434 CORRESPONDENCE. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF KEN- 

 NEBEC RIVER, MAINE. 



BYR. H. GARDINER. 



My rule for noting the river as closed is when the ice has remained 

 stationary for one ebb tide; as, in that case, I have never known it to 

 move again till there has been rain to raise the river. I have noted 

 the river as open when the ice has come down from above and gone 

 out of sight, several miles below. Previous to the erection of the dam 

 at Augusta the river closed from one to two days later at .this place 

 and below than above it^ and opened proportionably earlier in the 

 spring. Now there is much less difference; the dam, by converting a 

 succession of rapids into a large pond, causes the ice to become much 

 thicker than formerly and the water beneath to be nearer the tem- 

 perature of the earth. It has also prevented, to a great degree, 

 the breaking up of the ice in the winter. The subjoined account from 

 1785 to 1803 was taken from minutes made by General Dearborn and 

 continued by Major William Swan. 



Opening. Closing, 



1785 April 24 



1786 March 21 Nov. 18 



1787 April 7 



1789 " 4 Jan. 5, 1790 



1791 " 3 Dec. 10 



1792 " 3 Nov. 23, Dec. 10, [opened after first 



closing.] 



1793 " 1 



1794 " 6 Jan.4,1795,[river opened to within 



two miles of Nehumgeag.] 



1796 — — Nov. 28 



1797 April 4 " 22 



1798 " 12 '' 23 



1799 " 13 '' 24 



ISeO " 10 " 28, and Jan. 2, 1801, [opened 



Dec. 13; ploughingat Christmas.] 



1801 March 28 Dec. 10 



18C2 April 9 " 16 



1803 March 22 Nov. 16 and Dec. 22, [vessels come 



up to Gardiner Dec. 2 ; whole 

 river opened Dec. 13; closed Dec. 

 22.] 



1-8G4 April 12 Nov. 19 



1805 " 2 Jan. —, 1806. 



1806 MarchlS 



1-807 April 7 Dec. 18 



1808 March29 " 6, [vessels come up to Gard- 

 iner March 27.] 



