Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-25
THE PROTRACTED DROUGHT,
Many Mills Forced to Close-Wigwam
 Reservoir Getting Low.

Reservoir Getting Low.
 Complaints of an unprecedented
 drought are coming in from all over
 the state. In many places mills have
 been obliged to shut down because
 ot lack of water. Down in the
 valley of the Thames the situation is
 serious. Wells and brooks are dry
 and an effort has been made to get a
 supply of water from New London.
 The same state of affairs obtains
 throughout all Connecticut The win-
 ter thus far has been noted for the
 absence of storms. either of rain or
 snow. bright and pleasant days pre-
 dominating. The only rainstorm of
 benefit to the reservoirs occurred late
 dn November, when about 412 inches
 of water fell. On this water. with one
 pr two other slight rains and thawS,
 the mills, with the greatest economy
 In the use of water. have managed to
 run until this week. The total precipi-
 tation of snow this winter proba bly,
 has not been over four or five inches
 February, ordinarily the stormiest
 month in the year, has given hardly ia drop of rain this winter. Last year the rainfall in February was SS5 1 inches
 i What February has lacked in rain this year. it has more than made up h wind and cold. Unless February, during the remainder of the month. produces heavy rains, the only hope
 of the manufacturers will be for wet spring and summer. In March last year the rainfall was 6.66 inches
 while in April it was the smallest of
 any month in the year-only >1.S2
 inches.
 Rivers and lakes are lower than they often are in midsummer. while there Is no accumulation of snow on the ground to fill them by melting in March and April.
 Mayor Kilduff handed the above article to a representative of the Dem orat to-day. stating that it had been sent to the Sun from New Haven and that he considered it of sufficient i'm portance to put it before the people of Waterbury,
 The water at the Wigwam reservoir Is q couple of feet below the dam and unless We have rain in the near fu- ture we'll soon be as badly off for water as We were last fall. The wa ter question is becoming an important problem all over the state and it would seem that Waterbury would Ipake no mistake in getting hold of q few of the principal ponds in it's own neighborhoOd, notably Quassa- paug and Bantam. The more one re- fleets upon what Mayor Kilduf said on this matter to-day the more he is reminded of the position the late Father Duggan always took on the water question. He always contended that the city should make an effort to get control of several water sources, for with the natural increase In the consumption of water and the Failure Of the springs to yield their accustomed quantity of the liquid, the time would come when the people would need them for their own use. Engineer Cairns and others, too. view the situation with some concern. but the public does not seem to take any notice of such matters and for this req son public officials are q trifie chary about making move in that direction. V When Mayor kildnff called atten- tion to the need of making provision for additional water facilities last | winter and recommended that S125 GOO | be spent in raising the dam. one of | the members of the board of public l works remarked that the people wonld | cry out against such action: "N'c | can't help that" replied his honor. Ut ] is our duty to see that the city has an | ample supply of water. After we | pass this resolution it will be up to tlic | aldermen and if they don't pass it. all | right If the crisis comes our hands | will be clean.'' !, The aldermen viewed the question l from the mayors standpoint and pass nd the recommendation unanimously. | but Waterbury will not be able to de- rive any benefit from the work this season. It should have been under taken q couple of years ago.