Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-22
WATER HEARING.
Continued from page ~

dergoing repairs. He then went to the
fire and reported and then telephoned
from the Maine Central station to the
pumping station. The HollingswOrth &
Whitney fire pump was then set to
work pumping into the system and the
pressure was improved. Before this
pump was worked the. pressure was
low. Mr.. Getchell was duly examined
as to the Roadway the fire had gained
when discovered, the character of the
weather, and the amount of hose laid.
He said that the fire had gained such
Roadway when discovered that many of
the students barely escaped, and that
the night was so extremely cold that
the next morning the building was en-
tirely covered with ice.
Albert S. Hall, the present superin-
tendant of the system here, was then
asked to tell what he knew about the
conditions on the night of the fire. One
pump was running in the evening, but
some time before the fire the engineer
came and told him that he was having
trouble with anchor ice. Mr.. Hall told
him to start UP the other pump and set
two men to work trying to clear out the
anchor ice. When the alarm rang he
telephoned the trouble he was having
to the central fire station and requested
the department to let him know if the
fire was large and he would ask to have
the Hollingsworth &, Whitney pump
started, and on receiving word of the
nature of the fire telephoned to the
Holingsworth & Whitney Co. and their
pump was started after some little de-
lay
Mr.. Hall then told what the height of
water was in the reservoir on the day of
the fire and few days before and after.
Mr. Halls figures showed that the water
was not unusually low just before the
fire. Mr.. Hall also introduced book OF
records showing the gallons of water
pumped per day for few days preceding
and following the fire More water was
on the 9Th than on any other day
the records covered. Mr.. Hall said that
the time of the college dormitory fire Was.
the first time in the history of the COM
pany that there was a fire alarm at The,
same time anchor ice was running. and
it was the only time that the Holings-
assistance. He says the Messalonskee>is
free from anchor ice. a.
William f. Choate was the man who
started the Holingsworth & Whitney,
Cos. pump. He said that the pump was
running for As minutes and that theS
capacity is 1000 gallons per min
ute. This pump takes kennebec river
water from the mills canal.
Josiah w. Bassett of Winslow, next
called, was chosen by the town of Wins
low in 1900 on committee to negotiate
with the Maine Water Co. for water SER
vice, but no contract was made, and the
town secured q water power of its own
for pumping it's own supply. This power
is located on Mile Brook, which empties
into the Sebasticook one mile from its
mouth.
Charles Il. Warren, also of Winslow.
told about the towns causing a survey
and estimate of the cost of installing a
system of water works.
George Jones was the next witness. He
was employed by the Maine Water Co. for
five years and made many of the extern
sions He told of the ledge excavations
which were very few, and he considered
excavating in Watervile and vicinity to
be easier than in other places lie had
worked in.
He told of one place on Temple street |
where the pipe was only IS inches under
ground After a long cross-examination |
Mr.. Baker asked him If he took more |
lime he could remember more, and lie re-
olied that he thought he could remember |
n ,,rr hat
John f. Nash was superintendent of the |
company from 1889 to 1896 During that
time some ledge excavation was made. |
out he kept no record of the amount. He |
had recently driven through the streets
and made an estimate from memory. He
considered excavation in this vicinity |
Easy.
BENZ r. Rackliff of Fairfield, is a tin
smith by trade bnt does some plumbing
and piping, and has taken out service
pipe in several places and found it in bad
condition He recently took out the Maine
Water Cos. service from his own house
O put in spring water. and when he had
lug away from the pipe it was in such
,ad condition that it burst from the pres
;ure of water He brought into court a
,iece of service pipe which had been
AIKEN out of saloon and was in bad con-
litiOn
The question of the value of the water
bower was taken up at this point and
amos F. Gerald, who has had large ex.
,erience with water power, was put on
he stand to place an estimate upon the
-alue of this water power. He was linn
ted to expressing his opinion on this par
;cnlar water mower and not allowed to