St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-02-22
A PROPOSITION
LOOKING TOWARD A BETTER WA
TER SUPPLY.
Something for ST. JohuSbury Village to
Think about and Act Upon.

ering proposition made to them
with view to ensuring an ample
supply OF water for domestic and FIRE
purposes, and that the people of the
village would be given an opportu-
nifty TO examine into the details
of the plan and decide whether it
should be accepted or rejected.
The trustees have just issued a
special report, explaining the propo-
sltion referred to and putting it into
shape for Intelligent consideration
oy the tax payers. They say that
the present water system plant of
the village was installed in 1876, at
cost OF about $50, 900, and that at
that time the Passumpsic river water
was IN a reasonably pure condition.
For some years past, however, the
plant has been a source of consider
able anxiety, and at times the only
supply that the village had was what
was turned into its pipes by the
Aqueduct Company. In 1892 the
trustees felt that improvements could
not be further delayed, and exten-
slve repairs were made, including the
| setting up of a steam pump and a
Jewell filter, at large expense. Since
the village system was put in the
! population has increased, by natural
growth and the addition of Summer
vile, from $500 TO 5000, and the
water mains, which were formerly of
| adequate size, are now too small IN
many places, while Summerviile has
no village water whatever.
Reference is made in the report to
| the serious problems presented by
the recent outbreak of typhoid fever,
and the trustees then go on to show
that the present village water sys-
tenn is not equal to the demand, and
that to make it efficient as to guam
tlty and distribution would require
an outlay of at least S45, 900. With
a view to securing an ample supply
of good water, surveys were made
! from Joe's pond IL Danviile and from
Goss Hollow brook but the former
method was estima ted to cost $685.
37S, and the Goss Hollow brook
plan 500, ,273.
Reference is made also to the plant
of the st. Johnsbury Aqueduct Com
pany, which is said to be considera-
bly, broken down and in need of re-
pairs. 1t was estimated that the
amount of water filtered at Stiles
pond is from 25O,OOO to 100000
gallons per day, and that the aver
| age amount which ran to waste at
that point was SIS, 900 gallons per
day; and that, shutting off the waste,
the supply from that pond could be
brought up to 100000 gallons per
day. 1t is practicable to so raise the
dam there as TO give a storage ca
pacity of 100, 900, 900 gallons, which
would ensure a never-faiIing supply.
The Aqueduct Company make a
proposition which is to be presented
in full at special village meeting
called for March S, at p. m. The
salient features of that proposition
are as follows:
1st. The Aqueduct company are to
| construct efficient system of water
works, essentially per the plan pre-
pared by their engineer, and consisting
of a dam and filter plant at Stiles pond,
liza reservoir located at some suitable
point near the village, a conduit from
, Stiles pond to the reservoir not less than
| 10 inches IN diameter, and a system of
force and distribution mains varying in
diameter from 16 inches to not less than
d inches, laid through the settled portion
Oftthe village. To these mains are to be
| connected within the village limits 13O
fire hydrants, with not less than inch
| connections, additional hydrants to be
I added at the request OF the village on a
pro rata basis OF the rental paid for the
130. The company are to maintain a
constant supply of water al the hydrants,
accidents excepted, of 60 pounds per
| square inch on Main street, and 305
pounds on Railroad street. BY the plans
referred to the Aqueduct company
abandon all Of their present mains and a
! large per cent. of the village mains.
None of the village inch mains will be
/ uSed except on q lew snort cross streets
All OF the present hydrants, about 80 in
number, will be thrown out, they
| have inch connections.
ID. The village are to pay an annual
rental of $4,000 for the 13O hydrants and
! for water for their own ordinary uses,
such as watering troughs, sprinkIing
streets, flushing sewers, etc. In addition
to this, they are to pay the taxes, if any
are assessed upon the plant in the town
ship of St. Johusbury.
| Sd. The water company are to furn-
| ish such inhabitants of the village as
I shall apply water for ordinary domestic