Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-11
VISION WATER BILL.

An act authorizing the city of Lew
iston to take water for municipal and
domestic purposes came up on its first
reading.
The bill was read once.
Pending the second reading Mr.
Virgin of Portland, offered amendment:
A to amend Section / by inserting af-
ter the word County in the third line
the words. except Sabattus pond"
Mr.. MOREY of Lewiston: l object
10 the amendment that is offered by
the gentleman from Portland (Mr. Vir-
gin. The matter was discussed here
the other day very fully it seems to me,
and i'm order that the members inter-
ested might have a further hearing if
they desired. the matter was again re-
committed toVhe committee on interior
waters. and a full discussion was had
there of this question. The parties
were represented. and all claims were
put forward by the mill owners at Sa-
battus pond before that committee.
The committee very carefully consider
ed it and unanimously reported the
second time that this bill pass as it
is drawn here.
1t seems to me that there is no rea-
son for excepting Sabattus pond. We
wish to have the right to take water
from either one Of the four large ponds
in Androscoggin county. The hydrau-
lie surveys have not yet been made
and we cannot tell which is the most
advisable place to go to- Wecxpect to go
to Lake Auburn. but as say. the by
draulic surveys having not been made.
it is impossible at this time 10 say to
which pond we want to go. Sabattus
pond is six miles from Lewiston. 1t is
not SO well supplied with water as the
other ponds in the county. But it may
become necessary and if it becomes
necessary-and there is no one in this
House who questions the propriety of
the city of Lewiston having water for
domestic purposes-if it should become
necessary. then we want this right, we
want it in our charter, and we provide
in the act that for any damages done
to any person. any corporation, any
mill owner for any water rights or any
privileges of any kind, we shall have
to pay our damages if we take it. Sa-
battus pond is six miles distant. twice
that to Lake Auburn: but we cannot
tell until the report of the hydraulic
engineers come in where we shall go:
been. so thoroughly discussed for the
second time in the committee at the
request of the mill owners of Sabattus
and they being fully represented,
that there should be no occasion now
for rejecting the report of this com
mittee on interior waters made a sec
ond time after a full and exhaustive
hearing; and l hope the amendment
will not prevail.
Mr.. VIRGIN of Portland: At the re-
quest of the mill owners that have
been mentioned here. | introduced this
amendment. 1t is true that a hearing
was had and that a representative of
the mill owners was present and stated
his objections to the committee. But
the gentleman from Lewiston admits.
as 1 understand, without any dispute
that the city of Lewiston has no inten-
ton of going to Sabattus pond to take
water to supply the city with water for
domestic purposes and other purposes
named in the bill
1t was stated. as I get from the re-
port in the Lewiston Journal of the
proceedings before the committee, by
the parties from Lewiston who Awere
representing the water company, that
the water in Sabattus pond was not fit
for drinking purposes or for the pur
poses for which they wish it in Lewis
ton: that the water comes over marShy
soil and that the deepest part of the
pond is about % feet: ard that it is
6 miles away, nearly twice as far as
Lake Auburn. Lake Auburn being the
source from which they intend to take
water. Now it seems to me, and l trust
it will seem so to the members of the
House. that it Is not within reason to
ask to take the water of the entire
county of AndroscOggin for the pur-
pose of supplying Lewiston with water.
Ii is true that no hydraulic survey has
been made of the lake at Auburn to
which they intend to go, but I am as
sured by gentleman from Auburn,
who represents the Auburn Water,
Company that there is TO doubt in
their minds that there is an ample sup
ply in Lake Auburn not only in amount
but in quality of the water for the pur
poses desired by Lewiston. Sabattus
pond is a shallow pond, and it is the
storage reservoir for the mills on the
stream leading from that pond, in
which large amount of money has
been invested, some $500.000, as l am in
formed. Those mills give employment
to a large number of operatives and
are a great benefit to that section and
to the ncighboring section. Now the
gentlemen who own those mills come
to the Legislature and they ask that
the city'Of Lewiston shall, mot take wa
ter from that pond, inasmuch as they
admit that they probably never will
go there. And think it lis right to ask
of the city of Lewiston that 1t win ex
ccpt. from the ponds in Androscoggin
county. this Sabattus poGd. iuasmuch
as they admit that they probably never
will 20 there. With that admission it
seems to ME Only just and fair that
they should be willing to except this
pond from the ponds in Androscoggin
county. hope the amendment will be
adopted. 3e 8
Mr. KING Of Caribou: AS a member
OF the committee on interior waters. to
which this matter has been twice re-
ferred and to which we have given
| quite a good deal of attention, / wish
to say a few words with reference to
,, the matter as it was brought before us.
1t was admitted by all parties that the
city of Lewiston is badly in need of