\nAmong many government publications printed more than 65 years ago, early in this century, is one of special interest to the people of Central Maine. It is a bound volume with the title “Water Resources of the Kennebec River Basin”. The main river from Skowhegan to the Forks was surveyed in 1904, and during the following two years the lakes, ponds and streams that fed it were also surveyed. That completed the full study of the river, because the area below Skowhegan had been surveyed earlier.<\/p>\n
Here is what the book says about the whole watershed. “The Kennebec rises in Moosehead Lake in west central Maine, the headwaters being collected by Moose River, Roach River, and many small streams rising in hilly forested areas both east and west of the lake. The drainage basin extends from the Canada line to the ocean, 150 miles, and varies in width from 50 to 80 miles. It encloses an area of 5,970 square miles, almost a fifth of the total area of the state. The length of the river from Moosehead to Merrymeeting Bay, including the longer windup, is 140 miles. Feeding it are 1,084 streams. Major feeders are Dead River, Austin Stream, Carrabasset River, Sandy River, the Sebasticook, the Messalonskee, the Cobbosseecontee, Eastern River and Cathance River. In this system are 248 lakes and ponds. In the central area they include Sebasticook, Wesserunsett, the Belgrades, Annabessacook, Maranacook, China, Webber and Three Mile Lakes.<\/p>\n
Then the book tells us – “The upper part of the basin is heavily timbered although extensive cutting has been going on for years. There are 2,350 square miles of timberland, and in it about 4 million feet of spruce suitable for lumber and pulp. Much of the lumber and pulp used in Maine comes from this basin.”<\/p>\n
The book pointed out that of the many cities and towns on the river, the largest in order of population were Augusta, Waterville, Gardiner, Hallowell and Skowhegan. At that time, 65 years ago, Madison, Hallowell and Richmond were all larger than Fairfield, whose population today exceeds all three.<\/p>\n
The book explains – “The river is open eight months of the year and is navigable as far up as Augusta to vessels drawing 10 feet.” Then comes this amazing statement – “Several towns obtain their water supply from the river.” Of course the book had to add, ”When the river is closed, a profitable ice industry assures work and income.”<\/p>\n
Some of the industries then thriving on the Kennebec were the International Paper Company at Caratunk Falls near Solon, three plants at Madison, a mill of the Great Northern, the Madison Woolen Company and a pumping station that took town water from the river, five mills at Skowhegan, and the Shawmut Manufacturing Company’s pulp plant at Shawmut. At Fairfield was a dam 1,300 feet long owned by the Fairfield Mills and Water Power Company. On it operated three big sawmills and a planing mill. At Waterville and Winslow were the big Lockwood Cotton Mills and the new Hollingsworth and Whitney paper mill. At Augusta were the plants of Edwards Manufacturing Company, Cushman Paper and Kennebec Light and Heat.<\/p>\n
Surprising are the number of plants listed as then in operation on the Sebasticook. At Hartland were a woolen mill and a big tannery. At Pittsfield were two woolen mills, at Corinna a large flour mill, at Newport a huge sawmill, and another at Detroit. At Clinton were plants for flour, grist, lumber and cloth. At Benton Falls was the United Box Board and Paper Company.<\/p>\n
As many of you already know, the Messalonskee was crowded with factories at the turn of the century. At Oakland was a woolen mill, edged tool factories, and the Messalonskee Electric Company, and a dam with a fall of 14 feet further down stream for impounding water for the Waterville municipal water supply. There was also the Chase Manufacturing Company, and below the Oakland Road bridge was the Waterville Gas and Electric Company.<\/p>\n
The book had a lot to say about undeveloped power on the Kennebec and its tributaries. There was still, according to this report, a lot of water going to waste. When we consider today’s pollution, what the book said about the quality of Kennebec water is astonishing. “In 1904”, said the book, “appraisals were made of the water supplies of Augusta and Waterville, in connection with the transfer from private companies to water districts. Both cities had been visited by severe epidemics of typhoid in 1902 and 1903. Waterville was at that time supplied from the Messalonskee by the Maine Water Company, but the company also had the right to take water from the Kennebec. Augusta was supplied from the main river by the Augusta Water Company. Turbidity in the Messalonskee was then greater than in the Kennebec. After rains the Messalonskee turbidity increased rapidly in a few hours. The report said: “The Messalonskee drains a chain of lakes, and its natural water would be very clear were it not for a small tributary that cuts through a number of clay deposits which leaves behind after heavy rain a large turbidity. Suspended matter in the Kennebec itself, after heavy rain, consists of silt. Between Waterville and Augusta mud deposits are extensive, and they are further fouled by large deposits of sewerage at Waterville causing obnoxious odors at low water. At all times, but especially in the spring, Kennebec water has a swampy and peaty odor, and at times it has a marked taste. At all points above the Augusta dam, the water is soft and chemical constituents are low. The absence of mineral matter makes Kennebec water excellent for use in boilers and in paper making.”<\/p>\n
It may surprise some of my listeners to learn that as early as 1905 people were beginning to be concerned about Kennebec pollution. The book tells us, “The general pollution of Kennebec water is usually measured by the diversity of population on the drainage area, because the waste products of life and industry are the worst pollution. For the first 60 miles down from Moosehead the river is practically unpolluted. But below that point there are 115 cities, towns and villages – two with populations exceeding 10,000, two from 5,000 to 10,000, nine from 2,000 to 5,000, 16 between 1,000 and 2,000 and 86 under a thousand. The greatest pollution is contributed by Madison, Skowhegan, Newport, Pittsfield, Waterville, Augusta and Gardiner. At Augusta 13,000 people discharge sewerage into the Kennebec above the waterworks intake. The river has now reached a point where manufacturing wastes do more damage than the city sewers. Woolen and paper mills pour large quantities of spent liquors of a highly objectionable nature into the river. The most important sources of pollution are Great Northern Paper at Madison and Hollingsworth and Whitney at Winslow. In Waterville much waste comes from the Lockwood Mills and from the acids discharges by the Waterville Iron Works.”<\/p>\n
“At both Augusta and Waterville,” continued the report, “Kennebec water is already unfit for drinking. Because ten percent of wood fiber is wasted in paper making, the quantity of waste products put into the river at Madison and Waterville is especially harmful. In summer the odor from the factory wastes and from Waterville sewerage can be smelled as far down as Getchell’s Corner.”<\/p>\n
Great concern had been caused by the Waterville typhoid epidemic in 1903. The report said: “Contamination of the Messalonskee and the Kennebec was proved without question, to have been the cause of the deadly fever. At that time the city water came from the Messalonskee, but some people whose homes were not connected to that supply line took water directly from the Kennebec. This was especially true of the French section on Water Street. Near the source of the Messalonskee at Oakland sewerage enters the stream from numerous private sewers. Then the Oakland factories pour in their wastes.”<\/p>\n
“Prior to 1901, the death rate from typhoid at Waterville was not noticeably high. By the spring of 1903 it had increased 50 percent, but not until that fall did it get out of hand. By early December new cases of typhoid were coming at the rate of one a day. On Christmas Day there were five new cases, at New Year’s thirteen. By mid-summer of 1903 Waterville had had in one year 271 typhoid cases and fourteen deaths. Neither ice nor flies could be the cause, because the epidemic was worse in winter. Careful investigation excluded milk as the cause. All the mineral spring waters were tested and found pure. The cause had to be the municipal water supply. The germs of typhoid had come from the polluted waters of the Messalonskee.”<\/p>\n
And that about water power, navigation and pollution – is the story of the Kennebec watershed 70 years ago.<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago I gave you some items from an old almanac of 1829. At that time I told you that some day I would refer to that publication again. So let me now tell you what this almanac of nearly 150 years ago said about roads. For all the highways listed, distances are computed from Boston.<\/p>\n
One route is described as “Boston to Norridgewock”, 212 miles.” After giving distances to many places along the route it says, “Vassalboro 186, Winslow 190, Clinton 196, Canaan (which of course meant Skowhegan) 206.”<\/p>\n
Another road was called “Boston to Passamaquoddy over the Newburyport Turnpike through Portland”. Stopping points were listed as Lynfield Hotel, Topsfield Hotel, Newburyport and Portsmouth, 58 miles; then on through Kittery, Saco and Scarborough to Portland, 120 miles. To get to the Passamaquoddy at Eastport, the road then passed through Falmouth, Freeport and Brunswick to Bath, across the Kennebec by ferry, then on through Wiscasset, Damariscotta, Waldoboro, Thomaston, Camden and Lincolnville to Belfast. Then not across to Ellsworth but down the coast to Blue Hill, then to Trenton and the Sullivan Ferry to Gouldsboro, Cherryfield, Jonesboro and Machias, and finally reaching Eastport 350 miles from Boston. That was a long, tedious stage ride and few people took it all the way. It was more comfortable and faster to go from Boston by sail down east before the prevailing southwest wind.<\/p>\n
Year: 1973<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Read the script for “Little Talks” program #963, Broadcast on March 4, 1973<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":405,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35313,35296],"tags":[],"builder_content":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9324"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9324\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/csc-home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}