The Newtown bee., 1877-11-01
Water! Water !!

The disaster which has apparently be- fallen the Newtown Waterworks Compa nv excites considerable comment, and not a few, especially of those who have watched the movement from distance. arc very much astonishcd at the want of enterprise of our citizens of the village in letting so good an opportunity pass by as was offered to them by the propo sition of Marcus c. Hawley, Esq. We are certain that the object which was had in view was postponed by want of knowledge in reference U the supply Of water, and as it has been made subject of, and used with effect, it is not out of place to say that it never entered the mind of Mir. Hull, the gentleman em- ployed to survey the land and locate the reservoir, or the minds of the other gen temen most prominent in the water works question, to construct a reservoir which will supply the village with water flowing from the watersheds. The whole arrangement and supply was based upon the known condition of the land and the springs that could be opened, and it was from living springs that good, pure water was to be ob- tained. Several persons in the village got the notion from some source that there were no springs in the lot now, and that there had never been any, and concluded that if water were to be ob- tained at all it muet be surface water
 These refused to lend their support up- on these grounds. This, so far as we know, is the only reason assigned by anyone for not subscribing to the stock,
 We present below letter from MT
 Hull of Bridgeport elucidating the mat ter in question, and obviating the ob-
 iections interposed, and it is to be hoped
 that, at some future day, our citizens needed enterprise.
 As regards the value of water kept at
 hand in case of fire, we cite in evidence
 the recent one in Danbury on Wednss- day night, Oct. 24, when a paper-box
 factory belonging to Abljah Abbott was discovered to be on fire a few minutes past Il o'clock, and was totally de- stroyed in a short time. The building was in such proximity to others that. had there not been a good supply of water kept at hand there is no telling fhe amount of damage it might have caused. A building that stood only a few inches from the burning factory was saved with but slight damage. What would be the fate of this village as now situated if a fire got started 1? What means is there at hand to quench fire eating up one of the fine buildings on the street? Even if your cisterns are full in winter, how are they in sum mer when fires are most to be dreaded ? The only defense you have at present is your wells and cisterns; these are useless unless there are men enough to convey the water If every one could say for 8 certainty that there is no danger of 2 fire happening, and that for present, domestic use we have plenty of water. it would not be necessary for Rs to trouble you any further on the subject. But there is danger and we feel it our duty to raise the cry of varn- ing. To anyone wishing to make public any objections that can be urged against the project in question, we gladly offer the use of our columns.
 BRIDGEPoRT, Oct. 23, 1877 Editor of tte Bee:
 Reports have reached me from time to time that certain gentlemen state that there is no water at the point located for a reservoir for the contemplated water works for your village except from the sides above said reservoir. or what we call watersheds. Inow make the same statement that l made in my report at he water meeting held in Sdnford's Hall, that there was an abundant sup ply ot water from the springs alone to supply the village l examined this one and important point with a good deal of care and became fully satisfied that there was water in abundance for all purposes My long experience in water. | works for. municipal and power pur. l poses for thirty years gives me some ad- vantage in being able to judge in regard to matters of this kind. lam quite satis- fled that, by constructing a reservoir where located, it will open new sources of supply from springs that are out Of sight, or do not show themselves at the surface. There is sufficient evidence of this one fact at the lower side of the To- 1 cation of said reservoir,
 say now, as have previously stated. l that there is an abundance of water al the point located for the reservoir from springs alone without the aid of water | sheds which the grassy hill-sides afford. | As have already stated, examined this one point with care, as it was an import 1 ant one. Mr Richardson examined this point. Mr. Warner and both fully Con nrm my opinion ss 10 quantity. have had long experience in this kind of