Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-29
100000 GALLONS!
The Committee on Insane Asylum
Thoroughly Inspect
THE WATER SUPPLY
mr. the Institution. They Find Water
Enough Now In the Reservoir
THE WATER SUPPLY
TO LAST 90 DAYS.

IT would take more than human knowledge
10 fathom the reasons which inspired the
legislative committee to select yesterday
afternoon for the purpose of examining the
water supply of the Hospital. No bleaker
occasion could have been selected. north
vest wind came shivering down from the
Arctic regions. The air was singing cold
The committee were first shown the Asylum
appara,us for extinguishing fire, by Captain
Iakin and corps of attendants. With
wonderful rapidity six streams of water were
playng over the Asylum buildings, forced
through the nozzle of the hose to height Of
90 feet BY the pressure from the supply
reservoir This is but part of the appar-
atus. as there are double the number of lines
of hose which can be used should a contin-
gency arise. There are stand pipes in every
hall, and in every part Of the Asylum where
they could be used to advantage in case of
fire. BY the turning of brass wheel with
the hand, the water is forced through the
hose The action is almost instantaneous.
An alarm was given during the inspection,
and in Sereafeea seconds by DIR. Eaton's
watch, the hose was uncoled, and stream
Of water was playing through the nozzle
After inspecting the appliances for ex-
.inguishing fire in the Hospital buildings, the
Committee piled on" large sled. drawn by
two powerful horses, and started over the
fields to visit the reservoirs from which the
water is taken. Augusta gets her water sup
ply from the reservoir back of the State
House, which is fed by springs and surface
drainage. This is the case Of the Hospital
reservoirs. They are natural basins, which
have been further enlarged by workmen, and
are fed mainly with living springs In adj
dltion to the reservoirs, there is large vein
Of water, discovered by Captain Lakin last
summer, on which the engine in the pump
house" is steadily at work pumping stream
ten hours a day from this source into the sup
ply reservoir. This subterranean cistern, OF
vein, is apparently inexhaustible. The Com
mittce found by mathematical computation,
10000 gallons in the reservoir near the
pump house; 900, 900 gallons in the middle
reservoir, and 4s6, 900 gallons in the granite
or supply reservoir. This is total of
l,926,oO1 gallons now on hand 1t is esti-
mated that %. 100 gallons of water a day are
used in the Hospital. On this basis, the
water supply in the three reservoirs would
last 9Gl days without being replenisbed. 1t
mus, by remembered that this is winter in
which there has been no thaw, and many
wells in the country are failing. Besides
these three reservoirs is the original, or
East reservoir. with an estimated capacity
OF l,0O0, 900 gallons. From this East
reservoir there is Il stream of water constant
ly flowing into the Hospital, and thereby
diminishing the demands upon the three
other reservoirs. After making a most
thorough examination the gentlemen on the
Committee expressed the sentiment that the
Hospital is now ahundantlv supplied with
water tor all ordinary demands, for a period
Of several months, even if the feeding springs
should stop flowing, and the Hospital should
be compelled to rely upon its husbanded
supply.