Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-25
FARMERS WANT RAIN.
During July Thero was Too Much, and Now the Supply Is Too Small.

and Now the Supply Is Too Small.
 Boston, Aug 25.-Mill owners and farmers generally throughout New England are anxiously looking for abundant rain to fill their depleted Springs and waterways, particularly in the interior portions. After wet July, during which the hay crop was almost ruined in many places by too much moisture and absence of sunlight, crops have been suffering for the past four or five weeks for lack of showers. Some of the mills have been seriously affected by the low streams and have expected con- siderable inconvenience in obtaining sufficient water power to run their machinery. A few of the interior cities have had to face the probabil- ity of water famine owing to the rapid shrinkage in their reservoirs, and the low water pressure has caused the fire chiefs much worry in case of confiagration. While some of the early crops have not been affected by the drought, the late paintings are greatly in need of a heavy rain. and to add to the farmers difficulties many of whom are hauling water for their stock from long distances.
 In Maine, showers have been rare for five weeks, especially through Waldo county. on both sides of the Penobscot valley and in the Kenne- bee region. Since July 21. there had been but one shower up to a few days ago.
 Curling leaves on some of the later corn have caused the large canners in Maine much anxiety about their crop. Beans too. are suffering from the dry spell, and unless relief comes soon will he failure. Early grain has been nearly all harvested in good condition. but the later sowings are just coming to the milk stage and need immediate moisture to save them from parching and shriveling. Potatoes are in grave danger. Their development has been very slow and producers predict only half crop, The lower Kennebec and Androscog- gin regions have been better favored than most of the other portions of Maine and frequent light showers have done much to mitigate the perils of the dry spell. Further inland, streams are low. and campers at the Rangeley and Moosehead lakes report low water and poor fishing. Several forest fires have been reported, but prompt work by the fire wardens has minimized the danger from this source.
 Rivers in New Hampshire are at their lowest point of the season. Farmers here have had long hauls to bring water to their stock. but so far the mills have not suffered greatly.
 Vermont faces a serious drought. The Barre city water supply is es- pecially hard hit. the Orange brook reservoir being so low that it became necessary recently to shut it off. and the city was supplied from the Bol- ster reservoir.
 Central and western Massachusetts have not had so many showers as places on the coast and while the farmers have not suffered so much as in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. owing to the numerous in- tersecting small streams. some of the mills have been much incon- venienced by low water. The Berk- shire Mills Paper company, at Zylonite has had to pump water through n canal in order to keep It's machinery going at the average ca- pacity. The dry weather has reduced tue supply from the Broad Brook system. which supplied North Adams until there was scarcely enough wa ter to fill more than half of the 2f inch main. Fortunately the big mill >enters at Lawrence and Lowell ir the eastern part of the state have not suffered from the drought.
 In Rhode Island. while streams are low. some of the large manufactur- ing concerns claim that the water is not so low as in previous years.