The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-09-23
Ths Portland Water compnny.

fo"f"t I"Je Deoloitory hymn; CHARLES
Dickens first Public Reading.
- The Portland Water Company.
The necessity OF a water supply for This city
grows mofe and more urgent For several
years the various methods by which such 4
supply may be obtained have been under con
sderation Lake S;ebago has always been We
sarded as the natural reservoirs TO which aiti-,
ina!ely we shall be obliged 10 have reeourse;'
but whenit was reported after a survey order
ed by the city government that the works need
ed to bring water from Sebago would cost over
twosni1iions ofdollars, it was felt that our nop-
ulation aud resources would not justify such
an expenditure and the project was for the
ime abandoned. But although it seemed nee
essary to relnquish the hope of obtaining at
once permanent supply, the necessity for a
temporary supply, from some source, was still
strongly felt, and early in 1866 the Portland
Water Company was formad for the purpose
OF Infringing water feom Long Creek, in Cape
Elizabeth. The water of Long Creek had been
anNiyzed and found to be perfectly pure, and
the average supply from the watershed OF the
creek and its tributaries had been estimated
at about 50 gallons apiece daily for 100000 in
habitants. The quantity was therefore greatly
in excess of any possible requirements for the
present and the quality entirely satisfactory
There was only one objection TO the scheme :
theielevation OF the creek is only sufficient to
bring the water into che lower streets of the
city, and for general distribution il would have
to be raised By pumps into a reservoir on Bran
halls HILL This Inconvenience was not re-
garded as o fatal objection TO plan which was
eonfessedly temporary. ana the company was
incorporatedwith capital stock of a million dol
lars. The original corporators were John Il.
Brown, st. john Smith, Samuel E. Spring
Rensselaer, Cram, Rufus Il. Wood, Jacob Nc
Leilani, and Dennis W. Clark and they were
bound by the terms OF the act to have their
works in actual operation by the 23d February
1869, or the city OF Portland was to succeed to
all the rights and privileges granted them by
the Legislature ss
Their undertaking would undoubtedly have
been completed before this time but in july
a third of the city was laid waste by fire, and
this enterprise shared the fate of many others
of less Importance. The energy and means
Ofthe origininal corporators We're absorbed in
the work of rebuilding the city. 1t was at
this time that some gentlemen from abroad,
seeing here work which needed to be done.
which promised to be sufficiently remunera-
tive, and which neither the city nor the citi-
zens of Portland were in a condition to under
take without help, came forward and propos-
ed to bring supply at once from Lake Sebago
ON the same conditions which had originally
been imposed upon the Portland Water Com
pany. The works Were to be completed by
thel23d February, 1869. The corporation was
TO furnish to the city for use in the public
buildings and school honses and for extin-
gushing fires, all the water needed, free of ex :
pense. The mayor and aldermen were to
nave at all times power TO regulate and
control the acts of the corporation in all matters
affecting the health, safety or convenience of
the inhabltance of the city. Finally it was
provided by an amendment to the original act
a9fineorporation that at any time after the ex.
piration of six years from the date of the ac-
ceptance of the act by the corporation, the
city of Portland may take and exercise all the
property and rights of the corporation on pay
ment Of such sum as may be agreed upon by
the parties, or fixed, in case they cannot
agree, by three commissioners to be appointed
bythe Supreme Court on application of the
city.
On these conditions the company was fiual-
ly organized last spring, and Gen George f.
Shepley of Portland, Hon G. j. Gilman Of
Brunswick, Mr.. G. I'll. Todd of New York, Mr.
@. x. Green of Exeter, N H., and a. A. Strout
Esq, of Portland, were chosen directors The
sum of $780, 900 was & once subscribed towards
the capital stock of the company, and a propo-
sitlon was submitted to the City Government
That proposition, as our readers remember
was that for ten years the city should aid the
company by paying an equivalent, estimated
at $4,000 annually, for the water needed
for public uses, including some uses not spec
flied in the act of Incorporation namely
for watering streets and for public fountains
For all these uses water was TO be supplied tx
the city after ten years, free of cost for ever
The company agreed to provide suitable res
.eryoir, to keep supply of water equal to the
wants OF double the pc pulation of Port and
and to leave all questions of adequacy of sup
ply, sufficiency of mains and other details to
the joint decision of the engineer of the COM
pany and the city engineer, or if they could
not agree to third engineer selected by them
as an umpire. sDs
I'D This proposition the city government, after
considerable delberation, rejected. AS events
nave turned, they appear to be justified in theii
delay and in their decision. The city has moi
burned down yet, and by comparing our mar
ket reports of last April with prices now cur
rent, it appears that cement has declined Is Oh
20 cents n barrel and iron quarter Of cent 8
pound This decline in the cost of materials
enables the Water Company to make a better
offer than before, and the petition presented to
the City Government Friday evening runs as
follows: F'
TO tac HonorG5Is Me Mayor and aldermen and the
Common Council Of Portland:
Inc undersigned, in accordance with the pro-
q VISIONS OF their charter, being about to enter
upon the construction of their works for the
supply of pure water Tor the city of Portland,
respectfully ask for the passage of an ordinance
granting them permission to lay their pipes in
the streets of the city of Portland. s,ihiect To
the following conditions: M
Flrst-The work shall be done under such
reserictlons and regulations as the city shall
see MT to prescribe, and subject TO the super
VISION, direction and control of the Mayor of
tse city and of the Committee on Streets.
~ soecond-Ehat any obstruction in any street
50 VI tne CITY, OF any taking up or displacement
OF the same contrary to the rules and reguia-
ions which may be prescribed by the City G ov-
ernmeDt, shall be considered % nuisance, and
render the company liable 10 Indictment and
OIL VIC PROVISIONS Vi law appiIeabie thereto.
Thifd-Said Company shall be liable in all
eases to repay to said City all sums OF money
That said City shall be obliged to pay on any
e Judgment recovered against said City for dam
ages occasioned by any obstruction or taking
up or d!spacement of any street by said com
pany with or without the consent of the CITY
Council, together with counsel fees and Other
expenles incurred by said city in defending
such suit, with interest on the same.
a tourth-The work to be Mt all times subject
to the control of the City Co uncil, who may
j change their restrictions and regulations or
make such new ones from time to time az NAV in
the opinion OF the City Council be necessary
q 10 prevent obstrucGions in the streets or DELAY
in the work. or to secure a prompt and proper
replacement by the company of any earth
moved.
30 5000 The Portland Water Company,
,sr BY G. e. SHEPLEY, President
1t is upon this proposition that the City Gov
eminent is to act at the next meeting. 1t is
understood that the company has contracted
with the American Water and Gas Pine Com
pany for the pipe and with responsible parties
for the completion of the works during the
coming year. The American Company has
works in Jersey City, but the iron will be i'm
ported AMI the pipe for this undertaking will
oe manufactured here. Mr. Gilman, in his re-
MARKS before the City Council Friday evening.
saiu .ne American Company had decided to
establish permanent works here. i @
% we nave only word to add. The City Gov
eminent is elected to look after the interests of
the city. 1t is the duty az well a., a., 49, =