Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-19
Boat Clubs Oppose
Present Alleged
Unsafe Con-
ditiOnS
Raising Bridge and Widening
Opening al Issue

attended hearing on the proposed
changes a Gurnet Bridge was held at
the New Meadows Boat Club house
this noon. Col. w. E. Craighill of the
L. S. engineers office, Portland, pre-
sided Charles F. Poran. chief clerk of
the U. S. engineers Office sketched
history of the complaints regarding
conditions at the Gurnet bridge show
ing that the first complaint was made
in 1907 after which matters were al
lowed to drop until March l, 1918,
since which time the brioge has been
much in the public eye.
As the result of a hearing held May
10, 1918, the towns of Brunswick and
Harpswell were advised to raise the
bridge four feet and to widen the
opening 65 feet on the Brunswick side
and 81 feet on the Harpswell side.
l.. A. Jack of Lisbon Falls opened
the case for the boat clubs who oppose
present conditions and showed at
present about 100 boats on the river be-
sides many on the Harpswell shores
which are affected by conditions. He
showed that by making the passage at
Gurnet bridge safe. it would make an
inside route from Portland OF New
Meadows Inn.
Many Speakers
Robert A. Toothaker, commodore of
the New Meadows Boat Club Charles
+. Mann of Lisbon Falls an ex-commo-
derc. Eugene w. Goss of Lewiston,
Harry w Varney of Brunswick, treas
urer of the New Meadows Boat Club.
Thomas Kelley of Lisbon Falls,
Charles A Hartman of Bath, Arthur
w. Drawn of Bath, Capt. Samuel Dun.
ming Of North Harpswell, Isaac Lin
coin Dunning of North Harpswell,
Reuben K. Dyer of Portland, commo-
dore of the Portland Yacht Club,
Frank |. Lowe of the Portland Board
of Trade, o. c. Randall of Portland,
of the Portland, Bath & Casco Bay
Rapid Transit Co.. George w. Brown,
Portland, all spoke regarding the pres
ent conditions at the bridge and show
ed that the passage was extremely
dangerous, that many accidents had
occurred at that point and advocated
the widening of the passage and the
raising of the bridge.
Capt. Randall and Mr.. Brown both
insisted on having a draw put in the
bridge as we'll. Hon. Barrett Potter of
Brunswick opened the case for the
towns of Brunswick and Harpswell.
He said that the towns were willing to !.
raise the bridge so that it would be
eight feet above high water and We're
willing to remove the abutment pro-
vided the war department had the
ledge on which the abutment rests
removed, making a channel the whole
width of the Gurnet. The towns pre-
scented Cyrus c. Babb of Augusta and
George F. Drew of Brunswick, two eX-
pert engineers on waterpower. to show
that no permanent relief could be az
forded unless the channel was widen
ed as we'll as having the abutment re-
moved.
Want Channel Deepened
Prof. Henry B. Alvord of Bowdoin
College, William +. Harding Of Bruins
wick. Capt. Charles w. Howard OF
Peaks Island also spoke regarding
the conditions at the bridge. Hon. Ed
ward w. Wheeler of Brunswick and
Emery G. Wilson of Portland for
Harpswell summed up their side OF
the case showing that the two towns
seriously objected to going to the ex-
tent of $4,000 or $4,000 that would
be necessary to make the changes
asked for by the boat owners unless
the channel be widened and deepened
so as to overcome all the trouble. At
present the water flows through the
44-foot opening at the rate of SIS miles
per hour. The engineers showed that
the removal of the abutment which
would make an opening of about 100
feet would only reduce the current to
81 miles per hour whereas If the
channel should be widened and deep
ened for that distance, the current
could be reduced to about 3.5 miles
per hour. All of the motorboat own
ers who testified were asked how much
the current would have to be reduced
to give permanent relief and all said
to at least four miles per hour.
At the conclusion of the hearing Col.
Craighall stated that he would give
the attorneys for the two sides and
the engineers two weeks in which TO
file briefs and plans with engineers
office showing what was wanted and
what the towns were willing to do.