Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-25
Estimated Less

Gardner haI just becn congratulate
ing herself that she had safely passed
through the freshets. caused by the
swollen stream and river. without any
material damage. The total loss is hard
70 estimate a. his writing. but will
probably be between $4,000 and S40,-
co., The estimate on the Hodgkins
loss is in the vicinity of $4,000 on
hGlding. machinery and tools. The
Holt loss is approximately $4,000 and
the scott and Jones loss about $4,000.
Tic city of Gardiner is the heaviest
loser The bridge was repaired but
e .eW years ago and was in good con-
G.tio0 TO replace it with a modern
structure will cost the city from SEQ
goo - $4,000, according to the osti-
mates Of the city officials.
Pubic Utilities Damage
In addition to the above several pub
lie utilities are damaged to a more
or less extent. The Gardiner Water
District losses Il l0-inch water main
which was under the bridge. The Cen
trail Maine Power Cos. gas main also
ran under the bridge and through
this came all the illuminating gas for
the Gardiner gasometer. Telephone
service in the city was somewhat af-
iected as the telephone company had
some cables running across the bridge.
The gas main of the Central Maine
Power Co. was broken and the gas shut
on Supt. Williams had a crew of men
at work at daylight making connec-
tons between the high and low pres
sure mains az the foot of High street.
so that the gas from Augusta will go
directly into the local distributing
mains. He stated that Sunday morning
there was $4,000 feet Of gas in the hold
er. The consumption Of the city on the
Sunday of a week ago was 1900 feet
so that the supply on hand should be
equal TO the consumption for Sunday
night. The connections being made as
stated above will probably be finished
before the gas on hand Is used. Patrons
may be bothered somewhat with pres
sure, but this will be remedied as soon
as possible.
All the electricity that comes into
Gardiner comes over the cables fastened
70 the poles on the bridge. The break
in the bridge was luckily between poles,
and the poles still hold so that the
lighting situation as far as electricity
goes is not affected. Much of the debris
Of The buildings ~ bridge still remain
against the piers and should this start
and carry away the poles to which the
electric cables are attached. the situa-
ton will be changed.
Truck Recovered
\ most fortunate feature of the
whole affair was the absence of loss Of
life The fall of the Holt and Hodg-
kins buildings gave warning that some
thing was happening. The customers
and clerks at SCOTS Market. thus
warned. were able to reach safety,
though with very little time to spare.
SCOTS truck was standing upon the
bridge and went down with the wreck
age. The machine remained on a por-
ton of the bridge and floated down the
Cob5ossee stream and into the kenne-
bee river to South Gardiner. where 1t
was recovered. though somewhat the
worse for wear The Scott building
foated down stream to the highway
bridge across the Causeway which it
struck and then went entirely to pieces.
Some of the braces Of the Causeway
bridge were knocked out of place. and
the mayor ordered the bridge closed to
travel until repairs could be made. This
was done simply as a matter OF precau-
ton The iron bridge of the l.. A. q
w.. across the Causeway. was not dam
aged
Dam No. 1 was owned by the Gardiner
Zeal Estate Association and was the hrs-
one built on the stream. 1t was built IN
l'6o and replaced by the present structure
Continued on Page 4-Column ~