The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-03
THAT DAM.
Business Men
Object to 1t.
ADOPT RESOLUTION.
Clinton Association FavorS
7. d. Tates Plan.

Clinton. Jan. "A haunting horror,
in the minds of more timid people, is
The thought Of the great dam that viii
soon be constructed across the gorge
of the Nashua river damming back an
artificial lake many miles in eXpanse
in which VIII be millions OF gallons of
water pressing against the dam with
weight of hundreds of thousands of
tons. The top Of this dam will be 20
feet above the houses in the valley If
the dam should burst, there would be
horror beside which the Johnstown
flood was nothing.
a wave a hundred feet high would
rush down the valley of the Nashua,
spreading over the plain below sweep
ing away every obstacle in its path.
This is the picture OF what might be-
1t is picture that the metropolitan
water board has considered. 1t is
picture the metropolitan water board
does not intend shall become an actu-
atty. The board has made the plans for
the big dam, so that the resistance of
the dam will be greater by exceedingly
large number in figures than the force
OF the greatest amount Of water that
Will ever press against it,
Thomas Damon Tate has some iCiea.,a
OF his own, however, about what shosdd
be done to increase the factor of safety
IN the dam. He thinks the State
should take no chances, and hs is not
going to let the state take any chances
If he can help it.
Tonight, at a meeting of the Clinton
Business Mems Association. after the
city charter matter haG<'been consid-
cred, he handed to The secretary the
Following resolution:
To the Metropolitan Water Board.
Respectfully represent your petitioners,
that they are citizens ana reside in the
town of Clinton; that they have lived
here since the beginning of the work
OF the metropolitan water board: that
they have seen the abuse u the cone
tract laoor system by the importation
OF foreign labor, which pays no taxes
and does noJ good to the town: that
they believe the work, While De zee; tH&'
should befdone with as little harm to
the town as possible:
wherefore, your petitioners reouest
that IN the construction of the large
dafn the whole matter may be left to
ms boards engineers, and that it be
quit by The day labor and not bv con-
Tract, and that noue but citizens of the
lnited States be employed in the con
struction'
Mr.. Tate explained the purport of
ms resolution to the Clinton corre-
spondent of The Spy. and said: Il
NShtIS hOpS Inal the METROPOLITAN
water board may. in their wisdom. con
sider the idea of building this big dam
themselves, as IL would be much safer
Tor the town. We all know that a.
forS IN contract work have been made
with disastrous results
GU know that engineers are not in
iaIhnle, and what has occurred before
III matters as momentous as this NAV
occur again"
Inc meeting of the association to-
1lSht was called principally to consider
resolution relative to the CITY char
1er' Inc sense of the meeting was that
~. ne nle1hpefs need more time TO think
cle matter over. and the resolution af
1ectlng anything definite was tabled
until the next meeting
Two RESOLUTIONS We're offered-one nv
H. d Merchant at the last meeting
ana motion contained in a letter from
warren Goouaie, president of the asso-
cation, and at present in Florida.
The first resolution provided for q
town meeting, to be held to designate
committee, which would decide
whether Clinton should be a citv or
not, and TO report the finding at a sub
Sequent town meeting
Mr.; Goodale's motion provided for the
appointment of committee of five. Sc
iected from the association. TO INQUIRE
INTO the sentiment of the town. Mr..
Goodale was opposed to going at once
INTO town meeting The motion pro
Nlded that $25 be set aside to nav The
expenses of the committee of five.
Mr.. Goodale's motion was accompan-
led by letter, which created some ex-
cltement. He said in the Letter that
the city scheme had been forced to an
issue by the Worcester newspapers. and
accused the papers of having an eve
19f the interests Of the advertisers in
Worcester, caring little for the interests
of Clinton. .ss
Charles Frazer a large manufactured,
of Clinton, presided at the meeting. The
Merchant resolution was tabled. on
motion of j. e. Harrity Thomas DaW-
son Tate spoke against the tabling of
the resolution. and said that it was time
that Clinton should become a city. John
oToole spoke along the same lines. w.
L. Hubbard said thai the association
was in no shape to back the movement
IN. tie accused II. B. Merchant of
springing the resolution at the las,
= meeting. Mr.. Merchant said that the
resolution had been brought up at the
earliest possible moment as it was new
business,
Mr. Harrity moved to table Mr. Good
ale's motion. w. L. Hubbard spoke
against the motion to table Herman
Geitschman moved that bo:h motions
he taken up at the next regular meet
ing. Mr.. Harrity protested vigorously
but Mr. Geitschman's motion was car
licd almost unanimously.
In answer, George S. Gibson replied