Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-14
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
nearing Before the Committee Of Tho
City Council.
I,Ehty Hydrants for $4,000 A..
exemption from Taxation

~" exemption from Taxation Al
AS previously appointed a uee.;n
OF the City Council on the ,rono
s''ion OF the Augusta Water Co ,o s.,.h,:s,
new system of water works in tho c;,,
he'o IN the Common Council room loo.
'"s' ior the purpose of giving hearing On
'he matter. Following is the comm;ttoo
when serve in connection with the Ma,or
Cnief Engineer of the fire department AID.
men Brick Gaslin and Williams; Council.
men Johnson, Fogler, Jones, Aver and
Nichols The committee met at aoo.o,oo,.
the Mayor presiding, there was quite a num-
Der OF prominent citizens and tax.n,vo,. :.
attendance who gave strict attention 70 m.
M Heath. counsel for the Augusta Wa.
Ter Company, stated the general nlans ~ ~
company. He called attention to tho ta".
that the present year Ellsworth. Cala;s paI.
last Waterville, Brunswick Deer;na
Norway and Presque Isle will, bula wataz
works for fire service. That Portland RAM,
Lewiston, Auburn Biddeford, Saco. Rockland
ana Gardiner have already established a.,
class works. With tn" exception of I.ew;ston
ana Bango. the works are built (or 70 b.
nulit) by water companies. In every case
MIGRANTS are leased by the towns AZ rentals
Veraglng $50 per hydrant. annually.
EFFICIENCY OF SYSTEM.
Inc system proposed is the gravity and
Holly system combined, possessing the good
points OF both. After thorough flterinp the
water Will be pumped at the Kepnebec dam
py powerful pumps of capacity Of two mil
non gallons, to reservoir capable of holding
six million gallons This would insure q
storage sufficient to tide over all accidents
me reservoir will De increased to 900 900
II the shape of the ground will permit The
man from the reservoir and thence through
water street will he twelve inches in diane
ter. With the head of 240 feet and short
pipe' eminent engineers pronounce thi. am
pie. AT Bridge and Water streets its d.s-
charge would be 100000 gallon. in "a
hours. The other mains are 10 in. in and
6 in, none to be less than six
All this pipe is of cast iron, and tested to +,
high pressure. The interests of the company
require that the best materials be used and
that everything be built in the best possible
The plan submitted provides for hydrant
pipe sufficient to protect the territory en-
braced within the limits Of Page street, Chest
nut street, Cushnoc Heights, Eastern avenue,
Hospital street, Turner street, and Petten.
gill's Corner. Pipes for water takers will be
run in additional localities when wanted
The above may be called the fire limits of
the city. To thoroughly cover these limits
with hydrants, to be used with short line. of
hose, the city will need seventy five. Eighty
would give ample protection. On Water
street, the hydrants could be placed 80 near
AS to render destructive confagration i'm
possible In other parts of the city, the eff
fective pressure is such that the protection
will he superior to that Of the present system.
The hydrants are bought and act at the ex-
pense of the company The best kind will
be furnished, and to be satisfactory to the
fire department, the company will always
keep them in repair at its own expense. and
they will always be ready for use at any time
FIRE DEPARTMENT UNDER New system
With The new vibrant service, the FIRE de
partnicnt will c"nsIst rf hose company of
ten men on the eat side, similar COMPANY
of ten men on the west side. engineer of
Cushnoc, and driver of city team. When the
steamer is called out, 10 b" manned by the
hose company on west side. The above
submit as the opinion Of the officers Of the
fire department.
hook and ladder truck is much needed, it
is true But this is necessity whether the
city adopts the new system, or not. 1t should
not be considered in YOUR calculations be-
cause it cannot affect the question of economy
involved in the change of systems.
ONLY ONE STEAMER NEEDED.
After conversation with officers of the
Fire Department, ex-chief engineers, citizens
who have served on these boards engineers
in other cities and hydraulic engineers, |
End but one opinion. that the city, with the
fire system the company guarantees to build,
can with perfect safety dispense with the
steamer on the East side. This has been tho
experience of cities in which efficient water
works have been built Gardiner. with two
steamers up town, kept one and sent the 9th
er to South Gardiner. By its water contract,
the expense of a third steamer was saved.
Calais proposes to dispense with one of its
Two steamers Her fire limits are about the
size of those in Augusta. Lewiston has but
two steamers: they are used as auxiliary to
he hvdrant service. Boston relies upon her
steamers, because the head is small and the
pressure very low. The hydrants serve
more a. reservoirs. Whenever cities with
water works are found relying on steamers,
Il will be noticed that the pressure 10 low or
he head very small.
1t is only question of time before the At
,ntic must be replaced with a new steamer.
We ask you to replace 1t now with an enec-
i've system of water works.
During the years from 1875 to 1854 both
conclusive, nine fires occurred outside OF the
,roposed hvdrant limits. In the years 1919,
76. 80. '83. 'S4 there were none. In 1871,
me on Brook road; in 1878, the Taylor house
IN Western Avenue, Mrs. Denings on east
tide. and Haskells barn. In each case the
oss was total and from want of water or DIS
ance the steamer was of no use; IN 1893
he Nursery mill, total loss and engine of no
,se. the Fifield house, steamer went but no
water: and Leonard barn on Burnt Hill; IN
SSl. Grant house, North Parish; IN 1857
Ietchell ice house, no road for steamer IL
r;ll no noticed that in fires outside the
,ronosed hvdrant service, steamers do no
rood.
Cost OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.
In the decade from 1875 to 1884. both years
nclusive the cost of the fire department was
,5o sO5. 40 Inasmuch as the cost OF several
salaries of engineers and drivers
zorro often charged to other appropriations
his does not show the entire expense AS y
tands. however, the annual average
1880 O5. BY the most conservative es',-
mates we expect to see this reduced one,h&il