320 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



lievecl tliat not a single salmon has been taken in the river above the 

 flow of the tide, bnt occasionally, within twenty -five years, one has 

 been canght in a weir nearer the mouth of the river. Three dams at 

 Waldoboro' Village, one at the head of the tide and the other two 

 within a third of a mile of the first, effectually prevent the ascent of all 

 migratory fish.* 



16. — SHEEPSCOT RIVER. 



This river appears to be well fitted for the production of salmon, and 

 in old times they frequented it in great numbers along with alewives 

 and shad; but, as in other cases, the construction of impassable dams 

 has cut them oft" from their main breeding-ground, and nearly extermi- 

 nated them. This happened at an early day. For many years, however, 

 salmon have come in small numbers each year to the dam at Alna. 

 Twelve or fifteen are said to have been caught there in 1872 and 1873 — 

 a larger number than usual. Probably they find a very small breeding- 

 ground below the dam. 



17. — KENNEBEC RIVER. 



In its original condition, this river was the second in the State of 

 Maine in the number of salmon yielded by its fisheries, and in the facili. 

 ties it aftbrded for their reproduction. Xo serious natural impediment 

 exists to their ascent up the main river as far as Carratunk Falls, in the 

 town of Solon. At this point there is a precipitous fall, IG^ feet high, 

 which was a serious hinderance to them, but was not impassable. The 

 whole river falls into a chasm in tlie ledge less than GO feet wide and of 

 great depth. Leaping obliquely from this chasm, the salmon would 

 rise into the air to a height of 10 or 12 feet, and strike the body of falling 

 water at a point where its velocity was so small that they could seem 

 it successfully. This was often witnessed, but it is supposed that only 

 salmon of exceptional strength could accomplisli the feat. Once above 

 Carratunk Falls, a vast extent of breeding-ground lay open to them in 

 the main Keunebec and its tributaries. Of the lower tributaries, their 

 principal resorts were in the Carrabassett and Sandy Elvers. The Mes- 

 salonskee was closed by a precipitous fall of 40 feet a few miles above 

 its mouth. The Sebasticook, though an excellent shad and alewife 

 river, was not well fitted for salmon. Tradition says that they ascended 

 the Cobbosseecontee, 



In the days of their abundance, the main fisheries for salmon were 

 within 20 miles of the mouth of the river, at Waterville GO miles above, 

 and at Carratunk Falls. At the latter place, dip-nets were used on the 

 falls and drift-nets just below. It was easy for two men to load a boat 

 with salmon here in a day. At Waterville, just below Ticonic Falls, a 

 large number of drift-nets were plied every season. As many as 82 



* Letter of F. M. Everleth. 



