The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-03-15

seven hundred fifty second teD' ri
water that the old log sluice required
two thousand feet Tor The sluiee#
not equipped with motor operated
gates are the following. Solon dan
Madison. Fairfield dam, HollingsWortA
d Whitney dam Lockwood dam and
Edwards dam.
The possibility Of storage on Dead
River was mentioned in the Maine
Water Power Commission report o5
1920, but that report only contemplate
ed about seven-tenths billion cubie
feet of new storage. as the commis-
sion felt that the possibility of flood
ing the state road and the village ef
Flagstaff prohibited any further rails
ing OF the water surface From tha
engineers information it would appear
that the flooding OF the highway ami
of Flagstaff would increase the neR
storage capacity to from ten 10 twelve
billion cubic feet and that the bon
fits would greatly Oyer-balance tn
damages As a result raising the wa
ter surface by constructing dam
about fifty feet high at the head of
Long Falls is considered.
The town of Stratton on the south
branch OF the Dead River about tween
ty-eight miles above the storgae dam
seems TO limit the economical hei9ht
of fowage to FL. 1850 This town has
about one thousand inhabitants two
mills. stores, hotel. churches ana a
considerable number of summer cot
tages. and the expense OF flooding u
would probably be large On tha
main river the fowage would reach
Eustis about thirty-four miles above
the proposed dam. At this place Il
saw mill and small electric light
station would be flooded. but the dam
age would not be large Flagstaff
would be completely submerged. thp
main street being seven feet below
the proposed water level. The vii
lage consists OF about thirty-fve hous-
es most of which are understood tn
be small and OF little value small
church and saw mill. and il is telj
the cost of this property would not be
prohibitive.
With the water surface At Elev. lah
the reservoir capable of holding from
ten to twelve billion cubic feet would
be formed. This reservoir would
reach from the head OF Long Fall
TO the village of Eustis on the main
river and to the village OF Stratton on
the south branch. II would be about
twenty-four miles long and from one
half to one mile wide and would en-
brace an area OF twentY-one squar"
miles The cost of tbs reservoir eX-
elusive oi dam is estimated TO b.
s510.06o y mass curve of the Dead
River indicates that during eleven
years from 1910 TO 1921 there was
only one period that the reservoir
would not have filed. assuming that
it was entirely depleted each year
and that was for the years 1910 and
1911. TWO successive years OF very
low flow
Near the head Of Long Falls about
twenty-five miles above the junction
OF Dead River with The Forks i
fairly good site Tor a dam. Ledg"
appears in the bed on hoth sides %!
the river for some distance from the
shore. A reinforced concrete dam
fifty feet high and seven hundred and
thirty eight feet long has been design
ed. provided for suitable waste gato1
and log sluice and log sluiee gates
The estimated cost OF this dam is
S475. 900 making the total cost OF tbr
storage including land damages. S9Ha.-
000 On the estimated cost OF $751; IN"
the total charges for interest. taNcS.
depreciation and operating eXpens"
would be SO 900 annually.
Other storage possibilities examined
included Sandy River which the III
a ..t4ayfttslff,
for any considerable storage. Carra.
bassett River with similar results aHd
Moxie Pond This pond a. present
contains when full about seven l9ud-
red million cubic feet This lah
could probably he raised about t@1
feet. and the bottom OF the gate
lowered about the same distance. mak-
ing the total storage available about
one million cubic leet ANY further
raising of the water surface would b"
made prohibitive hy the expense of
raising the tracks of iho Somerset
branch of the Maine Central ltailraHi
The Dead River reservoir is q feft
attractive proposition aud m couns
ton with Moosehead and Bras~ua 2.
servoirs would result n making tIw
Kennehec River the best regulated fI}-
er in the STATE.
In view OF the largo amount ul ptr.
liminarv work which must hr dom
in making extensive survey obtaining
legislative authority acquiring pgbir
lots disseminating Highways. moving
cemeteries searching tit'es required
TO acquire whole village aud seaar
ing options on several thousand acre
of farm aud cumberland. and iapk ~,
definite information. The Central NJ,
Power Co felt when tho fprrsplH-
report was completed that the present
needs would he satisfied by fac EIa-
sua reservoir Since then ~cter,I
surveying parties have been Zoo f.u.
field and the engineer believes '.Ht
the Dead River reservoir might prn
perly be the initial step \ revised
estimate. on account of some uncer-
taiuty as To whether rhe ruads in tho
vicinity OF FlaestaH which Viii bi
flooded. Will have 80 In relocated or
not. makes the total expenditure to
be provided of $1,2ouauo