Prospect Stream, Gouldsborough
Petition of inhabitants of Gouldsborough, 1824
"To the Honorable Senate and the Honorable House of Representatives
of the State of Maine in Legislature assembled.
The Petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of Gouldsborough in the County
of Hancock, humbly represents.
That the Stream emptying into Prospect Harbour in said town, called Prospect
Stream, was formerly visited, in the proper season, by great quantities
of Alewives, which used to go up said stream to a pond at the head thereof,
and there cast their spawn -- that for a number of years past their passage
up said stream has been obstructed by a mill-dam erected near the mouth
thereof, so that few if any Alewives now pass up said stream -- that in
consequence of the obstruction aforesaid they have now mostly forsaken said
Harbour and Stream; greatly to the injury of the Cod-fishery on the neighboring
coasts; as it is well known that the Cod follow the alewives, in great numbers,
even into the Bays and Harbours where they frequent -- that a convenient
and sufficient passage for said fish may be made through or around said
dam at a small expence, and without material injury to the Mills situated
thereon.
They therefore humbly pray your Honours to pass an Act for opening said
Stream, and establish such regulations on the subject as wisdoms shall judge
proper and expedient. As in duty bound will every pray.
Gouldsborough, Dec. 20th, 1824."
Robert G. Shaw and 35 others
Source: Maine State Archives
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