Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-11-01
MAD RIVER YS HOP BROOK.
THE WATER QUESTION ONCE MORE DISCUSSED.

supply for Waterbury is momentous one. Maj ufacturers and merchants, house owners and house holders. rich and poor, all are are interested to a greater or less extent in the problem the correct solution of which has for so many years puzzled those who have had the matter in charge. The history of the present water system is so we'll known that there is no need of us ex plaining in detail the many heart-aches it has caused. From altnust the very first the supply has been inadequate. Many thousands of dollars have been sunk in improvements and additions recommended by the commissioners, but in every case the relief was transit tory, and to-day they tell us that there is only thirty days supply of the ele- | mcnt in the reservoir The question that confronts uS Is this Shall we in- crease the city's bonded indebtedness over a quarter of a million of dollars and secure in return stream of water that is both impure and unreliable, or shall we at no greater cost utilize a river that will forever supply the city's need? An, but where is the river, you will ask Listen!
 THE MAD RIVER.
 Some W here away up among the hills of Wolcott this immense stream has its origin, as pure mountain rivulet as can anywhere he found. Numerous tributaries nearly us large as itself add to it's increasing strength as it 1dashes wildly down through the hills and at every point the water is as clear as crys- tai. Thousands of acres of water shed Eand many springs increase it's volume. The name Mad river is most aptly ap- piled for when at its best the roar of the | waters rushing oyer the stones can be heard long before the river is in sight. For the first few miles the course of the river is through a wild, mountainous country where no impurities can possibly be gathered. the only signs of life being the wrecks of two very small mills, both of winch are decayed beyond repair. | Near the foot of the first steep incline is Rutter's shop, this being the only mill on the river until the tannery at Water bury is reached. Below this the stream at intervals is approached on either side by sloping hills forming the natural bed of a system of reservoirs and, most singular to relate, the formation of the land is such that only narrow walls of heavy masonry would be required to hold back waters sufficient to flood large areas of land. This is particularly true of one point on the river about one and one half miles from the pumping station to which the mains are already laid.
 Just north of the Southington road, above the tannery the river runs through d ravine for distance of half mile or more. At this point another short dam could be built. The land on either side is unimproved and could be bought for a song, and with but little expense d reservoir having a depth of from twenty to forty feet could be made not more than three-quarters of a mile from the pumping sUSIrtoEEs
 We believe that the first named point is high enough to supply four-hfths of the city with water. Lindley brook and the Chestnut hill reservoir empty into the river not far from this point. An idea of the greatness of the river can be gained by watching its flow at the pumping station near liar per's Ferry. Although nearly 1,O00,O0O gallons day are taken from the stream at this point it's volume is not noticeably lessened and the factories have all the water they can use in the dryeSt seasons.
 A PLAN TO STORE THE WATER.
 Probably the first argument against the plan we suggest will be that to divert the water of the river will seri- ously affect the factories along its banks, in which event the manufac- turers will not relinquish their privi- leges without struggle. Right here let us say that if the industries of the city were to suffer in even a slight degree by the proposed plan, the DEMOCRAT would be the first to oppose 1t. They are the key to the great success and prosperity of Waterbury and should be encouraged rather than hampered. There Is plenty of W ater in the Mad river for all pur- poses. Our plan is to make a storage reservoir for the use of the mills, just north of the Southington road. 4 short wall of masonry and an earthen breast work will hold back several hundred million gallons of water. The overflow from the city's reservoir, which would be located further up stream, could be stored here and by means of sluice- gate fed out to the mills during working hours in the dry season, which is only of a few weeks duration each year. Be- sides this the supply from Beaver brook, which enters the river near Harpers Ferry, would help to supply the facto- ries if they still required more water, by putting a dam in that immense ravine opposite the new Catholic cemetery.
 Good judges agree that by the above plan the factories can have all the water they require, and more, while the city will have never-failing supply. Instead of allowing the surplus water to flow past us during the nights and on Sundays in the dry season, by the aid of a few easily constructed dams, enough is stored to supply the needs of the factories and the city. Suppose for ex- ample the city's storage reservoir con tains 50O, 1000 gallons. During the dry summer months the sluice- gate could be opened and the entire flow of the river allowed to go to the mills with out reducing the amount of the city $ supply more than one-half.
 THE MAIN RESERVOIR.
 The city's reservoir could be located either below or above Rutter's mill as might be determined by the engineers
 and, unlike the proposed Hop brook reser- voir, it, would not require two years to fiji. By the plans we suggest the city can obtain control of a supply thai
 will answer the needs of future genera tions and forever do away with the patchwork system that has proved SC