Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-14

The roadbed of Forest avenue was
flooded from curb to curb. and the wa
ter in many places flowed over the
sidewalks. The street was a veritable
river. The sewer in that section was
put in many Years ago by the city Of
Deeling, at q TIME when there was no
thought of s. great future develop
meEt. At that time it was designed
principally to carry off the surface
water. Since then connections have
been made with it from residences
along Forest avenue and from the side
streets, 50 that it has become gross
Is overtaXed, and is worse than use
less in times Of such freshets as that
Of today, because, il is pointed out,
the cellars in the older houses in that
section were always dry before con
nection was made with the sewer
Property owners in the flooded Sec
, tion stated, today. that they would b.
obliged IN take steps to have the con-
ditions improved. y new sewer is
absolutely necessary there. they say.
and a number Of them will so before
the estimates committee of Of the city
council To urge upon that body the
urgent need Of an appropriation far
building the sewer this year. They
say chat their cellars have been flood
ed four times within the past tive
years, and each time has been worse
than that preceding. When there have
been heavy rains the sewer has been
inadequate Ia carry off even the sur
face water, and the consequence i
hat il backs Hp into the cellars caus-
ing great Inconvenience and mues
actual property damage y certain
property owner declared. today, that il
/ the city did not take action to inn
prove the sewer accommodations in
the section he would feel obliged 10
bring suit to protect himself and that
there were many others of the same
mind in the matter
In South Portland
South Portland needs no Mississippi
river or Galyeston-like tidal wave to
become flooded; all it needs is a rain
storm like thai which swept over this
part of the country, last night Where
yesterday, there We're dry. warm cell
lars stored with provisions and the
streets and fields were covered with
snow. today each house along Broad
way and Sawyer streets, near Kincaid
street is isolated in a pond that covers
eight or ten acres and is 50 deep thai
the residents are polling their way
about in punts.
From kincaid street for some distance
east of Broadway the land forms a SORT
of basin. From all directions. cons.-
quently, rivulets and larger streams are
contributing to the constantly rising pond
that covers every yestige of ground over
several acres Ordinarily the sewers
ought to allow most of the water to
run off but it is said that several of the
man-holes are stuffed up. so that there
was no means of draining off the watar
Many houses are entirely cut off, ana
the only way they can be reached Is "a
wade through two or three feet of water
or ride in one Of the several boats which
are plying about among the houses. All
the cellars in that locality are flooded
and in some Of them there are five ~
six feet of water, one of the worst
sections is along School street. where
several poultry houses were Hooded AMI
some of the nocks drowned.
Pickett PrebIe. Sawyer, stanford and
Pilshnry streets We're rushing torrents
at the lower portion, a small fall having
been caused by a Washout near Willard
Beach
On Pillsbury street the water threaten
ed to wash ont the center of tho road.
and in order to avert this. citizens erect
ed bulllheads and forced the water into
the cutters
The early cars We're stalled at frequent
intervals during the morning on account
OF sand being washed upon the rails
one of the early ears, in charge of Mo-
torman William Smith and Conductor
William Often, was derailed shortly after
O'Clock. when the forward wheels
struck a heap OF stones and sand III
front of the home of Howard Loveitt on
Preble street, Willard, and at 1920 the
car had not been replaced upon the iron,
passengers from other cars having to
transfer to more fortunate cars, bound
10 and from the city
In many instances the water was so
deep about the front doors Of houses in
South Portland and Wizard that men
SONG to their work went over the tops
of their rubber boots in water.
Ralph Doughty, barber living on
stanford street, was conveyed from his
home to point near the corner of Hign
and Sawyer streets in "A rowboat
Albert Cole, Il clerk employed by L.
". Richardson, the grocer, used a ladd ar
to receive and deliver his orders, early
this morning, ON Kineaid street
Mr.. Wilkinson. a painter living on Kin
caid street, assisted his daughter to the
street by the aid of a 20-foot ladder.
Miss Wilkinson walked down the ladder