Kennebec River, Maine
The first source of this important river is Moose Head lake, of which it is the outlet. From thence it passes in a S.W. course nearly 20 miles, where it receives the waters of Dead river; it then proceeds S. to Starks, about 40 miles, where it receives the waters of the Sandy: here it changes its course easterly, about 12 miles, passing Norridgewock and Skowhegan: it then again changes its course to the S. till it receives the waters of the Sebasticook, about 15 miles: it continues to descend in nearly a S. course to Hallowell, about 20 miles; here it inclines to the E. a few miles, and then resuming a S. course, and passing through Merrymeeting bay, where it receives the Androscoggin river, it passes Bath and meets the ocean. The whole length of this river, from Moose Head Lake to the sea, is about 150 miles. The tributaries already named are the most considerable; but there are many others that would be considered important rivers in other sections of the country. The whole fall of this river is more than 1,000 feet, and its hydraulic power, with that of its tributaries, is incalculable.
We are enabled to state that the average, or mean time, of the closing of this river by ice, at Hallowell, for 45 successive years, was December 12th, and of its opening, April 3d. the most remarkable years were 1792, when the river closed November 4th, and opened April 1st, the following year; and 1831, when it closed January 10th, and opened April 13th, 1832. Since the year 1786 the Kennebec has not been obstructed my ice in any spring after the 20th of April.
