Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-12
Report Of Gen. Bixby, the
Chief Army Engineer.
Annual Report Of Togus Home
Full Of Interesting Facts.
Democratic Investigating Commit.
tee Exonerates Chas. E. Littlefield.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 11-(SpeciaD
Tho chief of army engineers, Gen.
Bixby, in recent statement goes over
the situation on the Kennebec river
with referenc to Improvements and nav
igation. No extensive improvements
on the river are now under way but
there remains some money to be used
on a channel west of Swan Island.
Much of the improvement work on the
river in the last ten years has been
under appropriations secured by Sena-
tor Burleigh, while he was member
of the House. OF the Kennebec river,
Gen. Bixby says:
.During the fiscal year 1918, under the
project of 1907 ledge which had been
discovered was surveyed ana an at
tempt was made to remove It., put with
little success Bids for the dredging west
of Swan Island were opened June I,
1913, but were too high and were re-
jected.
Expenditures to June 30, 1913, under
the project of 1907, have been $2I1, $50. "a
all for new work. In the fiscal year 1872,
the sum of S3.25 was received on account
of sales. The project is completed eX-
cept for the ledge above referred to, and
a small shoal at Nehumkeag Island. No
work has yet been done on the channel
west of Swan Island under the project
of 1918 Expenditures under this project
new work
1.-THE mean rise and fall of tides at
Bath is So feet; at Gardiner, oil feet; at
Augusta, 4.3 feet. Augusta is the head
of navigation and is about "A miles above
the mouth of the river. Above that point
the stream is practically devoted to wat
er power and numbering operations
over the shoalest part of the river be-
tween the mouth and Gardiner. which is
the portion covered by the existing pro-
jeet, about 10 feet can be carried at
mean low tide except for the small shoal
near Nehumkeag Island, where the depth
is about 10 feet. The work under the
existing project has extended over a
length of river about IA miles between
extremities. West of Swan Island the
least depth is about S.5 feet.
The commerce for the calendar year
1912 amounted to PSI, 700 short tons. the
principal items being coal, ice, lumber
and cooperage, wood and pulp The es-
tinated value of the commodities is
S,139, $50.
while the use of the river for tran
sportation purposes has some value in
a competitive way, the principal effect on
freight rates is due to the increased
depths which permit the use of larger
vessels and larger cargoes in handling
such commodities as coal, ice, and lum-
Der, which demand cheap transportation.
THE channel west of Swan Island is
to accommodate the steamboat traffic
The annual report of Eastern branch
Soldiers Home, Togus, Me-, by Gen.
Joseph S. Smith, manager, shows that
the total receipts of the home during
the fiscal year 1918 were s455,5S The
post fund aggregated S65, 069. The to-
tai resources We're sos, 921, a decrease of
$5331 from 1912. The whole number OF
persons cared fer was 1882, compared
with 1853 in 1912. The average number
of member employees was PIT. There
was one Mexican war veteran, 2071 CIV
il War veterans, PSI Spanish War vet
Grams, "a members of the provisional
army, u Indian campaign veterans and
one foreign service veteran lodged in
the Togus home. The inmates includ-
ed 100 from the regular army, 1855 from
the volunteer army and 255 navy. There
Were 1898 arrests for various offenses
The number Of beds in barracks was
1909. One hundred ninety persons were
employed to look after the veterans.
1547 pensioners were in the home. The
ages of inmates range from % to 81
years. The report gives the menus
served the veterans at different times
of the year, amusements furnished in
mis- to books. Visitors numbered $4,000.
The home farm produced sci 155 worth
OF milk, fodder, wood, etc. The value
of home property includes land s19,sS5;
buildings and permanent improve
ments, s723,16s.