Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-19

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has been tested for about five years
and it has been found to work very
| satisfactorily. Under this law about
a dozen chief forest fire wardens are
appointed, looted in different parts of
the State, and there are about 200
| deputy wardens who work under the
chief wardens. These men are kept
at work only when it is necessary in a
very dry time thus the system does
not cost as much as it would seem at
first thought. The State appropriates
$4,000 annually for the prevention and
eXtinguishment of forest fires, and the
land owners .expend as much or more.
In 1867 scientific examination of the
water power Of the State was made by
order of the Legislature, and the fol-
lowing facts were ascertained: There
are fourteen river systems; the four
| largest of which are the 'Penobscot, 100
miles in length, with drainage area
Of $500 square miles; the ST. John sys-
| tenn in Maine is III miles in length
and contains 7,400 square miles; the
AndrOscoggin system is 40 miles in
| length and contains, area. 2,750 square
miles; the Kennebec, las miles in
length, area, $3.50 square miles. The
other systems are smaller but still
| important in the development of the
! State.
The mean height of the surface OF
| the state is 600 feet above the level of
the sea. Careful computations made
show that those rivers in their descent
to tide water. yield a net force of up
ward of one million horse power.
equivalent to the working energy of
over Is million men, laboring without
intermission from years end to years
| end
Maine contains more lake surface
than million square miles of the
| United States, situated in the central
and west central districes and south of
the lake belt, not including the lagoons
connected with some of the rivers
which are not properly lakes. There
are 1858 lakes located within the
| State boundaries, with an area of 3d.
| 900 square miles There is one lake to
each 20 square miles of territory and
| one square mile of lakes to each IA
| square miles Of territorial area, and
| their high elevation above tide at
| which many Of the highest lakes are
held, is a circumstance of great i'm
| portance as regards water power.
The Rangeley lake at the head of the
| Androscoggin in 1,511 feet above the
| sea level; Moosehead lake. 40 miles
long, is 1923 feet above the sea. To
show the comparative elevation of
| these lakes with other lakes in the
United States Lake Itasca at the ex-
IRENE headwaters of the Mississippi
| river, is elevated only 1875 feet, or a
little above the height of Rangeley
lake. Lake Superior 1900 miles by
the river from the ocean, is elevated
$50 feet o" about two-thirds the height
of MoOsehead lake. Lake Winnie
piseogee in New Hampshire is but sol
feet above tide or 500 feet below the
large lakes at the head of the Penob-
scot. so that our lakes hold their water
in state of great and unusual reserve
power-poWer that is given forth as
the water falls to the sea along the
courses of our rivers.
1t has been found that the average
rainfall in the State is AZ inches, which
is distributed with remarkable uni
formity at different seasons of the
year The practical consequence of
this in connection with other climatic
features is that the rivers of the State,
to a remarkable extent, enjoy i'm
munty from those ruinous drawbacks
to water power manufacturing, water
dearth and freShet, and as the storage
basins are becoming more developed
and used for a summer reserve, the
inconvenience resulting from these
drawbacks. is being gradually lessened
Gov. Nelson Dingley in his address
to the Legislature in 1874 said 1T is
however, when the magnificent water
power of Maine is considered. that this
State stands forth the first in the
union, and presents resources which
when developed will make it second to
no other. Indeed, few, if any. portions
Of the earth's surface approach Maine
in the extent. volume, momentum and
consistency of its water power One
thousand five hundred and sixty eight
lakes, at an average elevation of 500
feet above the sea, form the head
waters Of 5,151 streams, which go
rushing down towards the ocean,
creating over 5000 water powers,
which afford a force measured by not
less than 100000 horse powers, and
equal to the working energy of 13,000,-
600 men, When it is remembered that
ilot d titOuSdilili part VI Tie WdleT
power Of the State is as vet harneSsed
to machinery, some faint idea of the
almost boundless extent of our manu-
featuring resources. may be obtained"
The climate and scenic beauty of the
State of Maine are of unsurpassed
loveli1ess and grandeur from the first
of May to November. It's healing
springs and it's healthful and invigor-
ating atmosphere are distinctive
feature. Statistics show Maine to be
the coolest in summer of any State in
the Union. There are a multitude of |
places where cool breeZeS blow, where |
there is no enervating humidity and |
where the thermometer does not
register above the seventies.
There IS no place in the wide world |
which equals Maine in this respect |
for while in a straight line the Maine |
coast would have a length of but 800
miles, it has by it's hundreds of deep |
coves and bays, sandy beaches and |
rocky headlands, an actual sea wall of
5000 miles. Every foot is scenicly
beautiful and made cool by copious
draughts from melted icebergs. which
form the Arctic current that flows