Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-03-10
FRIDAY MARCH 10 eO
WATER SUPPLY EXHAUSTED
CHESTNUT HILL RESERVOIR 10
PRACTICALLY DRY.
Condition Due to Frozen SupPly-p'pes
and Bad Condition OF West River
station-Prompt Steps Taken by
eailiffs to Remedy Matters.


station-Prompt Steps Taken b,
sailiHs to Remedy Matters.
The water In the Chestnut Hill re-
seryoir, which affords the main fire
protection to the village, Is so low
as TO be practically useless In case OF
emergency, and the matter Is causing
no little concern among property own
ers. The pipe which connects the
West Brattleboro source with the res
ervoir has been frozen for over a
week and the pump at the West river
station has been out of order FOR
several days, so that little or no water
Is running into the reservoir to take
the place of the large quantity which
Is being drawn out constantly.
George Il. Crowell reported TO the
bailiffs Tuesday that the water In the
reservoir was dropping rapidly, ana
an investigation showed that there
was hardly enough water there to be
of any use whatever in case of fire
| Arrangements were Immediately made
for one of the steamers to be placed
on Flat street where 1t could pump
water from Milestone brook to the
reservoir through one of the hydrants.
and as a precautionary measure the
Estey organ company agreed to have
its steamer ready to respond to any
alarm that might be sounded. II. w.
Sanders, chief of the local depart
ment, gave orders that one pair of
horses be kept at the engine house
all the time, and secured several ex-
ira men to be ready to help in case
of emergency. The steamer began
pumping from the brook Tuesday
noon and continued steadily until
Wednesday night when it was found
that the machine could not stand such
time. on Wednesday afternoon the
bailiffs telephoned to the Dean steam
pump company Of Holyoke, Mass, for
large pump to take the place of the
one now at the West river station,
and 1t arrived on the $50 train. The |
pump was at once taken to the West |
river station on one of Gilman's trucks |
and will be in operation today. II has |
a capacity of 700 gallons a minute ana |
by its use II is expected that the water
supply will be kept where 1t is until |
the main from West Brattleboro is
thawed out Mr.. Crowel's pump has
a capacity of 500 gallons but has been
unable to reach that amount this
winter. The bailiffs and Mr. Crowel
have made written agreement i
the latter agrees to reimburse
the village for all money spent
On account of this scarcity of wa
.er the bailiffs request all those who
Ire in the habit of leaving their fau-
.ets open during the night to refrain
rom this practice. At this time of
,ear water pipes are likely to freeze
tut the bailiffs believe that 1t is bet
er to run the risk of paying a small
bill than to take the chances
II having no adequate protection in
ase of fire. On account OF the low
vater the elevator in the Brooks house
as been closed, and the owners of =
reight elevators are using them as II;
title as possible. II
The water famine has been causing II
considerable discussion among prop II
rty owners, and there are many who Ill
elieve that the village ought to take HI
tops toward securing control of the II
ystem In fairness to the Chestnut II
Ill company 1t should be said that III
ater In the springs has been I'M
sually low during a greater part of
lie winter and the freezing of the III
pes Is probably due to lack of press
e rather than to any fault on the II
irt OF the management. On account II
this drouth the company has been
'liged to run its pump at West river II
most continually throughout the II
inter- hardly having time to make i
'eded repairs upon it. The water II
the reservoir, however, has been II
opping steadily for the past several II
eeks and this should have been re- III
rted to the village authorities al H
earlier date. 1t has been suggest HI
that the village make an appro- H
iation at its next meeting for the II
fpose OF having an expert examine II
water system and estimate its II
iue in view CT the village wishing II
buy it. II
Matters took on a more serious DC II
ct yesterday afternoon when If do. Ill
FNN 'Hoe ehc TtSeTNO1T is so low III
II the mains throughout the town II
practically empty. MANY peonla II
unable to get any water from their
lcets' and the supply is Inadequate
operate any of the automatic II
mixers with which many local II
tories and other buildings are II
tipped
me work of installing the new II
mp at the West river station is he II
pushed to the utmost and as soon HI
IL Is running the worst of the dan H
VIII be over. With a capacity NJ II
gallons minute the new punn II
force over 100000 gallons of wa
INTO the reservoir in "a hours and
the capacity of the reservoir is onlv
ut 100000 gallons it viii, take II
a comparatively short time 70 FIJI II
While the estimated capacity oe II
old pump was 500 gallons. If is H
Led by the men who have been II
king at the station that If cou11
reach about half that volume on
ouht OF Its poor condition. II