The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-15
City Officials Realize the Natural
Advantages of the City in AC
cumuIating a Water Supply to
Serve All Needs
ANNUAL INSPECTION
MADE YESTERDAY
The New Dam on TatnuCk Brook
and the Work on Kettle Brook
Visited - When Completed the
City's Storage Capacity Will
Be Ample for Many Years

More than 2OO,OOO,OOO gallons of water
were added to the supply in the Wor-
cester reservoirs as a result of yester-
days downpour
This approximate estimate by City
Engineer Fred A. Mcclure was the
most gratifying feature of the annual
fall inspection of the water system
yesterday. The day was anything but
suspicious for an affair of the sort.
The rain came down in torrents when
the party left the City Hall, at 3
o'clock, and the same condition was in
evidence throughout the trip.
The inspecting party included Alder
men Louis j. Kendall H. Augustus
Harrington and L. B. Stone, Council
men George NJ. Wright, David A. Don
ley, Frank L. Dean and John ]. Power
Of the committee on water; City En-
gineer Fred A. Mcclure, Water Com
missioner John G. Brady, Water Regis
trar George W. Batchelder, City Mes
senger Charles Marvin, Assistant City
Clerk W. Henry Towne and Frederick
H. Clark
The trip was made in remarkably
quick time The only stops where
members of the party left the carriages
were at the site of the new dam on
practically completed structure on Tat
muck Brook. Dinner was served at
Daniels Tavern and full justice was
done the good things which have made
Jack Daniels famous in this part of
Worcester County. Partridges, which
usually play a prominent part in the
menu at this season, are scarce about
the Paxton cover, but the broiled
chicken served was a splendid sub
stitute.
The principal interest conferred in the
new dam on the Tatnuck Brook Most
Of the party left the carriages and
made a thorough inspection of the new
gate house, the dam and its surround
ings. The immense structure, which
Is calculated to hold back 500 900, 900
gallons of water, is now receiving the
finishing touches and the artistic spirit
shown in the surroundings of the basin
called forth universal expression Of
approval.
A lot of work has been done since the
spring inspection, and what then looked
like an impossible task is completed
with the exception of slight detail
relative to the gates and burning the
rubbish cleaned UP from the bottom
of the basin. The spillway of the new
reservoir is paved with granolithic,
and yesterday the surface water
coursed down the incline in a steady
stream giving a slight idea of the con-
ditions that will be in evidence when
the basin is filled and the water goes
over the rollway.
The outside of the dam has been
graded and a fight of steps leads from
the base to a point opposite the gate
house on top of the structure. The
face of the dam is paved and cemented
and within few days the gates will be
closed and the basin will begin to fill
up.
AT the old saw mill privilege on Ket-
tie Brook work on the new dam is well
under way and 1t is estimated the work
will be finished by the middle of next
summer The engineers have been
fortunate thus far in securing a foun-
dalton for the dam. The ledge has
been excavated to a depth of from Is to
20 feet, and work of laying the 30-inch
main to furnish an outlet will begin at
once.
There is a force Of abodt rs men at
work on the job at present and this
number will be about doubled next
spring. A new barracks has been
erected in a slightly location on the hill
overlooking the proposed basin. Wells
have been driven and water is pumped
to a big tank which supplies what is
used for domestic purposes and for
testing cement. The office of the en-
gineers and the clerical force is To-
Gated near the foot of the hill and
taken from all standpoints the loca-
ton has decidedly businesslike air.
The first visit of the party was to
Lynde Brook reservoir where the
water was found rather low. The
capacity of the basin is about 6S1 ,OOO, 900
gallons and at present the amount
stored Is 400,000000. The supply at
Holden appropriated 450 100000 GAL
Ions, making total of S5O. OOO. 900 gal
Ions which was the entire supply of the
city previous to the rain of yesterday.
The average daily consumption Of
water during the summer months was
about 100000 gallons per day and at
this rate members of the committee are
aware of the absolute necessity of ad-
ditional storage facilities If the water
supply is to keep pace with the steady
growth and needs of the community.
During the stay at the saw mill privi-
llege City Engineer Mcclure gave an in
teresting explanation of the water svs-
tenn and figures showing the present
and the contemplated capacity of the
Storage reservoirs. The new basin on
Kettle Brook will, 1t is estimated cost
$l2O,0O which VIII include stripping the
basin and payment OF land damages.