Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-22
THE HYDRANT SERVICE.
The Provisions Relating to Its Su-
pervision.
What Superintendent Williams Tells
the Journal Regarding Them.

resignation of Chief Engineer Kicker.
Mr.. Williams said: @Ea
All the items in the contract be-
tween the city of Augusta and the Au--
gusta Water Company which bear upon
fire MIGRANTS and their use are as fol-
lows:
Item Fourth. Said company agrees
to furnish, set and maintain so improv-
ed non freezing MIGRANTS, at points to
be designated by said city, on said lines
Of pipe before the laying of the same
And said company further agrees that
it will keep and maintain said hydrants
in good order and repair at all times
for the use of said city during such
periods of 20 years; and for such fur
Their time as the same may be rented
by said city; repairs caused by negli-
gence and carelessness in their use by
said city's employees excepted, these to
be made by the company at the citys
expense. An that during such period
it will furnish through said hydrants
as supplied by said reservoir, pumps
and pipes, q constant and sufficient
supply of water for protection against
fire, unavoidable accidents excepted
Said hydrants shall each be provided
with two or three noZZles as may be
designated by said city. If required by
said city five of said hydrants shall
each be provided with four nozzles The
bydrants to be furnished shall be salts
factory to the city council
AT the time the water works were
installed, the special committee of the
city council, of which the then Chief
N OF ;,I
member, fixed upon Chapman hydrants
as satisfactory to them and they We're
accordingly put in. Later on, as ad-
ditional hydrants were ordered, it was
mutually decided to adopt Mathews
hydrants, and that pattern has ac-
cordingly been used as additional hy-
arants We're ordered by successive city
councils.
Item Sixth. Said company further
agrees that said city shall on all neces-
sary occasions have the right to use
said hydrants for the purpose of test
ing the same, or the fire apparatus.
without unnecessary waste of water
or power, except when the ground is
frozen and without extra charge there
for.
Item Seventh. Water for flushing
sewers, filling reservoirs and sprinkling
streets may be taken from MIGRANTS,
under the supervision of agents of the
company without charge of such super
vision
Item Ninth of the contract provides
that all additional hydrants located by
the city during the said 20 years shall
be kept in repair under the same regu-
n n 70 tl,o OH
irresponsible people, u ignorant of
how to properly open OF close a n.y.
drant have, in the past brought need
less expense upon the city by tamper-
ing with the hydrants. For the pur-
pose of stopping such action and re-
lieving the city from the menace of de-
fective hydrants and THE needless ex-
pense of unnecessary REPAIRS an
amendment to the revised ordinances
was introduced at the last meeting of
the city council prohibiting any person,
Except employees of the Augusta Wa
ter Company, regular members of the
fire department in case Of fire, the chief
engineer or such persons as may be
authorized by him, from opening fire
hydrant. under penalty of a fine of not
less than IS nor more than 500
May 18th, 1892 revised ordinances
read as follows:
Be it ordained by the city council
of the city of Augusta as follows: Ii
shall be the duty of the chief engineer
of the fire department in addition to
the duties imposed upon him by Chap
ter 5, Section of the revised ordinances
of the city of Augusta, to clean, oil
and wind tho opnar,t1 ooppoctaJ Will,
the steam fire whistle, to wind the
striking apparatus of all the fire alarm
bearings. To see that the batteries of
the fire alarm are constantly supplied
with water to test and oil all fire hy-
drants in the city twice each month
under the supervision of the Augusta
Water Company, to promptly report
any damage to hydrants or fire alarm
and see to it that they are kept in per-
feet order, and to Immediately investi-
gate the cause, circumstances and orig
in of each and every fire in the city,
and especially to examine whether it
was the result of carelessness or de-
sign, said investigation to be completed
within 10 days after the occurrence of
the fire and his report to be immediate
ly made to the mayor"
I'm March, 1900, the salary Of the
chief engineer was fixed at $3.50 per
year, and in June, 1900 was increased
to 5000 per year. At the last regular
meeting of the city council, an addi-
tional sum of $120 was ordered to be
paid the chief engineer, making his
salary for this year $720. I am in
formed that, at the next meeting of the
city council, an ordinance will be intro
duced establishing the salary of the
chief engineer at $720 per Year These
various increases have been made, so
| am Informed by members of the city
councils making them. so that the chief |
engineer should be literally paid for |
devoting all his time to the duties laid |
down for him by the city council
Chief Engineer Kicker has complied |
with the provisions of the ordinance !
above quoted and has thawed out all !
frozen hydrants up to this winter, and |
on one occasion this winter, thawed !
them out. The city has owned a small |
steam boiler, especially adapted for the
purpose, which has become unsafe and |
unfit for use. The last city council au-
thorized the mayor to purchase boiler |
for the purpose but he has been unable |
to secure one up to the present time.
Chief Kicker used the steam fire en-