Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-01
81 BEL0W.AT BATH
Fear Ice Jam in Kenne-
bee M ay Suspend
Navigation

Bath, Ne. Dec. 31.-Sunday morn
ing was the coolest ever known in
Bath. the mercury dropping to 81 be.
low in many places while 30 below
was not at all uncommon. Reports
from East Brunswick varied from IS
to 40 below. At this morning ther-
mometers registered 10 degrees warm
er than at the same hour Sunday.
People living In the vicinity of
Hams Hill reported IS below Sunday
morning. while at the home Of John
T. Paris. upper Washington street. "a
below was reported and 70 this morn
ing. n. F. Howe. Arrowsic. reported
% yesterday and 10 below today. Will
bur Howe. who lives near Chops
Point, Woolwich, reported % below
yesterday and 10 below today. In
West Bath, Thomas F. Perkins report
ed 30 below and Joseph Lennont 81 be-
low while the average today was "a
below, Edward H. Pierce Of the
Doubling Point light reported "a be-
low yesterday and only IL today.
The formation of ice in the Kenne-
bee river Sunday was such as to cause
deep concern for those interested in
navigation. The river was frozen
Solidly across as far down as the
plant Of the Texas Steamship Co..
but the little ferry Hockomock by
her frequent trips kept an open track
from dock to dock. Below this there
was another solid field as far down
as Fiddler's Reach.
During the early afternoon Agent
Al, Mt s,rI
decided that the situation was becom-
ing critical if uninterrupted train
schedules We're to be kept up today
SO ordered the big transfer ferry Fer
dinando Gorges to go out and break
up the ice. which she did with ease.
Starting out from the Bath dock she
went directly to the Woolwich dock
and then returned, first going down the
river nearly to the reach and then up
This released big fields of ice which
made a clear track for the boat today,
The Hockomock has not Jared so
well today. however. as she did yes
terday. for much of the drift ice was
blown into the Woolwich dock. where
it had lodged, one cake slipping un-
der another until at this morning ice
! two feet thick was reported. 1t was
impossible for the little boat to get
into her own dock and SD she went
into the dock Of the Maine Central,
where workmen employed in Bath
| shipyards and shops were taken aboard
and brought across. Efforts have been
made all day TO break up the ice and
! release it from the dock,
/ ~ Hn dx{< toa r;,A
/ the river on the ebb tide to the reach.
where j. lodged during the afternoon and
night and steamboat men were appre-
hcnsve that such jam would take place
that navigation would be tied up. Owing
to the fact that more coal is expected t.
arrive in Bath by water soon and that in
order that there may be no suffering II
is absolutely important that there be mt
tieup in navigation, even temporarily
: Oliver Moses, chairman of the local fuel
commission, Immediately took up the
matter with James c. Hamlen, Portland
federal fuel administrator. while Hon.
Edward W. Hyde. president Of the Cham.
Der of Commerce, got in touch with Capt
William Il. Rush. commandment OF the
first naval district at the C.arlestow..
! navy yard.
! Both gentlemen were assured that ev-
erything possible would he done to relieve
! the situation, and il is expected that rev.
cnue cutters or lighthouse tenders will be
sent over to break up the ice from the
: lower end of the reach that IT may drift:
! down on tho ebO tile. As it is, the small
jam is growing suffer and sitter and it is
feared that unless some move is made a,
, once nayiyation u{1l ha eyo,1ad