The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-05
The Big Tank
At Clinton
Jars Of Fluid Submitted
To the State Board.

Clinton. Oct. 4.-.Water has been shut
off from the big lion tank on Burditte
hill for about two weeks. This tank
was erected some years ago, 81 feet in
the air, with the idea that it would
be q benefit TO few families in the
neighborhood. Water did not flow
freely on the upper floors of Burditte
hill homes, and the idea was to raise
the level and the pressure on the pipes,
This tank is a big iron affair, on stills.
It holds 200, 900 gallons of water, ana it
cost $4,000 TO put it where it is. There
was a big cry when a board of re-
publican water commissioners put it
up. The democrats said it served no
good purpose, and was nothing but a
scheme to catch votes, and so the dis
pute continued until the present board
OF water commissioners took office.
They are a democratic board.
And now the water does not run into
the tank nor out OF it. It's shut off
It's just known that it's shut off, and
the mystery here is, Why?
a reporter of The Spy is one of the
few persons ir Clinton that knows
why, and this is it.
samples Of the water, three jars full,
We're taken from the tank. some time
ago, and sent to the state board of
health for examination.
About two weeks ago the report on
the samples came to hand. The re-
port is that the water in the tank is
very impure. 1t is declared unpleas-
ant to the taste-is pronounced, in
short, a fluid that is neither pleasant
nor exactly healthy for the stomach
of man or beast.
The tone Of the report apparently
carried but single idea to the mind
Of supt. Thomas Burns. This idea
was;
The water is unfit to drink"
Almost. Immediately after receiving
the report, he had the water shut out
from the tank and would not permit
any of the 100000 gallons in the tank
to flow into the homes it had hitherto
supplied.
Ths. suspicious of one of the water
commissioners was directed to the
water by the fact that the top of the
tank high on the hill was open to the
fierce heat Of the sun, and covered with
the floating remains Of small flies that
lay upon the surface of the water in
thick and stagnant patches.
1t seems that Supt. Burns, accom-
panied by one or more of the COM
missioners, came to the tank with
top and bottom water in the tank were
taken. The report is based on the con-
tents of these lars.
1t is reported that there was a
scene between Supt. Burns and Com
missioner Gibbons when the latter
learned that the water mad been shut
off. Mr.. Gibbons still enteTtains ideas
of his own about the tank, but he is
said to have acouiesced i'll the course
taken by Supt. Burns when the rea-
sons for it were made known to him.
The problem now is what to do
about the 100000 gallons of water in
the tank 1t isn't fit to be turned in
to the house supply, or so the COM
rnissioners believe. 1t can only be
pumped out with difficulty. This tank
enjoys the dignity of being political
contention. 1t is an issue. Republi-
can policy erected. Democratic argu-
ment contends that it served nor does
serve, any purpose worth $4,000.
In others words the den:ocratics
claim that it does not give any extra
water supply, or attic supply to war
rant its continued use.
That the water from the tank is inn
pure is a discovery of comparatively
recent origin. What amount of sick
ness and i'll health was ocCasioned
While the water was IN use is mat
ter that can only be coniectured.
A reporter of The Spy tried to in
terview Supt. Burns this afternoon. He
wouldn't talk He said he had no right
TO talk.
Another sample of Clinton water mas
been sent for examination.
The result Of this examina ton is
hardly uncertain. The water supply
of Clinton is drawn from springs in
Sterling that are famous for their pur-
ity.
AS soon as the report is received the
water commissioners will deal with the
matter as then seems best, and from
the detailed results Of both examina-
tons
This report is written on fairly ac-
curate knowledge of the substance of
the report already in hand.
TROUBLOUS TIMES.
A very large proportion of 200 Italians
employed by Riddel & Co., contractors
for the new highway to replace Boyl-
ston street, will find themselves out of
a job. within the next few days. About
9 o'clock a. m today a half dozen of the
more aggressive members of the Italian
gang got their heads together then
went up and down the line, melting
their fellows to strike. In Italian and
in broken English they declared that
the company was not going to pay for
the work done in September, was going
to cheat the men out of it, in fact.
Practically every Italian threw down
his pick and shovel. Then the men
gathered in muttering groups. Chief of
Police Murphy was summoned. He ar
rived at 800 with a detail composed of
officers Smith, O'Toole, MCGEE, Burke,
McLane and Craig. The police found
about half a dozen men who were the
ringleaders. They seemed to be foment-
ing violence. The men made a rush.
Two got away. The remainder consult
ed with the officers finally agreeing to
go back to work if they were promised
their pay the same day.
This afternoon the paymaster made
his appearance and the men received
their money with effusive demonstra-
tion of JOY. II is the custom of the COM
pany to pay once month. Pay day
came Saturday. but by some accident
was not forthcoming The men got rat
tied and struck without warning. This
is why so many OF them are likely to
be seeking new jobs this week.
Chief Murphy would especially like
to meet No $50. who made demonstra-
tons with club as big as a small tree.
CHANGE OF BASE.
Herbert Clark Hume, formerly with
the Clinton Item and also on the staff