Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-03
"Reminiscences
OF THE FLOOD DAYS
IN This CITY

The storm of Sunday and Sunday
night, although accompanied by a
high nGrtheasterly wind caused no
particular damage In the city. few
minor damages such as blinds torn
away and chimney or two blown
down being the total damage result
ing. The fall of rain during the "a
hours ending Monday morning was
LII inches as reported by Supt. Soule.
Major Berry was found prepared for
the storm cutters having been clear
ed so that the water was taken care
of. Some few of the culverts were
blocked with ice but this was unavoid-
able. Teams were at work Monday
afternoon gathering up the accumula-
ton of dirt from Water street The
American Express Co. had their wag-
will probably be seen today as the
sleighing in the business section has
practically disappeared.
The rise in the river was not large
although IL will probably be high
er later, but not enough to cause anx-
iety as to freshet
The rain coming as it did on the
18th anniversary of the great freshet
that carried away the Gardiner and
Randolph bridge was the subject of
much comment o. r. Holt furnishes
Some interesting, reliable data as fol-
lows:
The highest water known on the riv-
er at Gardiner up to March 2, 1896,
was that Of the spring of 1871, when
canoes We're run I'D to the Great
House and entered the kitchen. The
Great House was a hotel that was To-
Gated at the corner of Water and
church streets on the site of the Maine
Trust & Banking building. At this
time the water was three feet deep
on Water street at the corner of
Church. In 1926, on the 26th of March,
the water was 8 feet over the wharves
and Is feet above high water mark
Jan. %, 1899 the rise of water caused
much damage although not as high
as the two previously recorded. In
1S47 on March % and % great property
loss is reported, the rise being Is feet
above high water mark. Again in
1850 a freshet after a 10 days rain
caused considerable damage.
A three days steady rain on Feb.
~ and Mar. l and brought the wa
ter of the river TO an alarming height.
Early in the morning of the second
of March, the fire alarm signal sound
ed the freshet alarm of IL blasts and
this brought out many of the mer-
chants to look after their property
and remove their goods to places of
safety, as the water was fast creeping
into the Easements of the stores. Those
who went about il early succeeded
in removing many of their wares to
places of safety but others were
caught and sustained much loss.
Truck teams. boats and canoes were
used in the transporting of goods The
water at the corner Of Church and
Water street was nearly four feet
deep.
The bridge was the center of in
terest in the afternoon and although
there was a city election on that day
few seemed to realize it and Gar
diner probably cast the smallest vote
IN her history as a city.
All day long ice and logs had been
pounding and buffeting the old bridge
paying especial attention to the pier
at the east end of the draw. At about
three o'clock the bridge was seen to
tip perceptably and sink gradually.
Crossing was suspended but one add
Venturous fellow crossed hardly a mo-
ment before the bridge succumed to
the united attack of a large number
of logs and at $40 the bridge started
down the river.
During the rain. 3.74 inches fell but
the Immediate cause of the trouble
IN this city was the formation of a
large ice jam ut the upper end of
Swan island.