The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-24
W. s. WfNAN ON KRNSEBEc RES
ERVOIR
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ticles of Separation the reservation
of public lots was continued The
two. lots on which the dam would
have to he located at Long Falls were
the lots reserved for the first settled
minister and for the church.
II was also found that. when the
dam was built. 1t would flow five or
six other let's further up. the stream,
which were owned by the State in the
same way as those at the Falls. In
order to purchase the land on which
to build this dam and the right to flow
the other State lots, 1T was necessary
to get the consent OF the Legislature.
The extreme hrouth d"-'ugthe sum-
mer of 1922 brought fo.r,Sy TO the
attention Of every water power owner
on the Kennebec River the need for
greater storage facilities. A meeting
of the power owners wac held and 1t
was decided TO ask the Legislature
for a charter enabling them to ac-
quire this land and the rights to build
a storage reservoir on Dead River.
Garrett Schenk, president Of the Great
Northern Paper Company, Mr.. Pratt,
president of the Hollingsworth &
Whitney Company, and Mr.. Wyman
were appointed committee to have
the matter In charge. They employ
ed Atty. W. E. Shelton Of Lewiston
to draw a charter and present the
same to the Legislature. Such char
ter was prepared by him, and was
largely copied from the charter Of the
company owning and operating the
storage ON the Androscoggin, which
has been 80 successfully carried on
for many years and which has been
copied by other storage companies,
Mr.. Shelton drew this charter and the
same was later presented to the Leg
islature.
1t was early discovered that the
proposed dam would flow out some
farms and would completely submerge
Flagstaff village. Before present
ing the charter to the Legislature, re-
representatives. of.the interested parties
obtained price on all OF the proper
ty flowed in Flagstaff, with the ex-
ception of one house, and also on all
of the farms to be flowed. All Of
this was done without any opposition
on the part of any Of the interested
parties.
AS the building of this dam would
affect the driving of logs on the river,
as soon as the proposed charter was
drawn, the same was submitted to
the Kennebec Log Driving Company
and an arrangement was made with 1t
and incorporated in the charter, sa-
tisfactorily taking care Of the log driv-
ing question. .,,@
As Governor Baxter was known to
have pronounced views on the ques-
iion OF water power storage, and as
he had intimatsd his inaugural ad-
dress. that be would welcome the de-
velopment OF water power storage by
private companies, the charter, be-
fore 1t was presented to the Legislay
ture, was submitted to him for criti-
cism and suggestion and none was Of
fered, 1t seems according to the speak
er.
The charter was then introduced In
the Senate and referred to joint
committee consisting of the members
of the, Judiciary Committee and the
Committee on Inland Waters, twenty
men In all. A public hearing was
ordered by this committee. Before
the hearing, the Governor was again
jnterviwed and he was invited to make
any suggestions or criticisms that he
might wish with respect to the pro-
posed charter. He offered no sug-
gestions whatever 1t was claimed, In
relation to making changes in the
charter, and the hearing was held.
At the hearing Mr.. Shelton present
ed the charter and fully explained
all OF Its provisions. This hearing
was largely attended and nobody Of
fered any, opposition or criticism to