Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-22
REPORT FRoM THE MATER BOARD.
They Are For Hop Brook First, Last
 and All the Time.

and All the Time.
 The adjourned meeting of the court of common council to discuss the sub- ject of an additional water supply was held last night.
 The first business to come before the meeting was a communication from the board of education and district committee, asking that the city extend Church street to the rear of the land deeded to the Bronson library corpora tion, and deed lot on the land at the rear for a High school building. The matter was referred to the road board.
 The water question was then brought before the board of aldermen, by the clerk reading lengthy communication 21, in which they favor that part of Engineer Hering's report as relates to the taking of Hop brook. The com missiouers do not feel warranted in recommending the taking of Mad river, | for the alleged reason that 1t would in- terfere with the manufacturers along the river. They concluded by recom- mending the adoption of their western plan.
 The report was accepted and ordered on file.
 The following vote was then taken from the table and presented for dis cussion:
 "Voted, That the plan recommended by the board of water commissioners, October 1, 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 the vote into effect.
 Alderman Webster arose and ex- plained that he could not let the vote be taken without a protect. He said: "I had no idea that the water board would recommend the adoption of Engineer Hering's report. They have a precon- propose to move from their position, no matter how much the majority of the citizens favor the eastern source." Judge Webster explained that he was loath to cripple our manufacturing in- dustries by taking water away from them, and would vote against such plan, if he thought for a moment that taking water from Mad river would cripple any industry. He continued: "We have never had any accurate state ment of what it will cost to take water from the west. The place where they propose to place the reservoir is a swamp and the water board estimates that it can be cleaned for $20,000. If ybody knows where the bottom of that swamp is I would like to have them tell me. Nobody knows how many cubic yards of mud are there. They say it can be cleaned for $20, ,000, but say it cannot be cleaned for $500,- 900. What estimates have been made for the damages to the mill rights on
 Hop brook and Quassapaug ?" Alderman
 Webster picked up copy of last even- ing's DEMOCRAT, which contained a communication on the water supply, and said that the man who wrote it has good common sense. He ridiculed the statement he had heard a manufacturer
 make that one concern alone used over 3, ,OOO, ,OOO gallons daily for washing pur-
 poses and characterized it as simple
 bosh. He asserted that the supply could easily be furnished to these mills
 and that the city, at reasonable ex-
 pense, could give the factories more
 water than they now have by prevent
 ing waste. 'To take this report of the ) water board" he concluded, ''and au. thorlze them to spend $450,000 and how
 much more nobody can tell, is wrong
 l oppose it. I favor asking the legisla. [ ture to give the city power to take the } eastern supply and condemn the land don't know how my associates vii act on this question, but I think il l would create riot. The people would , rise up. We have expended money tC
 
 3 all sources and he has reported in favor , of the east. Now they want to take } another supply. It would be a grave t mistake. l hope the aldermen vii weigh this matter well before going , into such monstrous extravaganza" , Alderman Begnal did not wish to see , the city involved in law suit If some :, arrangement could be made whereby the manufacturers rights could be pur chased, he would favor the eastern F supply.
 Alderman Reilly said: "I am opposed
 to crippling the manufacturers, but if anybody can show me how we can give , back to them what we take, I would , favor going to the east. Why could not
 the city condemn both sites and refer the matter to the board of compensa-
 tion for an estimate of benefits and
 damages"
 ' Alderman Thompson: "I really don't feel like voting for that report until know what the cost will be. My opin- ion has always been that if the water of
 Mad river could be kept back and stored
 there would be plenty for the mills and the city also, and have been familiar : with the stream for forty-six years. The mills do not use as much of the water as
 in years gone by, but I would not favor
 taking all the water from the mills. If
 it could be arranged so that they could have enough I would be satisfied. If the manufacturers are willing to let us
 have Chestnut hill reservoir why not
 take it and feel our way? During the
 rain last week foot of water was go-
 ing over one of the dams on the rIver ) for forty-eight hours, enough to supply the city for some time."
 Alderman Cross championed the talk ing of the additional water supply from the west.
 Alderman Guernsey said that as he had not seen this swamp at Hop brook
 he could not vote intelligently and he suggested that the board visit it. The board has already visited it, but as ) Alderman Begnal is also unfamiliar ) with the locality motion by Alderman Kelley to table the question until the } next meeting was carried.
 l In the lower board after the report ot the water commissioners had been read ICoupcilmaO Ramon movad that the