The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-07

At Monday nights meeting of the
city government, the committee on
claims recommended the adoption of
an order providing for the payment of
S27 to NJ. f. Kelsey, to refund him for
expense incurred by laying water
pipes in Eureka street. Alderman Rus
sell objected and succeeded in getting
the report recommitted. Thereby hangs
a tale of much interest and which con-
Germs the city to the extent of a snug
little sum, say $4,000, perhaps more,
perhaps less
If a man wants water in his house,
he petitions the city for it. and if the
& government orders the work he gets it
without cost. If on the contrary the
city thinks that 1t is not warranted by
he needs of the question to grant the
request, there is only one alternative
left and that is to call ON Water Com
missioner Brady, who will put in the
pipes at the expense of the petitioner.
The city now puts in 100 feet of pipe
direct from the main, without expense,
but all over that amount the petitioner
has to pay for. This pipe is under the
control of the city If Immediately af-
Ter lHe pipe Has DeGH put III, pGOplG
commence to settle around the man who
has be To the expense to get the
water, tl-5y may tap his pipe and take
the water, comparatively free of eX
& pense. The man who paid for the pipe
has nothing to say about the matter
II is. right and fair because when he
lays the pipe he understands this. This
rule has been in vogue for many years
but the city has not until within the
10 lot sNC
dred feet of pipe without charge Pre-
Vious to that small amount was laid;
but otherwise the conditions have 81
ways been the same.
Now Mr.. Kelsey is one of the men
who had water put in at his own eX
pense under these conditions This
happened about 1889 Things went
along smoothly for time, but recent
" several people have settled about
Mr.. Kelsey on Eureka street, and have
got the advantage of his Improvement
without expense. Mr.. Kelsey has been
dissatisfied and now he thinks the city
ought to pay part Of the expense he
incurred. He cannot collect anything
from the people who are getting water
through the pipes he put in, 50 he turns
to the city. The authorities differ with
Mr. Kelsey because of the conditions
under which his pipes were put in.
They Insist that the pipe was laid for
him under the conditions named, and
that owing to this fact he has no right
TO be dissatisfied.
About two years previous to the time
Mr.. Kelsey had pipes laid the city laid
q one-inch pipe in Prentice street for a
man named Graves, head farmer at
the Lunatic hospital. This Was done
under an order from the city, the only
instance on record, and, of course. cost
Mr.. Graves nothing. Mr.. Graves has
frequently reminded Mr.. Kelsey of tais
fact. it Is said. and this has had some
thing to do with Mr.. Kelseys feelings.
It has given him the impression that
he has not been fairly treated.
This petition of Mr.. Kelsey's came be-
fore the committee on claims, and they
recommended that he be paid $2l. AL
derman Russell is q member of that
committee. Just what part he took
If any, when the matter was before the
committee, Is not known; but when the
report reaShed the city government he
saw trouble and opposed it, with the
result named
Alderman Russell sees further diff
culties ahead if the recommendation
is adopted He says that if this petit
ton is granted a precedent will be
established and that everybody in the
city, and there are hundreds, if not
thousands of people, who have had wat
er pipes put in under similar condi-
tions, and whose pipes have been used
by people who have settled later, VIII
have legal right to demand the same.
These claims will amount to something
like $40, 900, perhaps more, perhaps less:
but a very snug little sum; enough to
build one of the school houses which
are needed so badly, or to do many other
things that the growing municipality
needs Worcester wants lots of money,
The past year has demonstrated that
economy must be practiced. Alderman
Russell don't want to see the city waste
500, 900. if it can be helped, and he pro-
poses to fight the matter.
Officials of the water department
have nothing to say on the question
but they state that no pipes have been
laid under like conditions without a
distinct understanding as outlined
The people who have wanted water
and who have been off the line of the
regular mains, have had to pay the eX-
pense of putting in the service, except
the 100 feet mentioned, and 1t has been
expressly stated that this pipe could
be hitched onto by other people, and
that there would be no rebate in any
way.
MIR. Kelsey's petition has started A
M. Howe, and as result he sends III
the following communications:
"In 1886 the city. at my request, laio
A service pine in Eureka street, from
Main street to point in Eureka street
opposite a house owned by me, and car
ried 35 feet Of three-quarter pipe
from the service pipe into the house
The bill was rendered to me IN June
1886. for S71.03, which | paid July IL
1886
cat the time the city agreed to lay
this pipe. | was promised that if the
city or any other person used the ser
vice | should be reimbursed for the
expense attendant upon the laying OF
the pipe in the street. The city has now
taken, and is using the service pipe.