SECRETARY'S REPORT. 147 



river at the Forks plantation. From Caratunk the Kennebec 

 divides the towns as it flows for thirty miles in a course directly 

 south, until it enters Norridgewock in the western part of the 

 town, and passes through it in an easterly direction, after which it 

 separates Skowhegan from Bloorilfield, and Fairfield from Benton 

 in Kennebec county, at which place it reaches its most eastern 

 point. There are several islands of considerable extent in the 

 river, and rapids which affords employment to machinery in work- 

 ing up the lumber cut upon its head-lands, and run down its waters. 

 The valley of the Kennebec comprises some of the first cleared 

 lands in the county, and the farms are all of superior excellence. 

 Taken together, there is but little interval upon the river, the 

 banks in most places being high, but the soil is of fine texture and 

 well adapted to all farming purposes. 



Proceeding north on the .east side of the Kennebec we first come 

 to Sandy river, which enters the county between Starks and Mercer, 

 forming a line between them for three miles, when it bears to the 

 north and courses through the eastern part of Starks, forming a 

 union with the Kennebec at Old Point, in Norridgewock. The 

 Sandy river rises among the mountains in the northern part of 

 Franklin county, and therefore but a small portion of the river runs 

 through the county of Somerset. The interval lands which it 

 forms in Starks are rich and productive, forming some of the most 

 valuable grass farms in the county. It is subject to sudden rises 

 by the spring and fall rains, hence much damage is often produced 

 by washing away the banks and sweeping off the fences. To rem- 

 edy the former evil, slips of the willow are set out along the banks, 

 which in a few years obtain so good a hold as to prevent the 

 washing of the banks. It is a plan which might be advantageously 

 employed in other like situations. 



Sandy stream takes its rise in Pleasant Piidge, running through 

 No. 2, 2d range, and Lexington, in a southerly course, and uniting 

 with Gilman stream near the line between Lexington and New 

 Portland, it proceeds southeast four miles and empties into the 

 Seven Mile brook — sometimes called Carabassett river— at East 

 New Portland village. This is a considerable stream of water 

 having its rise in Franklin, and entering Somerset county in the 

 northeastern corner of New Portland, running southeast four miles, 

 after which it runs through the town in an irregular course, east 

 until it intersects with Gilman stream, and then it flows southeast, 

 dividing a part of Embden from New Portland and Anson, and 



