The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-11

river they are interfering with our rights
and shall legally notify them that In our
opinion they have no right to do this.
What the action will be after this notin-
cation ID made do mos care 10 Say. We
shall protest saginst the water being shut
OF on Saturday night or at any other
time and II nsossa-y we shall invoke the
court to protect Us In our ieRal rishts."
Judge Fostsr went on to say that II was
as necessary for che oity of Portland to
have lights ON saturday night as 1t was
any other night in the week. 1t would
not be right for the Presumpscot Water
Power company 10 shut on the dow Of
water through the mains of the Portland
Water company en- sunday because the
citizans Of Portland require water as
much on Sunday as they do AZ any other
time
WHAT MR.. BROWN SAYS.
Manager George W. Brown Of the Port.
land Electric Light company did not cars
to talk much about the shutting on Of
the water from his COMPANY on saturday
night He said that two weeks ago he
had asked the manager Of the Presump-
SCOT Water Power company II they would
not shut the water of at tine head Of the
river on sunday morning to enable his
company TO do some work at the dam
and that tbs manager Of the Eresumpscot
Water Power company refused to comply
with this request. A little later the water
was shut on, however, so that some Of the
work could be done, When the shortage
Of water was discovered ut the comrany's
plant on the Presumpscot. Manager Brown
said that he ordered man to go up to
the head OF the river and ask that the
gates be opened. When this man reached
the head Of the river he found that the
gates were all closed with the exception
Of one which was open aboat two fest.
After . long time the gate keeper did
open the one gate two and q half feet
more, giving a dow Of water OF about
four feet This flow did not reach the
power station until O'Clock and 1t was
then too late to bs Of any uss rs far as the
lighting OF Portland was concerned.
Yesterday the water was turned on again
in time to he used by the Portland Elec-
trio Light company and they were light
ing the streets of the city where they
have completed their service as well as
ever. Mr. Brown said that he did not
anticipate any mora troubls OF this sort
as he thought the Presumpsoot Water
Power company would sse that they had
no right to shut off the water and would
not attempt to do 1t again
AN INTERVIEW WITH W. M. BRAD
LEY, ESQ.
w. M. Bradley. Esq., attorney for the
Presumpsoot Power com pany, was seen
at his home on Park street, yeste rdsy
afternoon by a reporter Of the PRESS.
and was as ksd to say something In regard
to the matter now psneing between the
Presumpsoot Power company and the
Portland Electric Light company.
Mr.. Bradley was not } over anxious to
talk for publication, but 1t was suggested
to him that there seemed to be wide q.
spread sentiment that the action of his
compan N shutting of the water Satur-
day night was prompted by malice to-
wards the electric company.
This suggestion he would not allow to
pass without comment and very thought
fully, he said:
ssNo, there was malice IN tho action
of the PIesun,pscot Power company, and
the question involved is q purely legal
one.
"The shutting OF of the water on Sat
urday night was not an unusual thing,
but right which has been exercised q,
all p,riods Of the year when the water In
the lake 10 not far above the averags
amount 1t is right which has been
exercised for many years, the idea beirg
70 save the water during sunday TO the
and that 1t may be evenly distributed
during the working days OF the week.
"Tbe Presumpscot Power company has
spent over 800 900 In building a dam and
In securing dowage rights, all Of which
has bsen for the benefit of all the water
power owners on the river, while as q
natter OF fact only very few of them con-
tributed any thing.
aIhe Sehago Power company has had
and now has the benefit of 1t, although
neither 1t or It's predecessors In title con
| tributtd a penny for the construction OF
the dam, or the puFonass Of 6owage rights
| on the pond.
1.-THE whole idea OF the Presumpsoot
Power company is to store the water In
the pond at periods of high water when
1t would otherwise run to waste, and to
supply through every working day IN
equal amount of water.
al repeat. there was no malice intended
by the shutting of of the water Satur-
day night it has been the custom to do
SO for 40 years. Not shutting the water
back on Sunday means waste and very
material decrease IN the power of the
river during the work days Of the week.
"Without the dam and without the
storage In the pond 1t would be extreme
ly difficult to carry on manufactures on
the Presumpscot and their establishment
there would be hardly worth consider
log.
"All the powers on the Presamps,ot
l. a