The Portland daily press., 1895-06-25
WATER FOR GORHAM.
The Village Votes to Contract With
the New Company.

more than other States, feels the need of
pure water that will serve both to quench |
the thirst and as beverage. And there
are plenty of sources of supply in the
State, not alone the famous Poland |
Spring and the Underwood, once the
delight of the red men, but in springs
and streams innumerable. To get this |
pure water to the villages is a question
of the hour. Yarmouth and Kennebunk |
have just decided how they will do it
and now comes Gorham, the latest addi-
tion to the list of towns with this most |
important endssin view. Four years ago
Hon. Isaac W. Dyer set the ball rolling
and two years ago a charter for a water |
company was secured. This charter in
a somewhat modified form was renewed
at the last session and the company is
now in existence, with Hon. Frederick
Robie as president and Mr.. Dyer as treas
urer. In the meantime village corpor-
alton has been formed to include that
part of the town which particularly needs
a water supply.
A week ago last evening meeting was
committee was appointed to see what
agreement could be made with the COM
pany for a water supply. This commit
tee was to report last evening and so
about 300 citizens went early to the town
hall, that little white building, up by
the Normal School, resembling Grecian
temple on the outside, and meeting
~, +Lo of hor
crossed the portico and found your way
inside. Mr. Stephen Hinkley, who act
ed as moderator, was there, and SO were
Governor Robie, who made rattling
good speech in favor of the contract, and
Lewis Mcclellan, ESQ.,, who praised the
Governors eloquence, and favored water
supply, but wanted the town to put in it's
own Col. Millett, Hon. I. W. Dyer,
Roscoe 6. Harding, Clark H. Barker
George B. Emery, John A. Waterman
| and all the other prominent men of the
village were there, too.
Moderator Hinkley read the report of
the committee recommending the making
mitted. He then read the contract itself
and letter from Mr.. Charles W. Fern,
civil engineer, stating that the plan
proposed would give the village an abun-
dant supply of water for domestic and
fire purposes and result in highly salts
factory system. The question was then
borught before the house by motion by
Gov. Robie to accept the report.
Gov. Robie said that it seemed to be
unn ecessary, at this time, after the mat
ter had been so thoroughly discussed in
meeting, on the streets andi n the stores,
to say much about it. He did not know
as much about this matter as he wished
he did, but he did know that this sub
ject was one that was attracting the earn
est attention of towns of the size Of Cor
ham. He thanked the gentlemen who
had pushed this charter through the Leg
islature and all who were actively inter-
ested in the matter. They are working
said the Governor, "for the you and me
and they should not be criticized -
GOV. Robie said he had questioned men
who knew great deal about water sup
plies and from them he was led to believe
that there was not extravagant profit for
anybody in supplying Gorham with wat
er. This was village of houses and the
number of water takers would be prob
lematical. 1t was different in Portland,
that large city, where the company which
supplies the water enjoyed a large reven-
ue
Gov. Robie strongly urged the making
of the contract and the introduction of
water as a means of king Gorham
more desirable as village of homes
Portland is overfowing into the sur
rounding country and the beautiful vii
lage of Gorham, with it's cultured people
and desirable location is one of the best |
of places for the home,seeker' to make his |
abiding place. The Governors remarks |
were loudly applauded.
Lewis Mcclellan said he was ready to |
vote now or at any time to put water in
to this village He had every confidence |
in the committee. There was no doubt |
how the vote would stand and he had |
no doubt that in thirty days the company
would have all the money it wanted, but |
he should vote against the report because
these works. The report was to be ac-
cepted by an overwhelming vote and it |
did not need the remarks of the Governor,
with whose words of eloquence this hall
had often rung, to secure that vote. But |
Mr.. Mcclellan believed that the corpora |
tion should not tie itself to water COM
pany. 1t should build it's own water |
works.
Mr.. Mcclellan made three predictions. |
That in two years the town would be |
tired Of this agreement; that the water |
company would secure more money than
it needed and that it would have it's
works built by next October, and he
hoped it would.
The vote was then taken and everybody
voted for the report and the contract but
Mr. Mcclellan, who stood up alone in
and pleasantly remarked
'That's all right as he looked at all
his fellow-citizenss who were sitting
down,