Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-12-06
For the Spy.
The Water QueafEau

which is TO come before our citizens next Mon
day, for their decision. In the first place "veto''
admits the necessity of plentiful supply of pure
water, and informs US that 'probably very few of
our citizens have given the subject the careful
consideration its importance deserves" With
this preface, he endeavors to take advantage of
the fact, by inficting on his readers such faaces
as the following:
The present plan he says. ''will involve us in a
debt of at least halt million dollars and proba-
bly, much larger sum.''-Yet he suggests no
cheaper plan, although he asserts that ian abun-
dant, never failing supply from an undoubted
source, can be had at less than half what it will
cost to bring it from Henshaw Pond" If "Veto"
is sincere in this statement, why does he not in
form us what this admirable source is, for the
committees of three successive city governments
with all the aid that could be derived from sci
ence and from knowledge of the topography of
this neighborhood, have utterly failed in their
search tor Just such source Veto refers to.
Again he says there is in the minds of many,
70eH grounded doubt as to the adequacy of the
supply TO be obtained from the source in ques-
ton, viz Henshaw Pond and Kettle Brook
The doubts aoett grounded Why cannot I've
to" inform us upon a0bat grounds this doubt rests
that we too may judge whether it is acell ground
ed He says again 1--WE have expended large
sum in obtaining the limited supply we now have,
and before voting to tap another pond, we ought
to examine we'll into The proposed project -
Ihls sentence contains no direct statement of
facts, and no argument bearing on the present
question; but it certainly is intended to imply
something like the annexed fallacy. Bell Pond
furnishes an insufficient supply of water Hen
shaw Pond is pond-therefore Henshaw Pond
will furnish an insufficient supply. One other
consideration however, should come in here to
render the comparison just one, viz. that Hen
shaw Pond lies in the bottom Of valley, while
Bell Pond is situated near the top of our highest
L. Ilan. II
is not pond, but brook and reasoning which
applies ponds is not always good in the case of
running aoateT
Let us now examine the whole question, sober.
ly and fairly As regards the quality of the wa
ter, there appears to have been no difference of
opinion; at any rate, the chemical analysis of
the water by Mr.. John Green, which has just
been published, sets that whole matter at rest
From Mr.. GREEN'S report it appears that either
Hebshaw Pond or Kettle Brook affords purer and
better water than is enjoyed by any large city in
this country or in Europe.
Now let US look into the quantity of water
which the above mentioned sources areicompetent
to supply First. Mr.. Inches, the engineer, in
his last report, states that daily supply of one
million eight hundred thousand (l800000) gall
Ions can certainly be made available, and this
calculation he informs US, is based upon an es-
innate of the water flowing out from Henshaw
Pond in the summer of 1854, after very severe
drought of about two months What more Sc,
we're test OF the suEclency OF the supply from this
source can be devised Another calculation was
based upon the extent of the watershed of Hem
shaw Pond, and enters into the above estimate of
$4,000 gallons daily. This estimate, Mr.. Inches
himself, informs us is too small, but he preferred
to err on the safe side. The water shed OF Ket-
tie Brook, is also given in that report, at the low
est possible figure, and so careful has Mr. Inches
shown himself! to keep within bounds in his es
Inmates that he has greatly moderated the availa.
BILE supply from this source. So far from the
supply falling short of Mr. Inches estimate, it
will be found to be at least double the ammount
given in his report, that is S,600,0O0 gallons daily
instead of 100000 gallons as there stated.
The whole matter of the quantity oil water avail
able from Henshaw Pond and Kettle Brook, is
thoroughly discussed in an article that appeared
IN Thursdays Spy, signed Worcester The writer
of this paragraph is assured by native, and one
of the oldest residents of Leicester that thes state
ments contained in that article to the extent of
country drained by Henshaw Pond and Kettle
Brook, are lar inside of what would be shown by
a careful survey of the locality Of the truth of
this statement any one can assure himself by con-
snlting the report of the Typographical Survey of
tie State of Massachusetts made some years since
by order of the Legislature.
Let us now look at the cost of obtaining water
from Henshaw Pond and Kettle Brook In look
ing over Mr.. Inches estimate, l find it is divided
as follows:-
All work at Henshaw Pond and Kettle
Brook, reservoir ana pipe complete as far
as the corner of Main and Lagrange
&c GOV ~
Ona.:nao.. ..............-..... 23O,OOV w
0"'ieen'i0S tea per csnt.)... 81 $4,000
Total ...@.,........s 34OOoO COG
now, with regard to land damages, Mr.. Inches
states that Fce acres is She land that is reouir.
ed, besides that Immediately ~dioinine Henshaw
Pond, on the Henshaw farm. Gail these FIVE
acres one thousand dollars each, (Sl000, Oo9 and
the property on the Henshaw farm twenty 4
thousand, (g25,000,0 0), which is five thousand
dollars more than it has been offered for to the
city, and we have as a total for
Land damages. ................ .... $50 ,ooOco
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3iOu00 90
ana we haVe.. s...$ 40 900 90
AS the total cost, and of which the sum Of two
hundred and thirty Thousand (S230 600 00,) is for
distribution. This item is one which is capable of
the most accurate calculation, and can be let out
to responsible parties in Worcester or elsewhere
Tor sum probably less than Mr.. Inches estimate.
Now for the great question of the debt to be in
CURED by the city. We have for the whole esti-
mate for the works. as far as Lagrange street,
where the distribution would commence
$7s,bOO. 90
tne accouns. .....'...'................. T272,19
Arnd damages. ........................ 100000
Tolal Sis, 10
Now let pipe one footin diameter be laid from
Lagrange street, through Main and Union streets,
TO Lincoln Square, distance of six thousand
10000 feet, which, at two dollars and half
$3.50 per foot, will
Cost. $J5 OOO 90
Add this TO the above estimate Of ....... 115i72,T9
AMI we hayefor the entire expenditure. $1SO 772,76
Necessary TO be incurred for the present, The
interest of this at six per cent is seven thou
sand eight hundred and forty six dollars, thir-
ty-seven cents-not very alarming addition to
our annual taxes, when we take into account the
amount that will be paid back to the city by wa
ter takers, and the rise in the value Of taxable
property arising out of the increased safety from
hre. This large pipe through Union street
should be connected with the present distribu-
ting pipes of the old works, at Lincoln Square.
and at the several other places South Of that
point where they happen to be in the immediate
neighborhood
Thus we shall have an abundant supply for all
cases of fire, and distribution over the same ex
tent OF surface as at present in the old Bell Pond
aqueduct. Whenever the demand for water shall
be sufficient in any section of the city to warrant
the outlay, the pipes be extended upon the
principle adopted i'll cities where water is furnish
ed by private corporations and everywhere by gas
companies, viz to extend their pipes only SO far
as they are sure of obtaining proper return for
the outlay in the consumption.
NOW Tor the application. An affirmative vote
next Monday does not authorize the immediate
outlay Of quarter Of million dollars, as has been
pretended, for distribution through our streets
1t merely settles the question where the supply
shall be obtained, and surely no plan can offer adj
vahtages az an comparabls, in the long run, with
that now before our citizens. JUSTICE.
VALUABLE FARM STocK.-At the recent sale
of the farm stock belonging to VIM Cushman. of
New Braintree, twerty-one cows sold for gl22o