Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-17
The Water Question.

i'O 'oeSi ShS9h'OIis
| Editors kennebec journal:
| The water question which will come
before the voters of Augusta at the
special election, Monday, June %, is
simply this
| Shall the people own their own water
| works or shall they continue to buy
| their water of the big Portland cor
poration which now owns them?
in the consideration of q question
| like this, all merely personal consider
| ations should be put one side. The
| question which will come home to every
voter when he marks his ballot is not
! What is best for Il few worthy gentle
men associated in a corporation. and
annually dividing handsome dividends
secured from local water rates but
what is best for the people of Augusta.
Today. a few men own our water
system-the great bulk of the stock be-
ing owned in the city of Portland.
With municipal control every voter
in Augusta would be a part owner
in It.
No blame need attach to the present
local officers of the company. In the
very nature of things they cannot be
controlled by considerations of the pub
lie welfare.
They are fighting to save the annual
dividends Of the Portland men whom
they serve.
If this were not so they would not
be fighting at all. They would say
checrfully and cordially:
Water is a necessity of the people.
Let the people of Augusta own and
nrera{a tbeJr ,.yorkc
1t is hard for any man, or body of
men to give up dividends, even when
the welfare of the people demand if.
For more than Is years the present
corporation has supplied Kcnncbcc
river water to our city. During that
period there has been no year when
our people We're free from typhoid. At
times it has become an epidemic and
last winter it developed into n terrible
| public calamity, bringing sickness and
suffering with all their attendant ankle
| ties and expenses into more than 200
| homes. and adding Il large number of
neW-made graves in our cemeteries.
This aillction fell with special force
upon the working people of moderate
means. who did not feel able. in addi-
ton to the heavy charge for city water,
| to buy spring water from one of the
| three concerns which do such a thriv-
| ing business in our city. and, through
whose agency, the rich and well to do
were able to protect themselves and
| their families from Infection
The situation became intolerablc.
| With unanimity rarely witnessed in
our city its people decided that they
wanted no more river water.
| a bill was passed through the Legis-
latGre which made it possible for the
people of Augusta to own and operate
| their own water works:
The officials OF the water company
presumably speaking for its Port
land owners-assured representatives
of the city at that time that they would
offer no objection to ownership by the
people: that in fact all they really
wanted was a little delay that they
might have opportunity to fix up their
books and prepare for the transfer.
Why then this unexpected 10th-h hour
opposition on their part? Why this
cheerful outlay of effort and money to
prevent the people from obtaining con-
troll of the plant. they expressed them
selves so willing to turn over. in April
There can be but one answer:
They do not want to give up their
dividends.
Is the welfare of the people, the life
and health of the community to be
weighed in the balance with the profits
of rich and powerful corporation?
God forbid!
1t is said that if we will continue
to drink river water the company will
Put in a new filter; but hasn't this