Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-19
Reply to Communication of Hon. JOS
eph n. Manley.
Editors Kennehac Lnurna

eph h. ManIey.
Editors Kennebec Journal:
1 have been requested by several
citizens to call attention to some mis-
takes in the communication of Mr..
Manley published by you on Wednes-
day. In the haste of preparation Mr..
Manley has not taken pains to verify
some of his statements, and with your
permission I will briefly refer to them.
a. Mr.. Manley is in error in saying
that our court has never sustained as
constitutional the idea of creating q
portion of city as a water district.
In the Waterville water case decided
March 81, 1902 this very question was
discussed by our court. 1t seems that
in Illinois, and in many Western states,
the people for great many years have
been in the habit of creating water
districts made up of territory less than
the whole city. They have had their
water districts, fire districts, road dis
tricts, park districts and sewer dis
tricts so that man will find himself
living in a great many different kinds
of districts. Our court declared all
these cases to be good law. The court
further said that it was competent for
our own Legislature to create less than
an entire city into district. My
neighbors, therefore, will understand
that when I affirm our charter to be
absolutely constitutional 1 am giving
the solemn views of the Supreme
court Of Maine and do not give my
own conclusions of law. Mr.. Manley
is not q lawyer, and therefore is ex-
III lit, =, IN h
communication.
(2.) Mr.. Manley asserts that the dis
trict is authorized to take water from
the Kennebec river or from China lake,
and leaves the impression that we can
go nowhere else.
He omits to state that the district
will also have the right to take water
from Weber pond, Cobbossee lake, or
Silver lake. Not being a lawyer, he
has probably overlooked the true con-
struction of the charter, and this error
upon his part is entirely excusable.
IT should be remembered, however.
that we are not confined to China lake
or to the lakes above named. Ii en-
gineers condemn them all there are
other lakes within handy distance of
Augusta where recent Investigations
by an eminent New York engineer
show that we can obtain a splendid
supply of water as pure as spring
water, where no filtration of any kind
will be necessary.
90 Mr.. Manley asserts that the
water of China lake has in it impure
ties dangerous to human health in
greater proportion than the water from
the Kennebec river.
His statement of course he does not
give of his own knowledge, as it would
be impossible for him to know it with
out the aid Of an engineer. If any en-
gineer has given him such an opinion
there can be no doubt that the en-
gineer employed was either incompe-
tent or dishonest. The Waterville Wa
ter District employed Mr.. Hill OF New
York, perhaps the best engineer in
America, for he is today at the head
of the supply Of water for the great
city of New York. Mr.. HILL after a
long and patient investigation, report
ed that the water of China lake was
remarkably pure and free from danger
of disease.
Acting under his advice the Water
Vile Water District will go nine miles
to get it's water. But as above stated,
we are not confined to China lake, Tor
the water district will take its water
where it can find the purest and the
best 1 believe that no engineer,
faithful in his work, could possibly
permit us to use Kennebec river water
under any circumstances, filtered or
unfltered.
-,rnonCtinn
some scientists claim that the ram
water as it falls from the heavens con-
tains dangerous bacteria, l have only
to say that the water district mas no
idea of using rain water. Inc suii'
the air, and the action of the earth as
the rain water percolates through IL on
its way to the lakes and ponds, ali
combine to give to water the f1nal pur-
ity that we find in springs ana spring
fed lakes and in fact in all laKes OF
ponds exposed to the action of the sun
and air.
o. Mr.. Marley, in figuring the
probable appraisal, uses the 1llustra-
ton of the Dover and Foxcrott case
where the plant was appraised at Sloo'-
600, and says that the water there was
taken from the river.
His statement is true but it requires
some explanation. The water at Dover
and Foxcroft was taken from the
Piscataquis river. Whoever has tray
eled upon the Bangor and Aroostook
railroad from Dover to Moosehead lake
has seen the sources of the Piscataquls
river. 1t rises among the mountain
springs, flows to Dover and Foxcroft
without contamination, and it may
truthfully be said that the water OF
Dover and Foxcroft is in fact great
body of moving spring water, clear as
crystal and absolutely pure. The peo-
pie admitted at the hearing before the