The Portland daily press., 1895-06-17
Sets Citizens Of Kennebunk Into a
Wrangle.
WEST KENNEBUNKERS PITTED
AGAINST THE VILLAGERS.
The Mousam Water Company, Composed
Chiefly of Portland Gentlemen, Makes
Proposition Which Is Voted Down in
Town Meeting After Three Hours of
Warm Debate.
Especial TO the PRESs.J

water question. Whether the town should
saddle a big debt .onto itself and put in
water works of its own, or whether out
side capital shall be allowed to come in
and supply the people with water-this,
along with the question of what would
be reasonable rate for water, furnished
material for three hours debate in the
Town Hall, Saturday afternoon.
1t was an adjourned session of a town
meeting, called week ago, chiefly for
the purpose of seeing what action the
citizens would take relative to the ac-
ceptance of proposition from the Mou-
sam Water Co. Messrs 6. W. West of Port
land and Henry G. Lord of Alfred were
present as representatives of the compa-
ny.
| At the previous meeting Messrs. Il. W.
Lord, Emery Andrews, Orren S. Ross,
Edwin Parsons and Frank G. Eaton had
been chosen committee to arrange de-
tails with the company, to get the best
terms possible and report to the town
some accommodation relative to the mat
| ter
/ Before the meeting opened some of the
projectors Of the enterprise expressed
doubt about their ability to carry the
measure through, that doubt being based
on the fact that West Kennebunk was
sending, over a large delegation of men
who semed to be cunning for scalps, be.
cause the news had reached that end OF
the town that West Kennebunk was not
directly included in the company S. prop
sitiOn.
After Moderator Fitzpatrick called the
meeting to order Mr. Emery Andrews,
in behalf of the committee, made verbal
report recommending the towns accep-
with submitted He explained that the
company proposes to build pumping
i station on the shore of Branch river, and
a to erect in the highest point of land in
Il that locality a standpipe with a capacity
for 500, 900 gallons which will give head
of 140 feet at the bridge. Pipes will be
laids in all the residence streets of the
village. The drinking fountains, three
sprinkler supply pipes, the town house,
village school houses, churches and fire
engine houses will be supplied free. The
townsmust agree to pay $40 each per year
for 25 hydarnts; additional hydrants to
be put in at actual cost, and ncScharge to
be made for their supply of water.
At present the town has fire pump
and seven hydrants the company agrees
to make free connection with these. AT
a recent meeting vote was passed pro-
J viding for the expenditure of $4500 in ex-
tending the towns present water service
! to the Boston & Maine bridge. A
part of the necessary pipe for the compli-
ance with this vote has already been pur-
chased; this pipe the company agrees to
buy at the price the town paid for it.
This reference to the village of West
i Kennebunk was made in the proposition :;
| that vuh 20 fa1Oi lies arc oI1arantoo6
to take water there and the town will
vote to locate three hydrants in that
section of the town at $40 per year for
each hydrant, the company will extend
it's services to include the village of
West Kennebunk
ny seeks to make with the town, and it
contains the stipulation that at the ex-
piration of that period the town will be
privileged to purchase the plant at a sum
not less than the original cost. A
similar contract is to be offered to the
; town of Kennebunkport, through which
the company intends to turn its pipes In
putting in the plant the company agrees
; to give preference to local laborers
After the committed S report had been
submit ted and the company's proposition
read and explained, somebody asked if
not excessive. Another asked if an am
pie supply could be obtained at Branch
River Col j. M Stone wanted to know
where the hydrants were to be located.
another citizen enquiries whether the
company would lay a service pipe in
side subscribers cellar wall. or wheth-
er the subscriber would be forced to pay
for connecting with the main
Some of the questions were answered
by the moderator, and the others by
Messrs. West and Lord, the company 's
representatives. The supply, they said,
will be ample. The water has been ana
lyZed and found to be of excellent quail
ty, while recent calculation showed
that the present flow of the river is about
1000, 900 gallons an hour, and the river is
now nearlya down to the lowest average
depth,
There was some lengthy discussion ovel
the question of
WATER RATES
to subscribers The rate is $40 for sin
gle faucet and additional charges fol
bath room, lawn hose and other purposes
One man figured it out that it would
cost him S27 a year for water in hi
house, which he considered exhorbitant.
Mr.. West argued that the rates proposed
for Kennebunk were about the same al
paid by other towns of this SIZE AS tt
laying pipes to subscribers, he said it wa
f the universal cutom for the subscriber
, to pay for his own connection with tht
main But in Freeport, as an induce
ment for large number of citizens tt
begin at once to take the water, the com
pany agreed to lay the pipes to the prop
erty line of every subscriber beginning
the service during the first year. HI
n would agree to such an arrangement
here.
Up to this point the meeting had pro
gressed very quietly; everybody wht
had taken part seemed desirable of OBJ
about the company's proposal It being
desirable that some minor matters b.
cleared up by the committee, the state
ment of Mr. Emery was accepted as th
committees partial report
When Col. Stone moved the acceptance
Of the Mousam Water company's PROPOSE
tioQ. the West Kennebunk conoingen