Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-09-24
Do You Want Waterp Vote For 1t,

Do You Want Water? Vote For 1t.
The corporation meeting called fol
Tuesday evening, Sept. oath, is the mos!
important meeting that has been called
for twenty-one years. In the year 1886
there was considerable agitation about
the water question, and at that time the
question of taking water from Halls Pond
was brought before the people of South
Paris, and voted down by the majority
of voters. About thirty voters stood
out openly for Halls Pond, but as they
were in the minority they were obliged
to give in and see the pipes of private
water company put into our streets.
1t is of no use to say what might have
happened if the majority of voters had
agreed with the thirty, or to complain
over the short sighted action of former
generation, but the same question of a
satisfactory water supply is again con-
fronting US and will have to be met.
The experience of the last twenty one
years ought to show the people of this
village that we cannot afford to allow
the present condition to exist, or to al
low any private company to supply us
with water.
LOOKING BACKWARD.
If the thirty faithful voters of twenty
one years ago had been successful and
carried their point, we should now have
had the System entirely paid for. Be-
sides that we should have income enough
to pay all of the expenses of the corpora
ton for lights, parks, streets and side
walks, and If the present rates of water
had been maintained through the twenty
one years, we should be able to raise all
the money that the corporation now
spends, from the water alone. 1t is i'm
possible to say just what fires could have
been prevented or stopped with little
damage, If we had been able to fight
fire with large reservoir near our vii
lage and one hundred pounds pressure,
but tits my opinion that more property
has gone up in smoke during the last
twenty-one years, that could have been
saved with q proper fire protection, than
the cost of the water system that We
propose to have.
This may seem like q strong state
ment, and it is impossible to prove 1t or
disprove it, but when we see our build
ings 60 down while we are unable to
throw water on to the roof, how much
can we expect from our present system?
LOOKING AHEAD.
We are now just where we stood
twenty years ago, with more than twice
the property in our village, taking water
frem the same reservoir, through the
same pipes, and with less pressure than
then. The time to act is now. There
Is water enough and money enough, and
the men who want our village to grow
cannot afford to let this matter rest.
We have stumbled round in the dark
for the last five years because We were
too stubborn to pay the price of electric
lights, and we can cut off our water sup
ply and take our pals and 60 to the
springs and brooks, the same as our
grandfathers did. But this Is an age of
reason, and we ought to advance instead
of going backwards or standing still. II
we do not take some decisive action at
the next corporation meeting am afraid
that 1t will be too late. The Village
Corporation can own their water system
II they act now, but II we think there Is
plenty of time, and turn over and take
another nap, the water supply question
may be beyond our reach the next time
We wake up.
II we want It now, We can get 1t by
working together, but II we delay, other
parties more aggressive and active than
we are may take some action that will
make 1t more difficult In the future.
GEO. r. MORTON.