USA > Maine > A gazetteer of the United States, comprising a series of gazetteers of the several states and territories. Maine > Part 3
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Sebec Pond is a large reservoir of water in Piscataquis county, situated mostly * The Forks of Penobscot river.
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within the towns of Foxcroft and Bowerbank. Its outlet bears the same name, and empties into the Piscataquis river on the north side, in the town of Milo.
Seboois Lakes are a group of reservoirs of water which form the source of the Seboois river, one of the streams which form the south branch of the Penobscot river. They consist of two principal lakes, known as the First and Second Seboois Lakes, with a number of small ponds. These are fine sheets of water, and the Second Seboois, in particular, is exceedingly beautiful.
Besides these, there are innumerable others of less importance, but no less beau- tiful than those named and noticed. To describe all these collections of water in Maine, would require a volume instead of a few pages. You can hardly travel a dozen miles, in any part of the state, without falling in with some of these delightful sheets of water ; and in many instances you follow along their shores for miles, which are covered with dense and beautiful forests, or the forest has given place to fields of smiling grain or rich-clad pastures covered with flocks and herds.
Rivers.
Maine abounds in rivers and streams of water, which afford facilities for the erec- tion of manufactories, not only sufficient for all the wants of the population, but to employ the manufacturing capital of all Christendom. We venture nothing, when we say, there is not a state in the confederacy, where so much capital might be ju- diciously invested in manufacturing operations, where the water-power is so abun- dant and easily accessible, as in Maine. Many of the rivers are navigable far into the country, and many of the smaller streams falling into them, afford good water- power at their very mouths ; and in others, the navigation is suddenly closed by ab- rupt falls, presenting the greatest possible facilities for commanding the entire hy- draulic power of the river, and erecting mills, so that vessels bringing the raw material, and receiving their manufactures, may be moored against their very walls. It is a matter of surprise, that these localities have not secured more of the atten- tion of capitalists than they have, when we consider the immense advantages they afford over most of those occupied in the older states. We are sure the time is not far distant, when these advantages will be duly appreciated, and the bountiful provi- sions of nature no longer be suffered to remain unimproved. Nothing need be known but the facts, to turn the attention of capitalists to these localities and secure their occupation, in preference to a majority of those now improved in the other . states.
In this article we shall give a brief description of all the most important rivers and streams of water in this state, from which the reader will be enabled to judge some- thing as to the correctness of the representation of the immense water-power of Maine that we have given.
Allagash River is one of the branches of the St. John. Its name is a corrup- tion of the Indian name, Ovulaguemook, meaning " Black camp river." It has its source in a large lake near the centre of Piscataquis county, called Baamchenun- gamook or Ponguongamook, meaning Maddy Jake, and flows north through a suc- cession of lakes and ponds, in an irregular course, and empties into the St. John above the mouth of the St. Francis. It is a sluggish stream, falling scarcely three feet in a mile. Its whole length is 85 miles.
Androscoggin River flows from the western side of lake Umbagog, in New Hampshire, where it is a sluggish stream, bearing a strong resemblance to Moose river, where it flows into Moosehead lake. Its banks are but five feet high, covered with grass and scattering swamp maple-trees. After flowing in a serpentine course to the south, it suddenly turns to the rast, and enters Maine at Gilead in Oxford county, running east-north-east to Mexico, and then nearly south, to Lewiston, in
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Lincoln county, and from thence south-east, and enters the Kennebec at Merry- Meeting bay. It is 180 miles long, and is broken through its entire course by falls and rapids, and affords an immense number of mill-sites more than any stream in Maine, if not more than any in New England. Its hydraulic power is 4000 cubic feet per second at its lowest state. There is a cotton mill at Brunswick with 4000 spin- dles, and now in operation. It is built of granite. At Lewiston, 20 miles above, there are two mills, one for cotton, and the other for wool, containing 1500 spindles.
Fish River, " or as it is called by the aborigines Upquedopscook, enters the St. John 25 miles below the Allagash. It is fed by a multitude of lakes, which give rise to three principal branches, flowing from the N. E., S. and S. W., and unite about 25 miles from its mouth. The lake which forms the source of the north-west branch, approaches within 20 miles of Grand Falls on the St. John. The source of the southern branch is separated from the head water of the Little Machias, a branch of the Aroostook, by a strip of alluvial land 2 1-2 miles wide, and the sur- face of its water is only 23 feet higher than that of the Machias."
Kennebec River is one of the largest rivers in Maine. Its Indian name is Nol- lidgenonticook, and means a river little interrupted by falls. It is navigable for ves- sels of 100 tons as high as Augusta, 40 miles from its mouth, and from Gardiner for ships, a distance of 34 miles. It has its source in Moosehead lake, from which it flows on the south-west at an elevation of 950 feet above the level of the sea, and runs nearly south through its whole course. Its principal branches are the Sebas- ticook, which enters it from the east, at Winslow; the Sandy, from the west, at Starks; and Dead river on the north-west, uniting with it at the Forks, as it is called, where is a flourishing village. This river is about 150 miles long.
Kennebunk River discharges itself into the Atlantic within two miles of the Mousum. It passes through Kennebunk, where it affords excellent mill-sites, some of which are occupied by manufacturing establishments.
Machias Rivers. There are three rivers in Maine called Machias. The first is in Washington county, and has its source in a collection of ponds in the interior and western parts of the county. It flows south-east, and empties into Machias bay. It affords very valuable hydraulic power after it enters the town of Machias.
The other rivers having the name of Machias, are in Aroostook county. One is called Great, and the other Little Machias. Both are branches of the Aroostook, flowing from the west, and unite with that river near each other.
Mattawamkeag is an Indian name, and means gravelly bottom, and is applied to a river forined of numerous branches, having their sources in the south-eastern part of Aroostook, and the north-east part of Washington counties. It flows south- west, and empties into the Penobscot 12 miles below Nicatou. Its whole length is 80 miles. 1
Margalloway River rises in the extreme north part of Oxford county, near the lines of New Hampshire and Canada, or, as is most likely the case, beyond what has been regarded as the line, within Canada, flows south, and empties into the Androscoggin river, two miles from Umbagog lake, into which it flows iu freshets, giving it the appearance of a river flowing back to its source. There is another river near this, called the Little Margalloway. It rises in New Hampshire, and empties into the Margalloway on the west, some distance from its mouth.
Moose River is a stream that empties into Moosehead lake on the western side. It rises in the north-west part of Franklin county, and flows nearly east through a great number of lakes and ponds. It is a very remarkable stream. It is sluggish and deep, and might easily be made navigable, and at little expense, the distance of 70 miles from its mouth, its entire length. The land upon its banks is very valuable.
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Mousum River has its source in Mousum pond, in the town of Shapleigh, 20 miles distant from its mouth. It flows S. E. and empties into the Atlantic at Kenne- bunk Port, where it affords good privileges for manufacturing establishments.
Narraguagus River rises in the eastern part of Hancock county, flows south- east, and empties into Narraguagusbay, at Steuben. It is a very pleasant stream, and affords some good mill-sites. It is formed by the union of two branches in Cherryfield.
Penobscot River is formed by the union of two branches, called the east and west branches, at Nicatou. It is the largest river in Maine. Its west branch rises near Canada line, north-west of Moosehead lake, and flows within 2 1-2 miles of this body of water, on the north from which it is separated only by a slight swell of land. Its bed is said to be a few feet higher than the surface of the lake, into which it might easily be turned. This branch is 120 miles long. The east branch has its source at the east of Mt. Katalidin, and flows nearly south to Nicatou. It is 60 miles in length. Below the junction of these two branches to Oldtown, there are more than 100 islands in the river. Its whole length is 220 miles. From Bangor to the sea, it is navigable for large vessels. The principal branches are the Ken- duskeag, from the west, which enters it at Bangor; Piscataquis, also from the west, and joins it in Edinburg ; Mattawamikeag, from the east, which has its source in the interior of Aroostook county, near the Sebovis lakes, and empties into it about 12 miles below Nicatou, and 60 miles above Bangor; and the Wassataquoik and Seboois, which unite and forin the cast branch. This river and most of its branches are navigable by boats, and abound in mill-sites. It is worthy of remark that the head waters of the St. John and Aroostook rivers take their rise on nearly the same level with the Penobscot. "For example, the Kahgognamock, or Black river, the principal source of the west branch of the Penobscot, takes its rise from an elevated swamp or morass, from which issues the Walloostook, the main branch of the St. John. Again : the lake which is the fountain of the Alla- gash, is but one mile and three quarters from the Umbazookskus, which discharges itself into the Chesuncook lake. The level of the head water of the Allagash is but 14 feet above that of the Umbazookskus. Again : Hay brook, a tributary of the cast branch of the Penobscot, approaches within 2:6 rods of the Millinoketis, a beautiful lake, a mile in width and two or three miles long, forming one of the sources of the Aroostook. Once more : La Pompique, a branch of the Aroostook, is but 154 rods distant from the Seboois, a tributary of the cast branch of the Penob- scot, and its level is but 7 feet 7 inches above it. Lastly : the Mattawamkeag, on the eastern section of the state, spreads its numerous feelers among those of the Aroostook, which interlock and shoot by each other, in various directions, leaving only low and narrow strips of land to divide their waters."
Piscataqua River, on the western border of Maine, is 40 miles long, and its mouth affords a spacious and safe harbor between Portsmouth, N. H., and Kittery in Maine.
Piscataqnis River has its source in the north-west part of Piscataquis county, near Mooschead lake, flows castward, and empties into the Penobscot river 37 miles below Nicatou. Its name is Indian, and means a branch entering at an angle. This is a fine river, and affords numerous mill-sites. Its whole length is about 100 miles, and is navigable in different parts through the entire distance.
Pleasant River is a beautiful stream, having its source in Beddington, in the west part of Washington county, flowing south-east, and emptying into Pleasant River bay, which joins the Narraguagus on the east.
There is another river of this name, which rises near the east side of Moosehead lake, flows south-east, and empties into the Piscataquis river, in the town of Kil- marnock. It is a valuable mill-stream.
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Presumpscot River is the outlet of Sebago lake, issuing from its eastern side. It flows south-east, and empties into the sea at Falmouth, where it affords a fine manufacturing station, formed by the falls, and is accessible by vessels of 300 tons. Its hydraulic power is about 4,000,000 cubic inches per second. Two cotton mills have been erected here, containing 600 spindles. This river has fifteen falls, the whole descent of which make an amount of 270 feet perpendicular.
Saco River enters Maine from New Hampshire, where it rises in a swamp near the Notch of the White Mountains, which is elevated about 2500 feet above the level of the sea. It flows S. E. and empties into the sea at Saco. "The Lower Amonoo- suck, a branch of the Connecticut river, takes its rise in the same swamp, and flows in an opposite direction." The Saco has numerous falls, which afford excellent mill- sites and manufacturing stations. It is 110 miles long. Its principal branches are the Kezer, and Great and Little Ossipee. Its name is derived from a tribe of Indians on its banks, which was written by the earlier voyagers, Shawakatoc and Shawoco- tuck.
Salmon Falls River rises in a pond in Acton, and forms the boundary between Maine and New Hampshire at Somersworth.
St. Croix Rivers. There are two rivers of this name. The first of these has also been called Schoodic, a name that has received different interpretations. Schoodic or Scoodeag, as some spell it, means trout river ; according to others, it means low, swampy meadow. " Gallatin says, it is from scoot, fire, and acki, land, and in the dialect of the Passamaquoddy tribe of Indians, means burnt land." This river forms the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick. It rises in Grand lake, and flows south-east, and empties into Passamaquoddy bay. Its whole length is 130 miles. From the foot of Grand lake to the sea, a distance of 82 miles, it falls 444 feet. It of course affords immense hydraulic power, little of which is improved. Its principal branch is the Schoodic, which joins it from the west. This river is little more than a succession of lakes and ponds, with a short outlet.
The other is in Aroostook county, and is also called Masardis river. It rises near the centre of the county, in a small lake, flows N. N. E., and empties into the Aroos- took river 10 miles above the mouth of the Great Machias, and 62 miles above the Grand Falls of that river.
St. John River is formed by the confluence of the Walloostook and Allagash rivers, and flows N. E., receives the waters of the St. Francis, thence E. N. E. to its unction with the Madawaska ; from that place S. S. E., and enters New Brunswick above the Grand Falls. It is a broad and deep river, running quick, and often with rapids. This river forms the northern boundary of Maine according to the treaty of 1842, after it is joined by the St. Francis. For the distance of 80 miles from its mouth, it is navigable for boats of 50 tons, to which place the tide flows. It is navi- gable for boats 200 miles above Grand Falls to Baker's lake, within 15 miles of its source. The whole length of this river is 350 miles. It empties into the bay of Fundy at St. John, and is less interrupted by falls than any other river in Maine. It is now open to the free navigation of the inhabitants of the territory from which it flows in Maine, to convey the products of their industry and skill to market, and return supplies. This acquisition must greatly enhance the value of property in that region, and facilitate its settlement.
Seboois Rivers. There are two rivers in Maine which bear the name of the Seboois. The first rises in the Seboois lakes, flows south, and unites with the Wassataquoik, and forms the east branch of the Penobscot. It flows in a serpentine course, and has several falls worthy of note. In some places it is sluggish, and in others it " rushes amid numerous blocks of slate and trap rock." Seboois means a brook or small stream.
The other Seboois stream has its source in several small lakes in the south-eastern
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part of Piscataquis county, near the borders and within Penobscot county, N. E. of Scootum lake. It flows S. E. and empties into the Piscataquis river at Howland.
Union River has its source in the northern part of Hancock county, and flows nearly south to the sea. In its course it receives the waters of innumerable small ponds and lakes. It is a beautiful river, and affords many excellent mill-sites. Its whole length is 40 miles.
Walloostook River is one of the head branches of the St. John, and rises in the western part of the state, and is formed by the confluence of four branches, called the North-west, the West, the South-west, and the South branches. It flows north-east, in a gentle and unbroken current, until it meets with the Allagash and forms the St. John.
We might add to these a great number of streams of water of less magnitude, though of very little less importance. Among these we name, in Oxford county, Crooked river, which empties into Sebago lake, and the Little Androscoggin, that pours its waters into the Androscoggin at Danville, both of which afford numerous and excellent mill privileges ; besides which, there are a multitude of small streams that afford water-power sufficient for the wants of the inhabitants ; in Somerset county, Seven-Mile brook, Sandy river, and Dead river ; in Lincoln, Sheepscot, Dyer's, and Muscongus rivers ; in Penobscot, the Sowadabscook, Dead stream, and Birch stream ; in Piscataquis, the Sebec and Ebeemerivers ; in Hancock, the Pas- sadumkeag river; and in Waldo, Marsh river. In every part of the state, there are streams of sufficient magnitude to furnish water power to meet all the wants of the inhabitants in the way of mills and the various kinds of manufactories needed in an agricultural population, at convenient distances.
Water Falls.
From the elevated character of the sources of most of the rivers in Maine, com- pared with their length, numerons water falls are the necessary consequence. The sources of the principal rivers are 2000 feet and upward, above the sea at their mouths. Some of the falls in this state are magnificent, both on account of their height and the quantity of water poured over them. Most of the principal falls are very abrupt, the water falling perpendicularly many feet. Some of them are single perpendicular falls ; a very few, a succession of rapids ; and several are a collection of perpendicular ledges, over which the water is poured in an unbroken shect. Some of them present scenery the most wild, sublime, and awful, overwhelming the beholder with their magnificent grandeur, while others are more mild and beau- tiful.
This article will be devoted to a description of the principal falls, in which their elevations will be given so far as known, with such other facts as are within our knowledge.
Austin Stream Falls are in the town of Moscow, Somerset county. They are formed by a ledge across the stream, and consist of one principal fall and several minor ones, extending over a space of about 20 rods. At the main fall, the ledge projects over, so as to cause the water to fall nearly 100 feet perpendicularly, in one unbroken sheet. The entire fall is nearly 150 feet.
Carritunk Falls are about one mile above Solon village, between Solon and Embden. There " the Kennebec dashes over hard quartz rock and mica slate ledges. Measured hermetically, the fall is 16 feet perpendicular; but is said sometimes to be upwards of 20 feet. The gorge through which the waters pass is 50 feet wide."
Dover Falls " have a perpendicular fall of 20 feet, 9 inches." They are on the Piscataquis river, between Dover and Foxcroft, in Piscataquis county, and afford
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excellent water-power, and they are occupied by a kersey factory, owned by the Piscataquis Manufacturing Company. " Opposite the factory, on the borders of the stream, there is a large cavern, 25 feet in depth, which the action of the water and ice has excavated in the slate rocks."
Fish River Falls are three miles from the mouth of Fish river. The water pours over them in a perpendicular descent of from 12 to 15 feet.
Foxcroft Falls are formed of rocks of "calciferous slate, filled with veins of calcareous spar, and the obstruction caused by their out-cropping edges produces the falls." They " have a perpendicular pitch from the dam of 14 feet." They are situated upon the Piscataquis river, between Foxcroft and Dover. "Upon these falls there is an extensive mill for purifying, grinding, and bolting wheat for flour, the mill having, besides an excellent winnowing apparatus, three sets of stones for grinding."
Fry's Falls are in Andover Surplus, Oxford county, and on Fry's Stream, a tributary of Ellis' river, four miles and a half from Andover village. "This stream rushes over a precipitous mass of granite, gneiss, and mica slate rocks, precipitating itself by a fall of 25 feet in a rocky basin below. The chasm is 15 feet wide, and the basin 55 feet broad. Here the waters form a beautiful pool, and then leap again, by a second fall of 20 feet, into another larger and shallower reservoir, from whence they descend gradually to Sawyer's brook, which runs into Ellis' river."
Godfrey's Falls are produced by a fall of the Seboois river over high ledges of slate rock. "The banks rise perpendicularly, on each side, to the height of 200 feet," in a broken and craggy ledge. They are situated a short distance above Mt. Katalıdin, in an unbroken forest.
Grand Falls of the Allagash are situated near the mouth of that river. The falls are composed of argillaceous slate rock, as is also the banks and beds of the stream near them, and is gullied full of deep pot-holes. "At the falls, the river is divided by a small island, on each side of which it pitches over the rough slate rocks 25 feet, nearly perpendicularly. The banks just below are precipitous, and of about the same height."
Grand Falls of the St. John are situated within the province of New Bruns- wick, three miles east from the line of Maine. They "are produced by the falling of this river over high ledges of slate and limestone rock, where it makes a sudden turn in its course. This cataract is a most magnificent water-fall, and tumbles, by a series of three successive leaps, over the rocks, to the distance of 125 feet, with a tremendous crash and roar, while it rushes through its high, rocky barriers, and whirls its foaming waters along their course. When the sun's rays fall upon the miist and spray, perpetually arising from the cataract, a gorgeous iris is seen floating in the air, waving its rich colors over the white foam, and forming a beautiful con- trast with the sombre rocks, covered with dark cedars and pines, which overhang the abyss."
Grand Falls of the Aroostook are also within the province of New Brunswick, a short distance from the line which separates it from Mainc. They are formed by the water rushing, in a very rapid manner, " over ledges of slate and limestone rocks, for three fourths of a mile. Then the river precipitates itself over a steep and broken ledge of 12 or 15 feet into a wide basin below. The rocks here are blue limestone and slate, in wavy strata, cut by numerous dykes of greenstone trap ; and there are deep 'pot-holes' worn in the limestone by the grinding motion of rounded stones, moved by the impetuous current. Some of these holes are 5 feet in diame- ter, and 4 feet deep. This water-fall is overhung by a heavy growth of cedar-trees, and forms a very picturesque appearance when viewed from below."
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Grand Falls of the Penobscot are on the west branch of that river about one mile above Shad pond. " The river here is but a few rods in width, running between high ledges of slate, over which it falls about 20 feet. The banks below the falls are about the same height, and are worn away by the action of the water, which, in the spring, rushes through this passage with great velocity."
Grindstone Falls are on the east branch of the Penobscot river, which here " pitches over ledges of argillaceous slate, and among huge blocks of granite. The rocks are roofing slate of a bluish green color, and alternating with beds of grau- wacke and limestone. About half way up the falls, the dip of the strata becomes suddenly reversed. Grindstone Falls receive their name from the circumstance that the current of water causes the rounded rocks to wear decp ' pot-holes' in the slate, which they effect by continual whirling and attrition of their surfaces, aided by the gravel that is continually washed into the cavities."
Lewiston Falls are on the Androscoggin river, at Lewiston, about 20 miles above Brunswick. At the top of the main fall, the river is divided by an island, which is sometimes overflowed, when the falls become united the whole width of the river, and present a sublime spectacle, broken as it is into one sheet of foam. "The river descends 100 feet in successive falls."
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