Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-29

1
or Titcomb testified as to the value of
certain real estate owned by the COM
pany and the deeds to this real estate
and to the companys rights of way for
its pipe lines We're introduced. The last
! hour of thu afternoon was devoted 70
| Il sharp discussion as to the admission
| in evidence of the offer made the water
company by the trustees of the District,
| last fall. The evidence was excluded
| by the appraisers.
The morning session opened with
| Ephraim Dyer OH the stand again. He
WAS III charge of putting in the pipe
system i'll this city in 1856 and had
given his direct testimony, Saturday
afternoon. Mr.. Heath took him in
, hand for cross examinations: He testi-
| fled as followed: I'm my second sea-
son here built the line to Togus. Was
employed by Mr. Wescott and settled
| with him.. Did everything except work
| at pumping station and at reservoir.
Fut in whole distribution system, set
| the gates valves and hydrants, and
did the rock work. Was paid by the
foot, the price including hauling of
material from wharf. Drew all pay
ments on Mr.. Wescott as the work pro-
crossed. Mr.. Cummings was the en-
Sincer over me. In his absense. Super
lntcndcnt Williams was the only i'll
spector of the work being done. Cam
not remember gross sum received.
Was paid the prices prevailing at the
time. Was also employed by Mr.. Wes-
colt i'll Brunswick, Saoo, Biddeford ana
other cities. Was not in city when
water was first turned into system.
First took water from mill canal. aud
2O-mch main ont into the river was not
put in until later. The pipe was laid
!la feet deep; that is, 81 feet to bottom
Of pipe. In digging trenches, stay
bracinS was required in several places.
The digging in general was pretty hard
and SO WIS the hauling. but this was
taken into consideration i'm fixing price
of work. The price of labor was Sl.aO
Many labOrers We're from out of town.
Double teams and drivers were paid 81
and single teams SO. The weather con-
ditions were very favorable that sum-
mer."
Chas. 5. Hichborn of Augusta was
the next witness and testified as fol-
XIV 4Nil tdSuitE o. Il 1TSt NHtlO1ldl
Bank. Made special examination of
growth Of city in preparation of an
address recently delivered at Board of
Trade banquet. The Board of Trade
WAS established in 1856 and my statis-
tics were from that date to the present
time. Tho ad lrcss in full was publish
cd in the Kcnnebcc Journal. Found
that there were no pavcments or
McAdam streets in 1856. and now we
have Water. Grove. State, Capitol.
Chapel, Winthrop. Green. Arsenal.
River. Stone. Hospital, Maple and
Bangor streets in whole or in part
paved or concrctoi. These arc princi-
ral streets Of city. Cannot state total
cost of this work. Street lighting sys-
tenn has been much improved and ex-
tended. There We're II few sewers in
1856 but no real system. Under Mr..
Getchell. the system has been very gem
orally extended through the whole city,
and the plans provide for future extern
sion. The water power is much more
largely used tnan then, as the result of
mill enlargemcnts and new mills. Thu
additions to the Edwards mills have i'll
creased the capacity of mill from 60 900
10 100 people now where 200 were onl-
rIoycd in 1855. The pay roll was $4,000
monthly in 1886 and about S26 900
monthly now. There WAS no pulp or
paper mill here in 1856. and now the
cUshnOc Paper company ut the east
end of the dam has il pay roll of S1,5 900
annually. Other industries have been
added in the city since 1856 as the shoe
factory which now employees 30 hands
with pay roll. of about $1,000 each week
on Water street there has been Il
radical Improvement in appearance CT
stores. in stocks Of goods and in gem
crHl condition Of trade. Eleven brick
blocks have been built since 1856. Real
estate prices have advanced. Since
1856 the Capitol. Court House and In
sane hospital have been enlarged and
tn" city hall. Lithgow library and Post
Office have been built. The electric
railroad system has all been built since
1890. The population of the city has
substantially Increased. Since 1886
about 445 new dwellings have been
built. The building has cost about
81. Cps. 600. Three churches and five
sclio,Ihouecs have been built in that
time. Got my figures from the con-
tractors The State valuation of the
CITY in 1856 was S5.16SO 900 and is now
81 So 900. Wages have materially in
creased since 1856. The deposits in the
local banks have about doubled since
1856"
on cross examination by Mr.. Heath:
zone National bank has gone out of
existence since 1856. Large part of in
crease in deposits has come in savings
banks of the city. The commercial de-
posts have not doubled in that time.
The L. s. Government has larger
dcrosits here than in 1856. Much out
side paper is bought by our banks.
Practically the entire six or seven mill
lions of deposits of the Augusta Say
inss are employed outside the city.
Most of the money OF the Kennebec
Savings bank and the Augusta Trust