Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-22
WATER HEARING.
WaterviIle District Introduces
aNumber of Witnesses.
They Give Testimony Largely on the
Question Of Water Pressure
Ht Times in Plants History, Particu
Iarly at Fires.

ent system for fire service in Fairfield
had first been testified to by the wit
nesses Tuesday afternoon, and other
Fairfield men were on the stand,
Wednesday morning. to corroborate
and add to Mr.. TOtman's testimony.
VIM. ). Simpson was present at the big
fire of Aug. IA, 1895, and told what
he observed relative to the pressure
He was closely cross examined as to
the location of the hydrants, the num-
her to which lines of hose were con-
Eected, the amount of hose laid and all
points which affect the pressure. His
testimony showed that the pressure
was very low, but admitted that with
50 many hydrantS used he would not
expect a very high pressure. Mr.. Simp
son also told about some of the smaller
fires where he had observed an mad
chuIte pressure.
At this point Mr.. Cross and Mr. Pur-
inton, who furnished estimates of the
cost of the buildings of the system,
we're allowed to make some corrections
land additions to their testimony of
Tuesday afternoon. The question Of
pressure for fire purposes was then re-
sumed and S. O. Sawyer of Fairfield,
was called. Mr.. Sawyer was pipeman
at the big sawmill fire in August of
1895 and told how he had to abandon
a line of hose, because there was not
pressure enough, and use Il line from
the steamer. The only use that could
be made of the abandoned stream was
to wet down the firemen 50 they could
work in their hot quarters.
Mr.. Sawyer corroborated witness of
yesterday who said that at the Gullifer
fire on Water street there was not force
of water enough to break through a
window and the water was taken from
one of the lowest level hydrants in
town. only one stream and about 25O
feet OF hose We're used. Maps were
much used at this session and Mr.. Saw
yer was requested 20 point out the loca
ton of buildings and MIGRANTS. Mr..
Blake does not intend to let anything
slip by him unnoticed and the firemen
We're closely questioned by him. His
questioning of Mr.. Sawyer brought out
the fact that the town of Fairfield had
nothing to do with caring for the ny
drants and were even forbidden by the
Maine Water Co. to open Il hydrant
except ut a fire.
s. A. Nye of Fairfield, was present
Hast summer at the fire at Mr.. Con-
nor,s house. The pressure was then so
limited that IL stream could not be
thrown onto the roof of the barn. Wa
ter was gotten to the roof by putting
up ladders which Mr.. Nye furnished.
When asked as to what was used to put
The fire out, Mr.. Nye replied Water
This reply was SO received that the
count found it necessary to rap for or
der. 1t appears that pals were brought
into play. The Sawyer house was burn
ing at the same time as the Conner
house.
The pressure at WinsloW was taken
up aud Thomas l.. Reynolds was put
on the stand. At two different times
he made tests of MIGRANTS. At the first
test he tried three hydrants. from one
of which he got satisfactory results but
from the other two he got no results.
At the second trial he tested the same
two from which he got no result before
with no different result. The other by
drant which was on a larger main on
Taconret street he did not test this
time.
Ever since the Districts case has be-
gun a large map has been on exhibition
on one side of the court ROOM This map
Is % feet long by feet high and is the
work of Harry +. Green. assisted by
T.. c. Wilson, Il student of Bates Col
lege. and Arnold Totman OF Fairfield, "a
student of the University of Maine. and
+. G. Stacey of this city, a student at
Coburn Institute. This work has been
in progress since last May and is a most
complete map of the streets. pipe lines,
hydrants and buildings in Waterville,
Fairfield, Benton and WINSTON.
Mr. Green was called upon to explain
this map so that it might be put in
evidence and used in the hearing. The
measurements of the Hollingsworth x
Whitney mills at Winslow, and the
Lockwood mills in this city were taken
from this map and the pipe lines were
obtained from Mr.. Getchell. but origl-
mai mea sureincnts were made for nearly
all of the work. and the whole is drawn
to scale with the exception of parts of
the river bark and the Messalonskee.
The map is in colors showing the differ
erlt sizes of pipes and the different
building materials of buildings SHOWN.
The map contains an explanation which
gees by the name of a legend. and MI.
Baker refers TO the whole map as a
panorama.
Passing from the fire service in Fair
field and Winslow. to that in Watervile,
Chester w. Getchell. member OF the
Waterville fire department, was called.
On the night OF December s, OF last
year, one of the college dormitorles was
burned. Mr.. Getchell when he heard
the alarm ran to the central fire station.
The apparatus had left but the tele-
phone bell was ringing and he answered
the call. Some one from the pumping
station told him to have the steam hre
engine taken to the fire because anchor
ice was troubling the wheels. out the
steam fire engine was at Portland I'M
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