The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-08-01

/ made Il pretty thorough test Of the ny
drant at the extreme of she water work.
line, near the residence of Is. F. Ford
The first test was with ljO #. of hos,
attached direct to the hydrant, with !,
and inch nollles. This test resulted
thrown to the roof Of Mr. Fords two
story house without any difficulty The
next test was the attachment Of the
- suction hose of the steamer To this by.
stream from one hose. Two hose Were
attached, but the result was not 50 salts
factory. Then line OF hose was laid
from the hydrant at the corner of Jewett
and North streets, along Jcwett street,
and attached to the hydrant at the corner
Of Jewett and Madison streets This
connection had a very good effect and
from this combination the steamer threw
two very good streams Of water This
demonstrates the correctness Of the theo
ry that a four inch pipe along Jcwett
street, connecting North aud Madison
streets, would add very greatly to the
pressure and supply Of water at the by
lrants, either at the Madison street tx
tremty or the North street extremity Of
the pipe, by overcoming much Of the
friction that comes about by the long
stretches Of four inch pipe on those
streets, four inch pipe on Jewett
street, with capacity nearly three times
as great a. a2 - inch hose, must obviate
very greatly this friction and increase
the volume and force. This the Company
/ have known for some time and when the
/ hydrants are rented by the Corporation,
they purpose to put it in, Thus this hy-
drant which is on the highest ground and
the furthest out was thoroughly tested
and the test must have been satisfactory
10 every reasonable man there. The
suage was tricd mere and registered -
/ lbs
At this time it was proposed by the
Committee to try the effect of putting on
direct pressure from the pump. To do
! LIllS IL WAS NECESSARY W 1uuI lhc SaVc
from the main pipe to the stand pipe, and
Mr.. Holt, the Superintendent, and Mr.. c.
VI. Brainard left to do this. Before they
had done it, word was given out that the
stand pipe was running over, which ap-
peared to be the fact.
The Committee, it appears, had stipula-
ted with some members of the Water
Company that the pumps should be at
rest while the tests were being made upon
the Madison street hydrant. This it APP
pears was not understood by Mr.. Brain
pump was not properly instructed, but
when the water in the stand pipe receded
to certain point he started apump.l
Mr. Brainard ought to have known the
stipulations of the committee. 1t was
some ones fault that he did not but he
did not. 1t was just one of those cases
Of misunderstanding that occur when
least expected and without Justification
but they do occur. The very anxiety to
have things just right not infrequently
causes them to 90 all wrong.
The Corporation Commute Immediately
took IL for granted that the Water Com
pany were attempting to deceive them,
and suspended further inspection Of the
works.
That there was a misunderstanding
hardly admits of doubt, certainly not of
reasonable one. No one but an utterly
daft man would attempt to run the water
works pumps ION the sly" Their action
Is perceptible in every house in the village
where this water Is introduced, especially
along the main pipe. The chimney at the
pumping station would tell the tale.
There are citizens of the village at the
pumping station every day and liable to
be there any time of day in fact two well
known citizens were there a portion of
that afternoon. Any man could tell that
the pumps were running or were not run
ming, from the hills near the station with
out being observed. If the pumps were
being run on the sly, they would not have
been run long enough to overflow the
stand pipe
Then again there is very little to be
gained by pumping. The difference be-
tween the pressure when the stand pipe is
full and when 1t Is being filled, is but a
tribe on the lower grades. and at the ex-
tremity of Madison Street hardly percep-
tible.
Before ii can be reasonably claimed
that the Water Company intended to de-
ceive the Corporation Committee, some
motive must be shown for doing it.
While the Company might on some points
be the gamer by attempting to deceive
the Committee, in this matter of running
the pumps secretly, the advantage gained,
even by entire success, would be iniln-
itesimal.
There is every reason to believe the
pumping was through misunderstood
ing and no reason for thinking 1t other
wise, even without the statement of Mr..
Brainard that 1t was such. This clinches