Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-12-06
DEADLOCK ON THE WATER QUESTION
Hot Discussion in the Lower Board Over
 the Electric Franchise,

Hot Discussion in the Lower Board Over
 the Electric Franchise.
 The board of aldermen was called to order by his honor, the mayor, last night, and after disposing of several minor matters took up the question of water supply.
 On motion of Alderman Cross the fol- lowing vote was taken from the table:
 "Voted, That the plan recommended by the board of water commissioners, October l, 1888, be approved and adopt ed, and that the board of water com missioners be, and they are hereby au- thorized and empowered to make all conditional contracts and do all neces sary acts for the purpose of carrying this vote into effect"
 Alderman Barlow asked that when the vote be taken, it be by yeas and nays.
 Alderman Webster then spoke on the inadvisedness of going west for the water and quoted what Engineer Herring had sald about the western supply in his re- port. He said: ''To procure a supply from Hop brook the water board wants authority from the legislature to issue bonds to the extent of $500,000 This vote would empow CT the water board to make all contracts and settle all dam- ages. It has not been the custom of thls or any other enlightened board to confer such enormous power as this upon any minor board"
 Mayor Webster said that section of the charter empowers the water board to make conditional contracts, and then report back to the court of common council all plans, estimates of expenses, etc. The council may approve or re- ject the same.
 Alderman Webster then said: F'It | seems to me worthy of consideration | whether we shall ignore the disinter- | ested report of this engineer or go back | to system which nineteen-twentieths of our people condemn. In reference to the statement that one manufacturing company in Waterbury uses 4.0O0,000 gallons of water daily, have it from a | man who knows as much about that mill as anybody for the past forty years, that there is as much water wasted | there as used. Just think of company using more water daily than the entire population of the city. I don't credit the statement; I don't care what any individual may say. They can put in pipes large enough to use up any sup ply. enter my solemn protest against conferring this power on the water board. I believe it is an iniquity. The water of Hop brook is not suitable to drink. The source is putrid and inn pure one and the board should not l jeopardize the lives of our citizens by adopting it,
 l Alderman Cross spoke at length on the western supply and quoted portions of MT Hering's report.
 Alderman Thompson said: "It seems to me that if this vote merely emp overs the water board to make conditional contracts and report back to the council that we might require them to get esti- ! from of orlS thing will go along until we have a l water famlne."
 After little more argument the Iquestion was put and ithe vote carried, Alderman Webster voting nay.
 Alderman Cross then presented the following vote, which was carried: Voted, that we instruct and empower the city attorney to take the necessary action to procure from the legislature the power to issue water bonds to the amount of $500, GOO and also take such steps as are necessary.to to obtain legisla- tive right to take water from any streams, ponds or lakes in Litchfield county.
 i The board of finance was authorized
 to borrow S20,000 in anticipation of
 taxes already laid, and also to transfer
 all unexpended balances from any ap
 propriation to any other account in l Iuo D0 IuSulll
 cient to pay the bills against it.
 ''The following vote was passed: Voted, That the mayor and common council will request in writing the rail road commissioners to order gates to be
 erected at the West Main street anC Washington avenue crossings of the Naugatuck division, and that the city
 attorney be directed to present such re
 quest to the commissioners. Nl~ T A1 H. port of the special committee on grant
 ing to the Horse Railroad company per
 mission to equip its lines with cleo tricity, which amendment was passed 2 by the council, was tabled by the alder 3 men until the next meeting, on the ob lection of Alderman Kelley. 6 The board adjourned for two weeks. | In the council the first business to at
 tract the undivided attention of tn
 members was motion by Councilman
 Filling that the board rescind thu motion offered by Councilman Bannol
 and passed at the last regular meeting The motion was the allowing of thu trolley system on condition that the far' between the hours of or in the morn
 ing, 12 and 1 at noon and 6 and in th'
 evening, be three cents; that the fare fo
 school children be three cents; that thu right to exact a portion of the gros receipts be reserved to the city; that th a ight to alter or amend the manner o t propelling cars be lodged with the cour j. of common council, and that the com
 pany should in the near future compen
 sate the city for the franchise. l Councilman Fitzpatrick objected t. n such manner of procedure, as the bil l was now the property of the board o s aldermen.
 Councilman Downey moved that tn
 vote be recalled.
 Councilman Bannon argued that tn ' vote of the council should stand. H | saw no reason to change what had beel ,. done; in fact the conviction wa $ stronger in his mind that they had don right. The Thomson-Houston compan.
 had made advances in the storage bat terY system which would soon replac Y the trolley system, and there was D. n need for haste in the..matter. t Councilman Fitzpatrick said: "Afte ,t the city parts with this franchise tha
 settles the matter for all time. H &lo O.