Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-17

EDiTOR OF THE JOURNAL Under the
above head find a writing in your paper Of
Wednesday last, signed s'E. w. Woodbury."
which contains assertions concerning me 50
unjust, and placing me in light before the
people 90 utterly false that l must ask for =
little space in your paper for denial and cor
rection. Twill be as brief as the nature Of
the case will permit.
| The writing to which | refer states that an
editorial appeared in the Gospel Banner, (the
paper Of which am editor Of Dec T. which
'swas unjust and Hncalled for - that it openly
attacked Capt Lakin and covertly DIR. Har-
| Low and the Board Of Trustees of the Hos
pifal from 1874 to 1873; 'sthat il was ealcu-
| lated to alarm the friends of patients, and to
mislead the public relative TO the true con-
dtion of the Hospital Further. 1t charges
me with saying that the present system o;
water-works are 1.-THE pet scheme OF Captain
Lakin." and that ''neither the Legislature nor
the public have ever been informed by the Of
| fcers or Trustees of the real condition OF the
institution"
Nov let me say in all plainness but with
all candor. that there is not one word Of
truth in these assertions, nor any thing
from which they could justly be framed; nor
does the fact that the writer coupled the Ban
ner with another paper in making his charges
relieve him from designed Misrepresentation
and injury, BY endeavoring to make 1t appear
that am hostile TO the best interests of the
Hospital.
The Banner article to which reference is
had. was written in the spirit of candor. 1t
contains not a word Of personality. i made
no attack on Capt. Lakin or DIR. Harlow or the
! 4 other a hOIy of n.
mentioned no mans name, and referred 10
no man. | regard Capt. Lakin as most able
and efficient officer. He erected the present
/ system of water works and no man could do
] il more thoroughly. All he lacked was the
mower to open the heavens and bring down
the floods, which | grant under the circum-
stance. was quite essential to full success.
Let the Trustees direct him to draw his sup
ply from the kcnnebec and he would soon
demonstrate how easily and successfully the
project could be executed.
Nor did refer to DIR. Harlow in my re-
marks, as never heard his name coupled
with the water question; nor to the Trustees; ;
but referring to the Minnesota horror in the
recent burning Of the hospital there, and the
perishing Of 30 poor creatures by fire and
| freezing, | asked the question, which is pro-
pounded all over the land, III other States
what is the condition Of our hospital to pro-
| tect itself in case of a fire: And in answer
ing this question stated the exact facts of
the case, and what are known TO be facts be-
yond all question or cavil or denial, to wit.
that though for the greater portion of the
year, the institution is supplied with water
in abundance during the summer. in the dry
season, it has been short. 1t was short in
1873, and last year, by the mid
die of July, the water began to fail,
and from that time to the 10th Of De-
tober an abundance of water was not had at
any time; so that for days and weeks bathing
of the patients was almost wholly suspended.
The ponds and reservoir yielded nothing or
| next to nothing, not even furnishing water
much of the time for lavatory purposes of
the patients. Finally water had to
be hauled from the river and it was
carried up into the halls OF the patients
by the male and female attendants. All the
water used by the patients for days and
weeks for ablition furnished entirely in
this way, while the odor arising in some of the
halls from the lack of water to cleanse the
pipes of the sewerage of the building, was
anything but agreeable or healthful.
All this demonstrated beyond question that
the present water supply system is made
quate to the full needs of the institution.
For weeks there was failure, and if fire had
Ut utdu VI III uuTlus tilis lpuB uTN
SPELL the peril of the patients would have
been dreadful in the extreme even more
appalling than that which occurred twenty
years ago this winter, when the south wing
of the Hospital was destroyed by fire and %
poor creatures persisted in the flames
But in showing these facts blamed nc
one, us any one can convince himself by read
ing the Banner article. Indeed, knew no,
as there is blame to be attached to any one
To ignore the pure and excellent waters Of
the Kennebec and the splendid opportunity o.
utilizing an inexhaustible supply, and expent
so much money on surface drainage with al
its impurities and liability to failure BY
drouth, is regarded by many as an error o.
Judgment. That is all. And to err is hu.
man. The knowledge and skill of the en-
gineers seemed to indicate fallbility.
Mr.. Woodbury. may sneer at the people o
Augusta AS he will, and taunt them with be
, ing ''captious and fault finding, and say thai
they are haunted with an old and exploded
: idea 1t is a sensible idea, and grows upor
them; and can assure him that many of oul
, best and most intelligent citizens, who hav,
the best good of the Hospital at heart, an,
are entirely friendly to all its interests. ar,
pronounced in their opinions, regretting tina
the water of the river not utilized in the be
ginning, instead of adopting the other sys
TEN; because in the one case success wa
certain: in the other it has proved at least
partial failure. This We think is admitted OF
all hands.
But We took our pen mainly to correct thu
statement of Mr.. Woodbury. personal to ms
We cheerfully admit all that he says of tn,
perfection of the preparations at the hospta
for retaining the water, when water i,
abundant. The Banner article was writer
with the view to call attention to the matter
and suggest what would relieve the institution
of all danger. There is now large supply
of water, so no danger exists ut present, nor dc
think there will be during the next dry sea
son, for unless greatly mistake the present
prevailing sentiment the powers that be viii
see to it that there shall be no lack of watel
in the future. Gro. W. QUISBY.
The democrats of the Sixth Senatorial Dis
trict of Pennsylvania, which embraces par
- Ill H.