Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-25
CARLETON POND.
Continued from page ~
ditions were vastly different from what

diti0ns were vastly different from what
they are now. The water was then
good, pure, safe and healthy; but, as
the members of the committee know.
in business way, in a few years after
1887 the development of the upper Ken
| nebec valley took place in somewhat
| remarkable degree. Waterville was
| then nothing but a small town, with
| comparatively no Industries. Since
| 1897, as you know, a great development
has taken place in Watarville, Showhe-
| gan and Madison. You know the
| changes of business on the river. There
were then no water works above us
| Now all those places have modern sys-
TENS of water works and 1 think all OF
them have systems of sewerage that
| necessarily follow water works.
| The numbering business which was
then the principal business above us,
| is substantially gone. In the place OF
! it we have vast pulp mills, paper HILLS
wooden mills and various manutac-
tories of different kinds that are situll-
ed near the bank Of the river, haVlilS
| a tendency by their own products anu
| of course by the presence or Workhieii
to aid in the contamination OF the wa
ter. It was not long before our water
supply commenced to be dangerous.
In 1892 we had a serious typhoid fe-
| YER endemic but at that time pubic
| attention was not aroused by 1t, be-
| cause the scientific side of such mat
| ters was not then we'll known. A few
| Years afterward there was another ep-
idemic. somewhat mirder. Then came
the dreadful epidemic of the fall and
winter of two years ago. Down to that
time there was in this city, no serious
| feeling-I do not know that there was
any feeling think it would be safe
to say there was no feeling in favor of
municipal ownership. as such. l do not
think our people cared anything about
| the ownership. The fire service was so
| good and there was such an abundance
of water, that. although the rates
were unreasonably high. still I can say
that never heard the question serious
ly discussed up to that time as to mu-
nicipal ownership. 1 believe if the wa
ter had been good the life of private
ownership would have gone on to this
| day.
Two years ago this fall, the city of
| W
epider1ic. All the sewerage in Water
| Vile, by a complete modern system OIL
sewerage, is discharged into the Ken
nebec river; and all the disease germs
| that were sent out from the bodies Oh
the people up there came to us. The re-
suit was that, two years ago last iali
| and two years ago this winter, we mad
| n dreadful scOurge-mOre than an cpl
demic. Those of you who were here
| two years ago and those familiar with
| public matters in general, perhaps
| know the extent of it because its raw
| apas we're not confined to the people of
| Augusta. 1t attacked families Of MEM
| beers of the Legislature as we'll. L re-
| member one unfortunate woman VINO
| has never yet recovered mr. health ana
| never will. who was here as TN vile Oh
a number of the Senate. We had, our
| ing that winter. over three hunireu
cases of typhoid fever and about ~
deaths. 1t ran most severely among
| families toling for small wages, less
| able to protect themselves, men tfat
| most deserve the protection OF the
| strong. The epidemic ran until the
| onening of the river, by the going out
| Of the ice ended it. Our people were
greatly aroused and alarmed. rs We'll
| they might be. The came to the Legs
| lature. They were not actuated in any
degree bv any desire for public owner
| shin They gave out little attention
| TO the fact that the rates We're high
| although they were high The one con-
trolIino reason was the absolute neces-
sitv If getting away from this river
or
The issue was the salvation of their
! homes and families.
The matter went to the peiple aud
was voted on, and the people q thlnk
about 14-1Jths OF them-a very large
yOte) voted in favor OF 1t.
Under the law which moved along
rather slowly, necessarily because me
| legal rights Of the water company mao
| to be protected, for it was Il large ana
valuable PLANTING trustees could ne
| or we're elected, until August OF that
wear. Nothing could be done in court
until the following December. so that
| the entire wear of 1903 was taken up
| in necessary foImalitias. The trustees
| tban elected and now in Office are eX-
Gov. Hill. George T.. MacomDer ara
| Thomas j. Lynch all of whom nave
| made great sacrifices i'll TINS cause
we're unable to agree upon any price
with the water company Th@y ofler"u
$3.50 O1O. / speak of these financial fea-
lures because the present financial con-
| 0ition of the district is very import
| ant part of this question here me
| trustees, as I say, made the water COM
rany an offer of $3.50, 600, which was re-
| fused. 1t was understood that the ask
| ing price of the company was S'W9,'oo
So that we had to go to trial. The pre-
paratory work for the trial began early
| in 1903 and occupied months.
| Bro. Ryder of Bangor Col. Prescott
| of BiddefOrd and Bro. Henry W. Mayo
were appointed by agreement as APP
| praisers, We had very long hearing
| that consumed 81 days. In that near
| ing. as bearing upon this question OF
| the absolute necessity of getting away
| from this river, there was in the early
part of the trial some controversy over
| the question as to whether this ty-
| phoid fever did in fact come to us from
| Waterville. and whether it was in fact
| due to the river water. We had en-
| ployed the ablest scientific men i'll this
| country upon that proposition. we