p. 3

that it did not meet the expectations of the Company and the public, at certain stages of water.

The height of water at this immediate crisis was such that the Company could not by possibly remedy the difficulty. They therefore made preparations for altering the slide, as soon as the low stage of water in the following summer would present the work to be done, by providing materials, employing hands and appointing a Superintendent especially to have charge of the alleviations and improvements.

This necessary delay was attributed by many, hostile to the interests of the Company, to bad faith and a want of energy on their part; and several efforts were made to destroy the Dam and much wanton injury was done to it by parties who claimed to have suffered inconvenience and damage from its existence.

As soon as the summer stage of water would present, the Company commenced operations with an abundant supply of materials and a good force of men and were making satisfactory progress in thoroughfares. While this engaged a large body of Lumbermen, under the lead and direction of Thomas Weston and one or two others, came down the River for the purpose which they openly avowed of tearing out and destroying both the Dam and the slide; and at the very time that the servants of the Company were engaged in making the proposed changes and improvements in the slide, and laboring in good faith to protect the interests of the public. The employees of the Lumbermen commenced their proposed work of destruction