Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-18
APUBLIc IMPROVEMENT.
The Introduction Of water to the INSANE
Hospiiai.-DesCTiption Of the works.

During the past season, the Trustees OF the In
| sane Hospital haN g been engaged IN an enterprise
that is destined TO prove Of great aad permanent
benefit to the irsti;G.3n-that of Furnishing full
supply Of pare water for constant AMI named ate
use. This Is NECESSITY that has long been ap-
parent. The trustees, aud citizens of the State
as well, have had to run great risks in not having
full supply of water at hand for various pur-
poses and the buildings and personal safety Of
their poor distracted inmates, have been in con-
slant jeopardy for years.
| Two sources of supply suggested themselves,
| naturay-the Kenncbec liver and the springs in
the hills nearly mile east of the hospital. The
| former idea was abandoned as being too expensive.
After full survey of the field, the Superintcr-
dent and Treasurer became satisfied that the lat
| ter method was entirely expedient and could be
done without draw ing very largely upon the State
| treasury, Outside of the Legitimate funds appor-
| toned to the institution. The subject was fully
| investigated hom a scientific standpoint by ex-
| perts in such matters, among whom was Nr. JAS
| q. Francis Of Lowell, Mass. who made personal
examination Of the proposed enterprise; and on
his opinions ard suggestions, plans of The same
| were furnished by Mr. Luther H. Eaton of B,n-
gor
The receiving reservoir for the water has been
constructed on the top Of "Grane Hill" called.
1t is 100 feet square, its four walls averaging about
feet high and foot thick, with an inside lining
Of "puddled" clay kept in place by heavy en-
bankmcnt of earth, which in It's turn is supported
aud protected from washing by rip-tap extending
to high water mark. The clay lining is two feet
thick and it il carried mp over the top of the brick
wall.
The brick wall rests upon The lodge, which
was blasted out TO receive it, and is supported on
| the outs de by another heavy embankment of earth.
The total thickness of the wall and embankmcnts
at the base i, forty feet and eight feet at the sum
| nit and the average height is twelve feet. The
bottom OF the reservoir il the solid ledge, all the
| seams and inperfectons so far as discovered by
careful search having been cemented. The res
ervoir is % feet above the level of the ground al
the hospital buildings, which gives abundant
head" TO Il row the water into every part Of the
hospital. This reservoir has a capacity Of $50 0OO
gallons Of water. The supply of water is derived
from water she'd of about 100 acres in extent
u,t cast Of Granite hill" the underlying ledge
being glani,e, and the water here gathered issu
ing from sprir = and other natural channel. flows
into an in pounding reservoir which has beon dug
ont oo fiat northeast o! the service reservoir
This pond is acre in area and holds one millou
and half gallons. A brick engine house con
| aiming the machinery for lcirg this water
eli h, 10 the tospital or tie rcevoir, as may be
rcqlired, is built at the edge Of this pond, l70u
Get from the reserve Dir. Before entering the
pipes TIE water works It's way from the pond
through complete system of filters Of broken
stone and gravel. After thorough cleansing, the
water passes into well, feet wide, IL feet deep
ard II !, ct long. The steam force pump-one OF
Kuowic,' best-forccs he wafer f.om this well to
the reservoir, and also direct to the hospital, .
distance Of 800 feet. Ta1Ce inch pire is used to
the reserve r. ard from therce $500 feet of eight
inch pipe is called into loqui-i.pn. FIR, IN this
eight inch ripe it is proposed 10 erect immedi-
stely stand pipes throughout the hospital build
ings, running through every story, including the
attic and &c lar, to which VIII be attached fire
hose. Fire breaking cut could possibly gam no
headwsy, as the facilities would be at hand fol
flooding it out at once. With this arrangement,
the tenibie holocaust Of twerty-six years ago
woul not have occurred. Twelve bydrauts will
for tie attachment of hose. From two aheady
provided We Witnessed an exhibition the other
day Two undred feet Of hose attached threw
water - the roof Of the building through an inch
nozzle; tie same being elevated to the roof
played squarely over. The water is already in
troduced into the stables, and is in daily use for
watering cattle, Il at would otherwise have to be
driven to The river.
Tie principal portion Of the excavation, build
ing of reservoir and pond, trenching, etc, and al
SO large portion of the work Of laying the pipe
was done urder the immediate direction OF Mr..
Ashford A. sampson, foreman Of the hospital
farm, who was aided greatly by inmates of the
hospital. TIE eisht-inch pie was laid by Mr.
Cyrus Fellows OF Augusta; the laying of the
three-irch pipe, setting up Of boiler, &C., by Nc
Clench & Co, of Hallowell; the mason work by
Mr.. II. w. Lawson of Augusta. The pipe was
furnished by Messrs Morris, Tasker 4 Co., OF
Boston. The blasting operations were conducted
by Mr.. Otis p fierce of Augusta.
We are glad to record the fact that what was a
few months since regarded as an experiment has
proved a great success. Work was begun on the
LIST of August, and before the lst of December
all was completed that was laid out for the year.
Water was fst let on about the middle of No
vember No difficulty is found in filling the SER
vice rescrvoir, or in having an abundant supply
of waller in the impoundng pond, in readiness for
that purpose. The cost will be some $4,000 out
de Of the work done by the men and teams Of
the institution, thus verifying the estimates orig
inally formed. The work bs. been executed by
Mr.. Lnkin the Treasurer of the Hospital, under
the dire cton of committee of the board of Trus
tees. In Bringing about this very important i'm
provement they have labored for the cause of hui
manty and the good name of the State as well.
Report of the Visiting Committee to the
Insane Hospital.
An act of the legislature of 1874, created a
board OF visitors to the Insane Hospital TO visit
the hospital at stated times to ascertain if the in
mates were treated humanely, and observe the
general management, and render prompt report to
the r,npCr MANAGERS The committee for the pa