Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-01

Bill Seeks Water
Storage Development
On Kennebec River
The plans for improving the water
power conditions on the Kennebec
river, mentioned in the newspapers a
few weeks ago, will be brought to a
head in an act to be introduced to-
day in the Legislature Incorporating
the kcnncbec Reservoir Company.
The bill will be presented by Sena-
tor Smith of Somerset county.
Water storage development and
nothing else will be the purpose of
this corporation, according to the
proposed charter. 1t is not a power
producing company and it guaran-
tees that it shall not generate or sell
or distribute electricity in any man.
ner and shall not dispose or its pro-
pcrty to any corporation which has
authority to do SO.
The dam is to be located by this
Company. if it be chartered, at the
lead of Long Falls Township III,
Range I, Bingham, West kennebec
Purchase, in Somerset County, This
is some considerable distance be it
understood. up the Dear River from
the Forks Of the Kcnncbcc.
The proposed dam will be fifty
feet high and 1873 feet long. It will
cost about s1,5OOOO0 to 1000 900 and
will create a lake "a miles long of
irregular shape, owing back as far
as Eustis, on the North Branch of
Dead River said lake being from
onc-half mile to one mile wide and
containing p square miles of water.
The total me lsurement of water in
tnls new reservoir is put at from
10 TO II billion cubic feet the amount
OF water impounded at Aziscohos is
about billion cubic feet.
The Development
This development would drain a
watershed area of 500 square miles
ana lmpond its water in Il great lake.
So far as craftsmanship is concerned
1t would make another great fishing
area, that unquestionaby would in
llme NIL with trout and other game
1isn: for this region is famous in its
way.
On the average of a6 foot fall
winch is taken as standard on the
kennebec, it would add ) Il million
(o.ooo,O0O kilowatt hours to the
functions of the power. This is euui-
valent to more than 40 million klo-
watt hours in a 200 foot fall of the
river. which is about its aggregate
equivalent to about one third more
so-c2lled horse power hours or
around so million of them.
II IS inquired that with the reservoir
1ull up to the average nine or ten
billion Gu #. it would Civ can addi
uonal flow of 40 cubic feet per
accord additional to present flowasc,
for five months in the year.
This reservoir plan presents
clear gam In water-storage to any
plans that have histherto been sug-
Sested and in now wise interiors
with any further plans to create
Brassua Lake.
Will Make Lake Out of Town Of
Flagstaff
This flowage of water by the build
ing of this dam interfercs with little
but wild country. One town, how
ever. is completely flowed under. and
that town is Flagstaff If this lake be
tullt or created. the water will flow to
height in the village streets of Flag
staff that is fully nine feet above the
street in front of the hotel The line
OF hoWagc runs above the portico of
the hotel. y man in a horse and sleigh
IN the village street in front of the no.
tel at Flagstaff would be drowned.
horse and all. if he did not cut and
run when he water began to rise.
There arc about 50 houses in Flag
stan, q few stores and other buildings
ana the various other clements of q
small village. The greatest willing
ness has been shown by the owners of
property to sell. remove and assist in
the development. Nobody is holding
GUY, me arrangements have been
largely perfected in view of the flow
age. 1t seems to be looked on as
way out for those who have held This
property with no buyers for many
years many
In the bill and act are provisions
Tor the removal of cemeteries. estab-
iislihS new ones. re-creCting headstone
ana markers. etc. This was done in
the nowagc of Chesuncook, where the
cemetery was removed to a slightly
place on the hill above the possible
rise of the lake by the building Of
klpogenus dam.
The chief matter of importance To
the development is that the dam IT,
Seii must oe quit. II at ALL on State
lots, two lots involved. viz. of :;o0
acres each involving the dam-site
hese the company asks the State to
sell at Its own appraisal
Associates IN Proposed COMPANY
The associates in this PROMISED
kennebec Reservoir COMPANY are
the officials of present owners of
water power on the kennebec. viz
Walter $. Wyman. treasurer of the !
central Maine Power Co.; H, DeFor-
rest Lockwood. treasurer of the Ed
wards Manufacturing Co. (and incl
dcntally treasurer OF the Bates Mfg. |
co. at Lewiston); Carrot Schenck. !
president of the Great Northern
Paper Co.: Waldo f. Pratt. presi- |
dent Of the Hollingsworth and Whit F.!
ney Co.: Philip T Dodge. president /
OF the International PAPER Co: w. |
r. Winchester. treasurer of the |
Lockwood Company. and Rudolph |
Pasanstecher. president of the !
Shawmut Manufacturing Co. These !
interests represent practically all of |
the great power companies on the |
kennebec: but many smaller powers |
and some undeveloped powers on |
the river will be benefited by this /
development.
D~~A~~