Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1884 — A Dying River. [ARTICLE]

A Dying River.

A narrow stream of water that meanders through Blacksone valley, and is termed a river by the natives, has a fall in a distance of eighteen miles of 145 feet. At one time it afforded splendid power to the numerous mills built along the banks, but now, notwithstanding the river has the same precipitous descent, its availability as a means of supplying power to the great mannfacturies is a thing of the past and is a matter entirely unthought of. All, or nearly all, of the mills in Woonsocket are provided with auxiliary steam power, the* owners having learned, particularly by the extensive experience of 'the "posts "three years,-that even rivers can run very nearly dry in the course of time. At frequent intervals the bed of the Blackstone river is plainly visible in some places, in fact it is oftentimes exposed to view. It has been gradually growing lowei for the ten years last past, and the meadows that in the old times were at this season of the year entirely coverod with water are as dry as pasture land to-day and quite suitable for house lots. No water-power machinery whatever has been put in the the new Nourse mill, although the factory bpilt contiguous to the stream. Old settlers contemplate the rocks lying in the river bed, over which scarcely a drop of water has flowed for “many a moon,” atnd recall the days when the noble Blackstone thundered along the valley with a force sufficient to supply power to all the mills in Bhode Island. Manufacturers are gradnally dropping water power elsewhere along the valley * although a number of years may elapse before it will l»e discarded altogether.— Providence (R. I.) Journal.