The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-07-25
a Subterfuge.

A Subterfuge.
II is reported that certain citizens of
our village are putting forth efforts, or at
least making talk. in favor Of opposing
any rental of the MIGRANTS of the Water
Company, with a view to bring about a
foreclosure Of the mortgage and have
the Village Corporation buy in the works
As a speculation and own them at about
- per cent of the cost.
/ That there are people in town who
would advocate this course, people who
would advise that the village in its cor
porate capacity embark in a scheme Of
/ this kind, we are disposed to doubt that
any considerable number of Skowhegan
voters would agree to take advantage Of
company composed of its own citizens
were the opportunity aliorded-and, even
If they had the advantage OF power,
use it against them to their considerable
financial injury, we will not believe until
we are compelled to. People of Skowhe-
gan are not highway robbers, and a
scheme of this kind is equivalent to high
way robbery. with the difference that 1t
does not require the physical courage
necessary to pursue that calling success
fully.
The question Of the purclsSc of the
works by the Corporation is one that can
not come before the voters at this time.
It will require legislation to allow the
Corporation to embark upon the purchase
of real estate, and other property, for the
purpose of peddling water to customers,
This exceeds the legal powers Of the viii
lagc Corporation, and it cannot get this
authority until the next legislature meets,
in the winter of ls9l.
This project is a subterfuge, intended
to draw attention from the main question.
The Village Corporation is not ready to
take hand in corporation wrecking, and
never will be.
There il no room for doubt in the
minds of fair minded men, that good
system Of water works is public benefit.
of iron pipes filed with water, well laid
under ground below the freezing point,
along all the village streets, with 10 n.y.
drants to which hose can be attached,
with adequate approved machinery and
stand pipe giving a pressure that will,
with sufficient hose throw water upon the
roof of every building in the village the
man who says this Is not public benefit,
must be inclined to misrepresent matters
or is Ignorant and delights to be so.
A few words about the cost of water
works. 1t is expensive amusement 20
construct an iron pipe and hydrant sys-
tenn. 1t costs more than twice as much to
put in works for fire purposes as it
does for ordinary domestic supply. The
pumps must be more powerful and there
must be two of them instead of one, with
two boilers all complete to avoid the
possibility of the machinery being dis
abled. The stand pipe must be larger
and much higher to get the necessary
pressure. The pipes must be larger
heavier. and better laid, in order to stand
this constant pressure.
The Skowhegan works cost in round
Numbers including land purchased $780,
600. This may be high but it is below
the average cost of water works Of the
same capacity in Maine or New England.
They could have been put in for domestic
less than purposes for 100000, but they
would have been of less public utility.
II is worth vastly more than $50, 900, to
Skowhegan to have these water pipes
laid and this water system perfected
IL this Is the fact, and who can controvert
it, 1t is symply matter Of even handed
justice that the public should help bear
this burden.
In every other town in Maine where
water works have been put Ia the public
in 1t, corporate capacity has helped to
bear the burden by hiring of the company
constructing the works, such anumber of
hydrants as the village or city needs to
protect its property from possible dis
truction by fire. The city of Ellsworth Is
tho latest example, which pays $50, per
hydrant for 30 hydrants.
The Skowhegan water company re-
lied upon the sense of justice and fair
dealing of the citizens and put in the
works before securing the hydrant rem
tai. Whether this action was wise, or
otherwise, one thing is certain the sys-
tenn is in and in good working order.
The village needs it and If fair vote
can be had will take 1t at fair rate and
do justice to the men who had the cour-
age to put their money into the enter.
prise. Give thema fair, honest, intelligent
vote on this question but do not raise a
false issue for the sake of doing injus-
tice to company of men who-aside
from the writer, whose pecuniary interest
in the enterprise is very small-are among
our most honorable citizens and largest
tax payers In the town