Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-03-08
Which Plan, River or Lake
VT. EPIscoPAL DESTITUTE,
BURLryGTOS, Feb. -, 1867.
Ny FsIlor Citi:ens

Efl>NtfAA A1NAAAAAhs
BURLISGToS, Feb. -, 1867.
Ny Fslio1 Citizens
Never before have felt called On to speak 0
spublic question, for | have felt that regarlin
city matters, others were better iuformol thai
myself Still as the city limits have been SO ex
tended as to enable me 10 pay roundy on tn
tax list, for not being "left out in the cold,
though apparently "an outsider, II have a righ
to ask Jour attention to some thoug hts Of value
regarding our plans for water works As shall
speak what do know" AMI testify from my
own observation on a subject you may suppos'
rather foreign to my position, it is material tC
my points to state that have passed three
years of my majority as a resident in the city
| Of New York. three as resident Of St. Louis No.
and three as resident in Lancaster Pa, before
returning to reside in this city in 1861, and
/ .. while in those cities | investigated their
W. works and examined their machinery Of
water power or steam as happened to be the case
I Also from 1871 to 1852 and from 1861 to 1867.
I - lNaiss 1 Aaht hten u AaiAilidA WIN AfuAAiAb
ton Bay and the whole Of Lake C Chsmplsin com
prised between Colchester Point and Shelburn
Harbor as any man living. In swimming, in
boating. in sailing. in rowing, in yachting. in
skating, in winter and summer, spring and fall =,
| have known the currents in that much Of this
side of the Lake, including the mouth Of WIZ
att ~ e a.. g
Bay which IS the propOssl location Of the new
works.
Now ! am told that We OF the North Ward
have to elect two Aldermen on Tuesday next
with reference to this question. Oar city credit
is to be at stake aud we are all to be plugged i'll
to debt whether we will or not. Should not
every voter understand the points at issue.
whether we are wise to pay 5000 a year to get
water from the Lake. when We can get as much
and better from the River for sjOOi
propose to discuss the veIed question Of the
purity Of the water. lst .s to whether the
river water taken above the falls. is As pnre as
the Lake water in Burlington Bay, assert,
that it is and Purer and 2d as to whether the
river water is purer than that supplied to the
large cities have mentioned. assert it il ds.
cideiiy and il so, pure enough for gI.
As to my first point, I hear 1t objected lin con-
versationl sganst the river water that 1t is less
pure Khan that Of the lake lst because Of
dead animAls floating 10 it, lrownel 5y inunil-
~. a.. a
fecal matter Of Montpelier, probably little too
Of Waterbury and Riehmoni (tAree towns on
is bauks) 81, because it j. r,uler.l tlrbd
and muddy by freshets.
AZ all admit from Professor S,ely auaTysis
tbs he river water j, softer than tie lake.
(thyagh 50 very little to be hardly noticeable)
wi, not discuss this point Of quality, though
this circumstance is in favor OF the river water.
Now lew persons (who are no; much On or
near the lake. know this material fac. viz. that
there is a strong curreaf flowing constantly and
regularly from the mouth Of the Wiuooski river.
psst Rock (Sharpshins) Point, where reside,
directly f0iraris the breskEster, yet this have
often noticed. The mouth Of that river is only
four miles north Of this point When the river
lie clear, which IS always excepting three or
four seasons in year lasting from tso days to
three weeks) its course It's not noticeable in the
lake But have repeatedly when skating scross
the lake With my boys, causel them to look
through the clear ice and note the decided cur
rent, setting to,rards the breakwaier. Minute
notes in the water show this. about thousand
feet outside cur point. ON arriving about half
way to Juniper the current is seen 10 pass the
other WAY, thus doubling towards the right
against Red Rocks Point. Between Juniper
and the Four brothers it is wholly n0rthwarI.
After every freshet in spring and summer have
regularly seen for years, that the waters Of cur
bay were invaded BY streAk Of muddy
water, flowing south-eastery in the regular
cOurse Of that river current In fac, 1t is the
currsat Of Winocski river, IA cHi;rs rolums,
ami hen only does it be ray Itself distinctly
enough to be reen from the shore The muddy
streak is about 18th Of a mile VIDE, and sets
directly towards our Wharves-and would al
ways supply the city water works If located in
the proposed place, or anywhere in Burlington
bay, for bear IN mind there is no other current
which intercepts that # the Winooski in this
bay. Consistently with this find that when
ever there has been freshet (n Spring or in
Summer) dead COWS and sheep are foated into
cur baJ by the river current. and are then
washed up on my beach. Often have passed
them on my numerous walks TO town. So like
wise long timber, and lumber rats, when broken
up IN that river, are found scattered on the sur
face ofthis bay and all along this beach Be
RENE nber bar of mul over which the water is
mort shallow than they like, extending from the
mou Of the river part way towards Onr city.
Tn > always place buoy there nearer the river,
to w.rn the boaimen Of danger, not far from
Appletree Point.
Now, all this shows, that our bay is assured
ly the rrry repository Of every thing we may
deem ofensire in the river. by the natural cur
rent Do ioe then act trise'y 70 tgke our roGtsr
from the bay (ths Lake plsn), and pay $4,000
year 10 secure all there is Of H'iHoosIi .fith
and dead and irOlgaed cattle Of the 10000
acres beiOir that rillGge, rhen ire can get traisr
ADORE those dams at $500 year, Purer byjust
so much less foul natter
flour % Lake " friends reflect, they must SEE
that all the water in the Lake has flowed there
from its sources, and has in it all the impurities
from all the towns and cities on the streams as
trsH as those on its shores superdddsd. Where
as il we take the river water above the dam, We
get it just so much nearer its source, and there
fore purer, than any water OF the Lake proper
tioRGbly can be.
So think have answered the FIRST three
objections to the river water taken above the
dam, by showing that they apply TO the lake
water with greater weight As to the ith point,