The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-12-17
CITY HOTEL.
City Affairs.

u II Dell, Norway
City Affairs. a
An adjourned meeting of the City Council
was held last evening. 7Ao,
NBoARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN. vi
Petition Of Michael Walsh for remuneration
for land taken in extending Federal street,
Enormously awarded to Mrs. Todd) was re-
terred to the Committee ON Streets, &c. q.
Orders were passed for repairing, thorough
ly, steam fire engines Cumberland and Fall
mouth at an expense not exceeding $500 for
each engine
Aid. Lynch, from the Committee on Gene
teries and Public Grounds, made report that
the appropriation made was $4,000. The
amount paid out was $3017.04 leaving bal
ance OF $18296 There were outstanding bills
to the amount of $780, He offered an order,
which was passed, authorizing the City Treas
urer to hire $500, the same to be expended by
the Committee in paying outstanding bills and
completing repairs. cls9a u G17tei|
Leave to withdraw was voted upon petition
of Horace Tilden for permission to remove
blacksmith shop from Commercial street to
Cross street. t;-.~r O..
/ THE WATER QUESTION.
rAld. Rice called up the minority report up
on supplying the city with pure water and
moved that the same be adopted. eI ~.
Aid. Deering opposed the motion. So far as
be could learn, the main objection to the ma
jority report was that the Presumpscot water
was too impure for use, and great hue and
cry had been made against it. He contended
that the water was pure enough for all the
purposes of our citizens and it would be found
so on proper analysis of it, He contended
that the lime, which it is said, is daily emptied
into that river, improved the water rather than
rendering it deleterious. The tributaries of
the Sebago came through villages, Esome of
which contained large, manufactures. The
analysis of DR.. Goodale Showed that there was
but little difference in the purity of the waters
OF Sebago and Presumpscot. He wanted a
fair analysis of both waters to be made by the
most approved chemists and then he thought
the citizens would be satisfied of the purity of
Presumpscot water. 81 e1uq 20
He was also opposed to giving so much pow
er to the Water Company, as we did not know
who that Company W composed of. 1t had
been stated that the capital to complete the
works OF the Portland Water Company was to
be furnished by one man residing out of the
State. He alluded to the statistics Of the offer
OF the Water Company. as to reservoirs, n.y.
drants, &c, and their offer to supply our citi-
Gems, and commended that after the city had
given Them permission to lay their pipes in the
streets the Company would be entirely indie
pendent of any control by the city authorities
and the claims of the poor would be disre-
garded. He claimed that the method pro-
posed by the majority OF the Committee was
the cheapest and best that had yet been pro-
posed. - s.
Aid Bailey replied to the objections and urged,
that tie proposition of the Water Company
was the best and the cheapest for the city and
the inhabitants. The city had the power to
rescind the order granting permission to the
Company to lay down their pipes if he Com
pany refused to comply with the reasonable
requests of the City Council as to water rates.
AS to the means of the Company to complete
and carry out their project he had no the
slightest doubt. He acknowledged it would
hn hast ffNrf n1f ~.
under its control; but as, in present circum-
stances, this is hardly possible, the next best
thing was to accept the proposition of the Wa
ter Company. He alluded to the estimated
cost OF introducing water under Mr.. Smiih's
plan, and contended that it would cost far
more than the sum mentioned. There was
lOoseness OF statement in the estimated cost of
building the canal and bringing the Presump-
scot water across the cove, and the city would
find it out If they attempted to supply the city
with water from that source. He thought it
the duty of the city, if the Portland Water
Power Company would fulfil the conditions
imposed on them by the city, that permission
should be given them to lay down their pipes
i'll our streets. ~. 49,.
Alderman Deering commended that the city
had no control over the Water Company after
giving them permission to lay down their
pipes. The Company derived tteir power
from the State. ALI the power graz ted to the
city was to regulate the laying down of their
pipes. having once granted this permission
it could not be revoked. -
Alderman Rice favored the minority report.
especially upon the ground of the purity of
the Sebago water, which would never deteri-
ornate. II the city propose to take the water
from point nearer, then adopt the plan of
taking it from Long creek, where the water is
clean, and the cost would be less than that by
Mr. Smiths plan, the estimate being only
100000 As to the responsibility of the Water
Company he was satisfied when such men
as Gen. Shepley, of Portland, and Hon. Chas.
j. Gilman, of Brunswick, were concerned in it.
After few remarks from Aldermen Gid
din@s and Rice, the question was taken, and
the report of the minority, in favor of taking
the water from Lake Sebago was adopted by q
vote of to /, viz:
Yeas-Lewis, Rice, Gibson, Bailey, Lynch
and Giddings.
Nay-Deering.
The order appended to the minority report
was then taken up, on motion of Alderman
Hice, and was amended and passed. 1t is as
follows:
Ordered, That the Water Committee be d.
rected to confer with the Portland Water
Company. arrange the terms and conditions
by which thev may be permitted to lay their
water pipes in the streets of this CITY, and re.
port at the next regular meeting such restric-
tlons as may be necessary for the safety OF the
city's interest III the premises for the consider
alton of the City Council. The committee are
authorized to employ such legal and scientific
advisers as they may find desirable.
A communication was received from j. H.
Drummond, Esq, City Solicitor, in relation to
paying Messrs W. g. A. Curtis Tor work done
in grading Congress street. The City Solicit
tor suggested three plans by which it could be
done: -.l
1st-By obtaining from Judge Tapley mod
ification of his injunction. -4',-.
2l-By an appeal to the Law Court, which.
the Solicitor thinks, would overrule the decis-
ion nf .TI1dUe TanIav
3d-By action of the City Council establish
ing the grade of the street.
After the report was drawn up. and before it
was presented to the City Council, action of
the Council had taken place IN regard to es-
tablishing the grade of the street. The Soic-
itor therefore appended an order confirm ng
the contract made by the chairman of the
Committee on Streets with Messrs. w & A.
Curtis SO far as the work had already been
done by them, and approprating sum not
exceeding $4,000 to pay thea Messrs. Curtis for
the work already by them,
The communication was ordered on file and
the accompanying order was passed.
The Board then adjourned.
aa IN COMMON COUNCIL.
The report OF the minority on the water
question was received, and Mr.. Burgess spoke
IN favor Of it and DR.. Robinson against it. A
motion to lay it on the table was negatived-
yeas s, nays 9. The report was then adopted
yeas 10, nays g.
Subsequently the order for the committee to
Confer with the Portland Water Power Com-
pany was amended and adopted.
DoPREz & BENEDIcTs MINsTRELs perform
TINS evening at City Hall. This is one of the
best troupes in the country, and those who
are ever troubled with the blues had better
tax bee-line for thar entertainment to-
night and they will have something to laugh
at Tor week after.
THE STABBING AFFAIR.-Capt. Henley. of
Cape Elizabeth, who was stabbed in the bow
els last Saturday night at the head of Preble