The Portland daily press., 1880-12-10

article relative to the water supply at the In
sane Hospital, in which it is charged that the
water works at the asylum are failure. The
Rockland Gazette has an article on the same
subject, in which it is not only stated that 'the
water system constructed at so much expense
has proved a failure" but it is also charged
that "Capt. Lakin the steward) whose pet
scheme it was, cung to it and took the great
est risks rather than to own the blunder and
allow the public to see the true state of af-
fairs" The newspapers of the State are being
asked to give wide circulation to these state
ments, and without doubt within the next few
weeks we shall hear much of the matter. The
people Of the State have peculiar interest in
this institution, and it is eminently proper
that public attention be directed to any abuses
that may exist, and that all necessary precau-
tions be taken to avert so dire a calamity as
fire in our over-crowded Insane Hospital, and
a recurrence of the CHASTITY scenes recently
witnessed at the burning of the Minnesota
Asylum. At the same time care should be
taken to deal justly with all concerned, and
especially to guard against unnecessarily ex-
citing the fears of the patients, or those of the
friends and guardians of these unfortunate
ones.
Having some knowledge of the construction
of the works alluded to- and some responsible
ty in the matter if the works hare '.proved a
failure / desire to state some facts which
may serve to give the public q better under
standing of the matter in controversy.
To meet the long existing want of an ample
supply of pure water for the use of an insti-
tuition under whose roof are supported no less
than five hundred persons, the trustees in 1877
constructed the present system of water sup
| ply. For years it had been impossible to OBJ
tain an adequate supply of water for lavatory
| purposes, for cooking, and especially for the
thorough cleansing of the vast labyrinth of
pipes employed for carrying off the sewerage
| of the institution. Without this supply as an
essential prerequisite, the improvement of the
| ventilation of the institution was found to be
impossible. AS protection against fire the
works were also greatly needed, since from
the early history of the Hospital to that date,
the only means of coping with the fire-fend
were few chemical extinguishers and hand
engine, such as is used by the fre-departments
OF some OF our small towns The Legislature,
often importuned, had failed to supply the
funds to meet the expenses of the proposed
to assume the responsibility. Whatever of
credit attaches to any one for the construction
of the works, therefore, belongs to the Trus-
tees, and whatever of odlum for any ssfail-
nre'. is also to be borne by these officers. Capt.
Lakln was the efficient and faithful servant of
the Board, and ably assisted, in carrying for
ward the work. Perhaps he may have sug-
gested some of the plans finally adopted; but
neither he nor any other man had any "pet
project IN regard to the matter. The river plan
was fully discussed and its advantages and
disadvantages candidly considered; other plans
were suggested and finally the one which was
adopted. Such eminent civil engineers as
Luther r. Eaton of Bangor and James P.
Francis of Lowell, Mass, were employed, and
no step was taken which did not meet their
concurrence. They reported without knowing
the preference of either member of the Board,
or its servants, aad in no respect has the pre-
dctions OF these engineers failed. So much
ferred to in the Gazette article.
Now as to the failure of the works. They
were commenced in 1876, which season was SO
dry that the institution was compelled to use
the muddy water from the works even while
the men were actively at work digging the res
ervoirs. Iu 1877 the works were completed,
and for the first time in its history the institu-
tlon was fully supplied with water. So COM
plete was the system that by attaching a hose
to the hydrants on the Hospital grounds
stream of water was easily thrown over the
highest building of the institution, and by a
system OF pipes carried to every part of the in
stitutlon 1t was possible in moments time to
literally flood every floor in the institution so
that it would seem that with sufficient water
the protection from fire was as complete as it
was possible to make it. In 1878 it was very
dry season, and while the supply of water was
was not safe. The short supply that wear i'm
PEELED the officers to additional exertions to
render more complete this admirable system
and another storage reservoir was commenced
and brought to capacity of about a million
gallons. Before this was com pleted the fall
rains set in, giving ample supply. In 1879 we
had a wet season and the supply of water was
abundant. In 1880, as all are aware, we have
had an exceptionally dry season; in forty or
fifty years there has been nothing like it.
Wells, ponds, and even lakes Of respectable
proportions all over the country have dried up, |
apd many of our towns and cities have not on
~ been exposed to the ravages of the fire fiend,
ouC IL has been serious question as to wheth-
er it was possible to obtain sufficient supply for
the ordinary requirements of life. And
1t is true that the reservoir at the Hospital gave
out, and the officers were compelled to use
more or less OF the water from that "God given
blessing, the Kennebec.'' This was of course
very great relief; and yet when it is remem-
bered that the river wassalso very low at this
point, and that not half mile above the Hos
distance below the city of Halowell, empties
all its sewage into these waters, it will be evil
dent that this supply was by no means as de-
srable as could be wished. At the last verge
OF the drouth an artesian we'll was sunk, and
resulted In discovering a remarkable vein of
water, which gives promise of affording an i'm
mense supply. In three days it produced TO-
600 gallons. In November of this year the
reservoirs were all full. The storage is now
about five million gallons, and more water run
to waste in that month than could be used in
many months. The daily consumption of
the Hospital is about 10000 gallons, and at this
raj the present supply would last two hundred
and fifty, days, with the supply from the arte-
Such are the facts, "plain and unvarnished.''
So far from proving "a fail1 the work has
in my Judgment proved grand success. The
benehts derived from this abundant supply of
water in single year have been sufficient to
fully warrant the outlay, and every friend of
the institution who inspects the works is
forced to this conclusion.
If we are to have a recurrence of the excep-
tionally drv season of this year, very likely
some additional safeguard may be required
Possibly the Kennebec River may afford
more reliable supply, and though the expe-
rience OF the past season as to streams
that have never before failed, suggests the
transitory and vanishing nature of water
courses OF every description. Indeed, absolute
security is hardly vouchsafed to the inhabitants
of this mundane sphere. To take the supply
from the river for all the requirements of the
Hospital would seem to be impracticable since
the main building stands at least three hun
dred feet above the river bed, and it would
require much power and very expensive ma
chinery to elevate the water to a sufficient
height to utilize it as protection against fire.
At any rate after thorough examination the
most competent engineers to be found pro-
nounced against the theory of DIR. Quinby and
IN favor of the present plan. The engineers
may have erred, but those we'll competent to
judge think otherwise. If any additional pro-
lection is needed. and an increased supply of
water cannot be obtained adjacent to the pres
ent works, 1t may be necessary to adopt Dr.
Quinby's suggestion and seek this supply from
the river when other sources fail. When it is
possible to obtain supply elsewhere the
river water would never be preferred to that
now obtained.
On the whole, Mr.. Editor, 1 am constrained
to believe that careful investigation of this
whole matter will lead to the conviction that
there is no real ground for the grave appfehen-
sions entertained by DIR. Quinby relative to the
safety of our Maine Asylum. III. AS.