The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-12-16
Water Supply.
MINORITY REPORT.
PORTLAND, Dec. 13. ]

I PORTLAND, Dec. 13. 1867.
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council:
The undersigned, minority of the special
committee to which was referred the subject
OF supplying the city with water, although
agreeing with the m jority on several points,
are unable to come to the same conclusions.
and beg leave to submit the following report.
Several plans for supplying the city with
water have been presented to your committee
for their consideration, each one of which has
received their careful attention. BY the first,
it is proposed that the city shall take the wa
ter from lake Sebago, situated about IS miles
from the CITY, at an elevation above tide wa
ter oil about 25O feet, through a twenty inch
main to reservoir either on BramhaIl's
or Munjoy Hill, OF from 5o,O00,O00 to 6O,OOO,-
600 gallons capacity, and thence distributed
through the city. The particulars OF this plan
are more tullv set forth in Mr. McIeee Swift's
report accompanying that OF former com
mittee and the cost is estimated at about
$l.2O0,000
The second plan contemplates supplying
water from the Presrmpscot river, at point
four miles from the city, through channel to
be cut about 100 feet vide to point one
mile from Tukeys bridge, where two reser-
voirs are to be constructed, having a surface
area OF about 7UO,001 square feet and II feet
deep, capable OF holding SO 100000 gallons
From this point the water is 10 be forced by
means OF pumps operated by tide water at
Mart ms Point, through thirty inch pipe to
a reservoir on Munjoy Hill of the capacity OF
three million gallons. The estimated cost of
the ebt re WORK is put at S65U.OOO.
by The third plan, water is to be conducted
rom SeDago lake through iorty inch finn
along the banks OF the Cumberland and Ox
ford Canal, to within three miles of the citv.
where it would have an elevation of 10 feet
above tide water; thence through 80 inch
pipe to a reservoir at the base or Bramhars
Hill. from which portion is to be raised by
me ans ofpumps operated by the water as Il
falls into the first reservoir to a smaller one
ON the summit of the hill. The estimated
cost is S115 90. The second and third plans
are explained more at length in two letters to
the committee on water, from +. o. j. Smith.
Es +, which have been printed
The fourth plan comprises a proposition
from the Portland Water Company, to bring
water from Sebago lake, through a twenty
inch main, to reservoir OF II, 100000 gallons
capacity, and thence distribute it through the
city. The company ask the right of way to
lay their distributing pipes and mains
through the streets, granting the city the tree
use OF all water needed for municipal purposes
and agreeing to supply the citizens at as low
rates as the average in other ci,ies
By the terms OF their charter the
city has the privilege of purchasing The works
OF this company at any time after five
years, at valuation to be made by commits
sioners appointed by the Supreme Court. if a
satisfactory appraisal cannot be otherwise OBJ
tained. sf
Were the city in a financial condition to
carry on to completion such magnificent en-
terprlse as supplying itself with pure water.
your committee believe that the first plan
should be speedily adopted, and the city own
and control the whole works. But with the
large amount OF bonds now Oh the market.
and the difficulty oil negotiating the same at
present, together with the certainty OF largely
increased expenditures tor several wears TO
come, in our nun cipal affairs, and a like GER
tainty that direct tax would have to be lev
led for several ears to make up the deficiency
in the water rates, your committee beIieye
that 1T would be detrimental to the best inter-
ests OF the city thus to increase the burden
Of taxation.
Tie second plan presents the same, as well
as ma ~ other objections. From an analv.is
OF the waters OF the lake and river, the for
mer is found to be the purest of any natural
water ever known to be analyzed: contain
tanning less amount of solid matter by
more than 100 per cent. than the latter, as
shown IN one instance by DR.. Goodales re-
port, now before you.
While your committee would attach all
due importance to the analysis above refer
red to, they can but express it as their
op mon that that portion of it which relates
to tue liver water IS, to great extent SO far
as our purposes are concerned, unreliable
and unsatisfactory. The constant changes
by contamination, to which the water OF the
river is, and Will be, subject-the thousand
and one contingenc. that are constantly
arising, which may tend to disturb its purity.
and give it altogether different character at
different seasons of the year and at different
PERIODS OF the same season, to which the
waters OF the lake are not exposed, lead ms
to believe that test OF one or even t,ro
samples taken from the river at one nartic,,,
lar time OF the year, will not give so good
and satisfactory assurance Of its 0es erdt
purity Ind fitness tor use in their dwellings
as our citizens require. But admit, for the
tiiae, that the water taken from the river Is
suihcientiy pure and free from all deleterious
substances to the extent that no objection can
be found to its adoption tor our purpt ses-
Is 1t advisable or safe Tor the city 10 uepend
for its supply of so important an artlc.e as
we all admit 1ure water to be, upon the rln-
certaln action OF complicated machinery,
whom bv an additional expendt Ire OF
fow tbousand dollars, or as by one plap,
witbout any expense to the clty, the force OF
orayitatlon, unhampered by the intervention
of any delicate mechanism, may be placed
under our unlimited control? We think not.
and we are satisfied that an appeal to those
in other cities who have had large ex eriepce
in supplying water by pumping, would result
in confirmation of our opinion on this point.
The compa, ativtly small expense OF this plan
OF supply ng water, and the advantages to be
gained by the city incidentally, in the devel-
opnfent oil large water power at the outlet
OF the river, are urged by some, as strong rea-
sons why the city should arcept it. What
will be the difference OF expen:e between.tha