Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-10-20
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
COMMISSIONER PARSONS SAYS
FTSHWAY NOT FEASIBLE.
Would Cost Thirty-five to Forty
Thousand Dollars, and Might
Not ho EfYocfivo

|
Not be Effective
The hopes of Ellsworth that fish
way for alewives and salmon might
be constructed over the power dam,
were dashed at the meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce last Thurs
day evening. when Hon. Willis e.
Parsons, commissioner of inland
fisheries and game, said he felt
obliged to report that a fishway in
this dam was not feasible.
This followed reports by H. E.
Green, prominent engineer who
has built many fishways, and Frank
E. Perkins, State inspector of fish
ways and an authority on the subject.
These two, with Commissioner
Parsons, had spent the afternoon at
the dam, looking over the situation
with the view of ascertaining the
most practical way to build fish
way.
The reports followed the supper
of the Chamber of Commerce,
served at the Unitarian YES
| try by the ladies Of that society. 1t
was an excellent supper, delightfully."-
served, and enjoyed by about sixty
five people.
Mr.. Perkins was the first speaker
called upon by President Robinson
of the Chamber. He said fishway
| in the dam, seventy-two feet in
p, height, was a difficult proposition.
He expressed the opinion that it was
impractical; the f1shway. If built,
might not serve its purpose.
Mr.. Green, who followed him, gave
] the result of his investigation and
estimates. He spoke of two or three
ways in which a fishway might be
constructed. The estimate for a
tfshway of concrete and blasted
pools, utilizing the ledge up the
eastern side of the dam, was $780,
900 to $4,000. A wooden f1shway
could be constructed for about half
that sum, but of course would not
be permanent. A fshway could be
constructed, he said, but that the
fish would use it, or could use 1t,
could not be assured.
Commissioner Parsons quoted
from the State laws, which PROVIDE
that the commissioner, "f he finds
fishway expedient," may order the
owner of dam to construct the
same. The owner of the dam has
the right of appeal from this order
ia. the supreme court. Commissioner
Parsons then said that, in view OF
the report of the engineer and nsn-
wav expert. he felt forced to report
that a fshway in this seventy-tWo
foot dam would not be expedient. he
said the highest fishway in the State
today was forty-eight feet, wnlcn
10 higher than most states CONSIDER
20. sible The fisheries department
~ the Canadian government con.
c;ders fiftv feet the greatest nelenI
70 which a fishway is practlcaple. IN
.,Jo ~ those facts, he does not con-
siSor - necessary to order near
ing. ,.,,,
cred an eloquent tribute 10 ene
beauties of Maine. feopie ;,
looking to Maine as never before,
he said, "You here IN fNncoe .
county. the most beautl1ul coun'v
in Maine. should advertise wnas w.
have and reap your snare IN M"i nS
DEVELOPMENT" He cited facts anu
fieures to show the great increase
in the number of summer Vlsi.oie
to Maine this year, leaving, at
modest estimate, 500, 0O0,OOo.
COOPERATION.
Senator-elect J. Sherman Douglas
was then called upon, and delivered
shoulder punch for cooperation.
He told of an incident when ne was
in another town, and man came IN
selling tickets to the business organ
ization, banquet. The hrst man
approached said "No; I don't want
any banquet ticket. I want to see
results first" The second man had
the same answer Mr.. Douglas hap
pened to know that these two bust
ness men would be among the first
to benefit by development of the
town, and yet they were willing to
sit on the side-lines and walt Tor
others to do something, regardless
of the fact that nothing could be
done without cooperation.
Mr.. Douglas drew no parallels.
He said that nothing but good could
come from cooperation. when men
get together" he said, 'even If there
are no brilliant minds among them,
some ideas are sure to develop
The Chamber of Commerce is helping
Ellsworth by cultivating cooperation.
What helps Ellsworth helps La
moline, and helps Hancock county.
"You can never accomplish anything
If you stay away from meetings.
Cooperation will put the Ellsworth
Chamber Of Commerce over the top.
You can never get any public SER
vice, never accomplish anything,
without cooperation"
CIVIC YARDSTTCK
Cocrotorv IT q StrattOn read ex-
tracts from a report of the recent
State meeting of chamber Of COM
merce secretaries. Col. Frank Knox
of Manchester, N. H., held up a
"civic yardstick" for towns to
measure themselves by.
The test of town is the way it's
citizens talk about 1t.
Do your own people speak well of
your town? Do they say ours is
good town to live in," or do they COM