Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-05-16
AFTER THE FRESHET.
RIVER AND CITY GETTING BACK
TO NORMAL CONDITIONS.
Temporary Bridge Will be Opened
Last of Week-Engineers Investi-
eating Construction Of Storage
Dam

Ellsworth is rapidly getting back
to normal conditions, after the
freshet excitement and damage The
river is now down to it's natural
flow, and each foot it falls reveals
new evidence of destruction. The
river front from Main street down
the eastern shore to the point where
the foundry and machine shop stood,
has undergone the greatest trans
formation. Where formerly were the
well-kept terraced lawn and embank-
ment of the pOstoffice lot, and large
grassy field, there are now rocks
rocks and more rocks. All of this
was made land, and the river, in it's
mighty wrath, simply reclaimed its
own, sweeping away soil and grass
and exposing wide, rocky beach.
There are rocks enough in sight be-
tween Main street and the foundry
point to keep rock-crusher running
for weeks.
Good progress is being made on
the temporary bridge at Main street,
though the work has been delayed
by the weather and the work of re-
moving the ruins of the Dirigo
theatre for the eastern approach.
The bridge is now more than half
way across the river, and w. ]. Pen
nell, who is experimenting the con-
struction of it, hopes to have it open
to foot traffic by tomorrow night,
and for automobiles by Sunday.
Owing to public demand, during
the Inconvenience caused by the
destruction of the Main street bridge,
the power company has opened the
passageway through the power dam,
and many have been using it in
preference to ferrying across the
lake. The passage way is lighted,
and reasonably safe, though the
power company has posted precau
tionary notices to guard against ac-
cident
The character of permanent bridge
to be built has not yet been deter
mined. Public opinion seems to
favor a concrete bridge, which will
be permanent, and of low up-keep
cost 1t is expected that the bridge
will be built under the State bridge
act, under which the expense will be
borne in varying proportions, yet to
be fixed, by the State, county and
city. Engineers from the State high
way department have already been
here and made surveys. 1t is under
stood that the roadways and abut-
ments at either end of the bridge
must be raised foot or so to provide
sufficient clearance for a concrete
bridge of two arches, and for a
-tr nicrl1f no nj
| river at this point. Members of the
! city government are in consultation
to-day with the State highway de-
| partment at Bangor.
At the meeting of the city govern
ment Monday evening, provision was
made for the necessary increased ex-
penditure on roads and bridges. The
vote previously fixing the appropri-
ations was reconsidered, and the ap-
preparation for bridges was increased
from $4,000 to $12,500, and that for
roads from $4,000 to $4,000.
This addition of $4,000 to the
amount to be raised will increase the
tax rate approximately five mills, .Or
SIS on a 81 900 valuation, over that
which would have been required by
the first budget.
The pumping station is again
operating by motor, and the water
being pumped into the mains is all
from Branch Pond stream, but water
mains and standpipe have not yet
been cleaned, and until that is done,
Health officer Woodruff advises the
boiling of the city water before using
it for drinking purposes.
Power and the house lighting SER
vice were resumed Tuesday of last
week, but street lighting was not re-
sumed until Saturday. After nearly
two weeks of darkness, the people of
Ellsworth appreciate the street lights
more than ever.
Engineers for the power company,
the construction company, and on be-
half of the city and the losers by the
breaking of the dam, have been in
vestigating the construction of the
break Since last week, two gates
remaining in the dam after the first
break, have collapsed, so that all the
heavy concrete work of the dam, at
the gate-heads, has now gone, only
the western head or flange wall re-
naming. This section of the dam
collapsed early last Thursday morn
/ ing. AS the river was already down
| to natural flow, no additional water
was sent down the river by this
break. The engineer representing
the Ellsworth property losers is Mr..
HUMPHREYS, of the Hollingsworth &
Whitney Co. Another engineer, Mr..
Black sent here by the public utili
ties commission, has also inspected
the dam. No reports of their find
ings have yet been made.