Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-16

mill owners below, but could thus be taken without
fnrther expense. A stu further advantage of this
connection would be that In case Of failure Of tile
supply as IN Isle any waters III tie ieserT3irs Cd
Kettle brook above Kents could be brought and
conveyed into the present system at once without
lgrtheT expense OF pumping or other contingent
eies.; Ihii advantage alcna would have saved the
city in 1870 from onefourth to onehalf OF the cost
of the construction of this conduit
Second. To take and add to the present works
Henshaw, pond. This pond mas a water shed of $50
acres, ana possesses value equal to about one mil
non gallons per day. The main from this pond
could be connected with the present ones Oh tile
Leicester road, near the house of Mr.. Samuel L.
hodges HE outlay necessary to render tbs scurde
aSaliaole' wead he vert large in proportion to the
advantages obtained by the expenditure.
Ihlrd. TO add TO our present works Parsons
brook, by taking it directly into the Hunts reser-
Nolr; Inc quantity which could be saved here
We"o amount 10 perhaps one hundred million gal
ions per annum. To accomplish this would not
cost over Si0O0 aside from damage TO land or for
dyertIng the waters o. said Broom.
IN other localities surrounding the city which
may be looked to as furnishing an increased supply
Of water is that OF North pond, SO called, which
lies IN the northery part of the city and at the head
waters Of Mil brock. Levels have been taken and
SURVEYS made to ascertain the nature of this
The city by its purchase of the Fox mall water
power Tor sewerage purposes in 1857 became part
owner III all the rights privileges and liabilities in
said pond. Thus if any expenditures are made up
on the present dam or other fixtures connected
Herewith, the city will he liable to pay about one
fourth Of the amount so expended.
The present dam at the pond is an old one and
has stood the test OF many wears a test generally
conceded the best as establishing the claim to per-
manenty OF any structure.
Yet it Is well known that many of our citizens
have for years been questioning its stability and
even been skephcal Of IFS soiidity. Care
ful investigations, made by the board of county
commissioners, IN 1859 and 1870 established the fact
that it Is unqueStionaby structure entirely insult
able to stand as restraining barrier between such
an amount OF accumulated water as is held in its
basin,and the destruction OF vast amount of prop
erty, and the probable loss Of hundreds of the lives
OF our citizens living in the valley between Main
ana summer streets. An order was passed by the
county commissioners, in 1870 after due notice 10,
and hearing of, 1.-THE parties appearing, who are
supposed to be responsible for the and keeping
OF THIS dam, and who interested IN the benefits
TO be derived from its maintenance. directing said
owners to rebuild said dam in manner which shall
make 1t safe as far as human power construct
II Ine owners have taken no notice of this ord lr,
and probably do not intend to rebuild said dam
The dam at the pond, as at present constructed,
stores the water of only one branch of the Mill
brook stream. There is one brook named Weasel
brook the waters of which enter the Mil brook Just
below the present dam. BY changing the location
of the dam, this brook may also be made tributary
to the value of the reservoir. Those who live near
the dam. say that this Weasel brook supplies very
large quantity of water which now, of course flows
oil IN treshets, and Is of no practicable value 10 any
one.
Mr.. |. B. Frances, Esq, OF Lowell, when he male
careful examination ofthe dam in 1852 suggested
the proprity and pointed out the advantages which
would result from placing the dam upon fresh
ground, in such location as would include this
brook within the limits OF the reservoir.
The ground Is adyantageously situated to carry
ont TINS purpose. The cost of q new dam would
hardly exceed the necessary amount of expenditure
10 put the old one III safe and reliable condition
as ordered by the county commissioners.
Surveys have been made to ascertain the area oil
the present pond; the amount of land which would
be flowed by the building of new dam, so us to IN.
cude Weasel brook; the quantity of water which
can Low be stored, and that when enlarged. These
surveys and estimates give the following resuts-to
wit:
The area of the present pond is 22S.2 acres. and
will store about 6j0,G000CO gallons. The addition
al area, aided by a new dam, including Weasel
brook, would be % acres, and would add 100000
gallons to the storage capacity.
The cost of a now dam would be about $4,000, to
which would need be added the fowage damages
for % acres of land and the damages to tive mill
owners for the right TO divert the waters of said
brooks aud apply them to the supply of the city.
The man from the pond to the city would best
be carried from Lincoln square via Salisbury, Grove
and Holden streets to the westerly end of the pond
where it crosses Holden street. This line is about
300 feet shorter than the line to follow West
3OYlstOn street TO the pond at its present outlet
For short distance in Holden street the main
would have to be laid an extra depth, and for n
snort distance in the bed Of the pond it would be
necessary to make an open trench to draw the
waters OF the eastery end OF the pond back to the
main. The distance from Lincoln square to the
pond by this route Is - feet. The main southery
from Lincoln square would best follow Summer
Grafton and Water streets to MIbury street.
The portion of the city which would be supplied
from North pond would lie along the line of Mill
brook from lincoln square southwark, including au
area IN which are located most of the largest takers
in the city, as the machine shops and railroad sta.
lions, gas works, &c. The portion of the city sup.
Piled from this source would be isolated from the
present distribution by SIMPLY closing the gates al
the junction OF such streets as would be changed
from one to the otherand by inserting few in such
locations as might need them.
Some objection may be made to this low head as
fire service, as in this district Is located much of
the most valuable property in the CITY, This may
be Obyiated by opening gates when required at suit
able points between the present. and the North pond
mains, and by keeping the waters from flowing back
into North pond by suitably arranged check valve
upon the nam above Grove mill
This supply under any circumstances would ford
ample provisions for the streams, and would add Z
source entirely independent of all present means
forming an advantage under some contingencies o
inestlmable value. The quantity of wafer which
may be supplied from this source is estimated an
prOXimately at to million gallons per day The
estimate Is derived from the water shed of Nil
brook as given in report CT the joint standing
committee on sewers in 1866 in which 1t is stated
to be 1924 acres above Lincoln square. By an ex.
animation of the country below the pond it is
adjudged that the area drained into it, including
Weasel book, it is about twice that of l4ynde brook
or about 300 acres.
An incidental advantage resulting from a com.
plete control of this pond would the facility with
which the present Mill brook sewer could be flushed
with wBter at such times as might be found neces-
sary.
The details OF construction, as to the kind and
form of dam necessary to be built; the kind and
sZa of pipe best to be used; the outlet at the pond
and the necessary improvement of the basin with
the iiltering apparatus before the outlet with an
estimate of the cost have not been entered into and
have been studied at present no farther than was
necessary to form general opinion as to the desir
ability of adding at some future day these waters to
the present SYSTEM
In conclusion, upon this subject the statement
heretofore made is repeated, that from this source
it Is fully believed that in working up all the neces
sary details and estimates it will be found that from
no source within reach of the city can large an
amount of water be obtained by the outlay of the
same amount of means as from this source.
A petition was received from S. K Buell. for
the regarding of portionsIof Chandler and Belle.
yue street, that he may be enabled to gain access
to a lot upon (which he desires to build at the
corner of said Streets referred to the committee
on highways.
A petition was received from John Cragin for
damages to his estate on Lafayette street by an
over flow Of the land, caused by the relocation
and laying out Of said street; referred to the
committee on claims.
The city clerk, Samuel Smith, presented the
following report Of money received, which was
accepted and placed on file: