Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-13
THE WATER HEARING
Resumed Before Appraisers in
Session at Watervi|le.
Engineers and Contractors Tell of
Condition Of the Plant.
Ex-Supt. Stacey Also Gives Important
Testimony.


The hearing before the appraisers in
the water case was resumed, yesterday
morning. Mr. VIM. 3. Getchell of Au
gusta, tie civil engineer employed by
the Maine Water Co. to examine and
make q schedule of the property of the
company in the four towns embraced
in the system under the jurisdiction of
the appraisers, WAS again called upon
TO testify. Mr.. Gctchcll was the only
witness called, Saturday, and his testi-
nony, yesterday, occupied good part
of the morning session. His testimony
consisted principally in giving hist Of
the weights OF pipes, their location and
depth and the additions and extensions
made 10 the system from year to year.
Regarding the matter of extensions,
however, the Maine Water Co. agrees
to furnish the complete figures as to
how much pipe has been laid from
year to year, so that a complete
schedule will be before the appraisers.
Mr.. Getchell has been acquainted
with the system for several years and
stated that he bad visited Watervil;e
and made an examination of the works
in 1894, 1896, 1898 and 1900.
Mr.. Getchell has made very recent
examination of the dam and the condi-
ton in which he found it is Il source of
satisfaction to the Water District. A
the time Of the examination the water
was very low, being considerably below
the flush boards, and Yet the dam was
SO ieally that he estimated that from!
l2.GC0,0oG to 100000 gallons per day
were passing through it, and NOR
would pass through if the water
were higher.
Mr.. Gctchcl! was asked about recent
repairs made on the dam, since nj:
examination but had no persona.
knowledge of such repairs. This closed
the testimony of Mr.. Getchell for tn"
present, but as he is an important
witness ana other questions will
probably arise for him to answer, he
will remain in attendance for the re-
maindcr of the hearing.
The next witness called was Mr.. VIII
lard J. Noyes of Augusta. Mr.. Noyes
has had extensive experience in con-
tracing, having been in the business
for eighteen or twenty years and hay
ing done work in various parts of the
state. He was called by the Maine
Water Co, &c give an account of his
recent examination of the buildings
,Hade for the company. Mr. Noyes fig
ares were given from Il builders stand
point as being in his opinion the cost
Of replacing the buildings at the pre-
sent time.
MI Noyes said the items of cost OF
the following buildings the machine
shop and shed, the stable, the wheel
house. gate-housc or well-house, the
aupcrntendent's house and the pump
house on the west side Of the stream
The total cost of erecting these build
nes at the present day he reckons at
$!3.@a5.3o. NJ" Noyes was here excused
but it is very possible that he will b.
called again before the hearing is
finished.
The next witness called was Mr.
Eonj. d. Whitney of Gardiner, q
mechanical engineer of So years expert
cncc.
Mr. Whitney went into minute descrp-
tons of the Wheels, pumps. gates, fumes
and other machinery together with foun-
itillbllS ibG tilc same. MUCH Oh ttllS ma
ChnCry had been set by Mr.. Whitney 50
he was upon familiar ground.
Tho next witness was Geo. f. Packard
Il submarine diver Of about 20 years eX-
pcricnce, who came down from his home
in Quincy. Mass. last Tuesday. to make
an examination of the dam. Mr.. Packard
testified that he worked, Tuesday after
noon and Wednesday morning; that he
found some leaks in the DAM the largest
WAS on the west side and about one-half
inch wide by six inches long This he
stopped with Portland cement and small
er leaks he stopped with shingles. In his
opinion he stopped about onc-half of the
leakage. He considered the wood of the
dam, which he tested with chiscl. to
be in good condition.
Edward NJ Stacey. formerly of this
city and from March. 1896 to January,
1901, superintendent for the Maine Water
Co. here. was the next to go on the stand
Mr.. Stacey told about the condition of
the system during his SUPPLEMENTARY
The system he said, gave him consider
able trouble when he first took charge of