The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-07-26

oLD .I1o Ell
which would have been held In the
reservoir basin this dam would have
created. You could begin to compre-
bend the magnitude of the project and
what its carrying out would mean
to industries on the Kennebec river
walked to the end Of the platform
looked down across the intervale tow
ard the great hill to the westward
Where was the water to fill this great
basin? A four foot dam of earth
stretched away across the interyale
for, possibly, 800 feet. 1t closed the
twenty foot width of Bog brook and
formed little pond which added to
the attractiveness of the Ledge House
"Where is the Dead fiyer?' Mr.
Buckley was asked.
"Over there" he explained with an
all embracing sweep of his right hand.
ITS nearly two miles across to the
river; the brook empties into II. but
there Is no great height OF land be-
tween us. Some knobs and small
hills, but nothing very high" he add
ed.
1t seems scarcely possible that a
dam fifty feet high could possibly
work such a change in the topogra-
ply of a region as this one would, yet
the engineers assure that it will do
so, just as they give assurance OF
what water 1t will hold back and what
improvement it will make to the pow
er resources of the Kennebec river
and you can bank on the figures
which engineers make on these pro
jects.
SOMETHING ABOUT RESERVOIR
Probably no project of this char
acter in Maine has ever attracted so
much State wide attention. When
the Aziscohos dam project was put
forward no one took a great interest
in 1t. Some few discussed 1t, but
beyond the confines of the region to
be especially benefited by 1t, 1t
aroused little general discussion
The same was true of the Ripogenus
dam undertaking Neither of these.
however, had the same elements
which figured in this All dealings
in both instances were with private
parties No stale lands were involy-
ed, while on the Dead River II was
different The place where the dam
which would create the reservoir
was to be located WAS on land own
ed by the State of Maine. To use II
the consent of the sata. by act OF
the legislature was required. The
story of how that attempt was made
and how IT failed Is not germaine to
this story. which deals with the pro
jet itself
1t may be asked why not build
the dam at another pointf'
The answer to this is There is no
other point
Briefly. the requirements for one Of
these storage basins Is a great inter
yale between mountains or high
hills. the lower end ~ which Is at
the head OF "a gOrga between these
hill or mountain ranges. which can
be closed By dam and so impoaad
the immense quantity Of water do
sired.
At but ono place On The Dead ri
yer r. this dam possible. thar Us on
the lands owned b. the State ot
Maine
At that point. WHICH Is some six
miles down this ever below fare
nearest point of tha river from Tho
Ledge House. DANE SO feet hlsh
and 500 feet long vl close the river
and create storage basin or ar
tiaelal lake which al be IT mlIgs
long and from turHaq quarters ~ a
mile 10 milo and d hair wide TAa
lake vii Impaaal 1000 900 400 eu-
bic feet of water practically every
cubic foot IF which an down as the
needs ~ the poNer users 0n the RI
yer below make necessary
FLOWS OFT VILLAGE
This lake VIII embrace am AREA OF
some square miles sad eiil dow ont
The village Of Flag IN This is not ID
largo place Al the outside a score
Of families. The original plans call
ed for moving village mp onto The
hillside beyond The water level
That did NOT appeal To the people ~
FlaFstaR MAKE them whale fn cash
for their property and they would
move elsewhefo without regrets
So far a can be learned bur one
person had objections She was SO
and her attitude VAS expressed An
Tits WY 4 hope won't live % see
FlagstsG where ! vas born and
have always lived hooded out. but
II the dam Is bMlt before ms end.
ali take THE value II nv place aud
10 somewhere else sad be happy
la other words Flagstaff citizen
,hip fafh r. ssleums ne idea of be-
nx bowed eut - IaaE - 30 gets she
ash Tor is propef'g holdius