place on Green street six
years ago, for which she paid $3.50. II
was assessed in 1905 for $1,000 and in
1906 for $500.
| Mrs Callie NJ. jackson stated that
she bought a place at the corner OF
| Bangor and Clark streets about five
years ago and paid $500 for it. 1t is
assessed for $500.
| Jonas p. HallOwell was called to tes-
| tify in regard to his property on the
Belfast road. for which he paid 5000
and which was assessed in 1905 for
$500 and in 1906 for $500.
Miles L. Davis testified that he
| bought a house at AZ Franklin street
| two years ago for $1,000 which is as
| sessed for $1400.
The last two witnesses to be called
| We're George w. Merrill and Charles E.
Purinton. Their testimony was in re-
| gard to the rent rolls used by Mr..
Purinton in his testimony few days
| ago. This was done to find out just
what elements had been considered in
modifying them in some cases.
Attorney Williamson introduced a
list Of points which he desired counsel
for the corporation to admit, just be-
fore the session closed. They were
| mostly facts that would have bearing
on the causes or circumstances of sales
of Water street realty called by the
petitioners.