"To the Honourable Council and House of Representatives of the Colony
of the Massachusetts Bay in New England in General Court Assembled:
The Petition of the Towns of Cape Elizabeth, Windham, Gorham and Pearsontown
in the County of Cumberland
Humbly Shew
That the said Towns lay bordering on Presumscutt River, so called, and for
many years after the Settlement of this Eastern Country were plentifully
supply'd with Salmon, Alewives, Shad & other Sorts of Fish that frequented
the said River in great abundance it being peculiarly commodious for the
Spawn & Increase of Fish by reason of a large pond called Sebago or
Sebacook which extends upwards of thirty miles from the mouth of said River
as far as Pondicherry as also the many branches of said River that used
to bring a plenty of the aforesaid Fish near to many of our doors, your
Petitioners further shew that by reason of several Mill Dams being built
quite across the said River, without leaving a sluice way for Fish to pass
up, as by Law is directed, and since the said Mill Dams have been erected
on the said River the passage of all kinds of Fish as aforesaid has been
totally obstructed & stopt in their course up said River to the great
prejudice of many back Towns which depended (in their Inland state) on the
said River for a part of their support, as Also to the prejudice of all
the Inhabitants for the Sea Coast near the mouth of said River by causing
a scarcity of Codfish, Haddock, and many kinds of Fish that frequent the
mouths of such extensive Rivers after a Quantity of small Bait that abound
in such places. And our fishing on the Banks as well as on our Coast off
Shore being in a great measure impracticable by reason of the Enemy's cruisers
that infest our Coast, reduces us to the necessity of Adopting some method
whereby the Fish may come to us. And the Laws of this Colony have been found
ineffectual hitherto for the removal of your Petitioners cause of Complaint,
Wherefore your Petitioners pray Your Honours to take the matter of our Complaint
into your consideration and Grant to your petitioners such relief as in
Your great Wisdom & Clemency You may Judge meet & Your Petitioners
as in Duty bound shall every pray.
Gorham. August 22nd 1776
George Strout
Harry Dyer
Committee of Cape Elizabeth
William Elder
Zerubebell Hunewell
Thomas Trott
Windham Committee
William Gorham
Prince Davis
Caleb Chase
Committee of Gorham
Daniel Cram
John Deane
Ephraim Rowe
Committee of Pearsontown