Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-20
To the citizens Of South Paris.

II
when the proper time comes, to tax
some action.
have lately come into possession
facts of 80 unsatisfactory and startling
nature that cannot be contented
keep still and allow the present cond
tions of things to exist without dom
what can to remedy the condition ths
the village of South Paris Is in, as far 8
water is concerned.
It has been known for years that "
have very inadequate water pressul
on our hydrants, which has been talke
about and regretted, every time We hay
had fire and then allowed to subsid
with no action being taken.
The contract with the Norway Waite
Co. has expired and no new contrat
been made, and the time to take any d.
cisive action is now. Twenty-one year
ago when the village agreed to tax
water from the Norway Co. it was prof.
ably thought to be the best thing to b
done at that time, but as we look bac
over the past twenty-one years it seem
now, as If it would have been grea
deal wiser to have owned and controlle
our own water works then, which If W
had done, they would have been paid TO
long before this. But what has BEEF
done cannot be helped, and all we ca
do now is to take wisdom from past ex
perience. Now the question is, what ar
we going to do about water?
We want water that is good to drink
and want enough of it to fight fire with
both of which we are lacking now. A
recent test at the largest and mos
dangerous place for fire, the following
pressure was found:
Pressure at the hydrant. no hose on, 20 lbs
Pressure at the hydrant with one hose on, 50 lbs
Pressure at the hydrant with two hose on, IS lbs
Pressure with three hose Oh, q lbs
Pressure with four hose on, IL lbs
This is the condition that the people Of
South Paris are in to-day as far as fight
ing fire is concerned, and further com.
ment is useless.
We should have large reservoir on
the highest land near the village, suffi'
GENTLY high to give us not less than lOC
lbs. pressure at hydrant, and with pipe
not less than u inches in diameter lead
ing from the reservoir to Market Square.
The water committee recently appoint
ed, while not quite ready to make their
report, feel safe in saying that the Viii
age Corporation will soon have chance
10 vote as to whether they want water
works of their own or not. If we want
hem, we can get them, there is no ques-
ton but an ample supply can be pro-
cured and with pressure enough TO salts
" us. If all people owning property,
md who drink water, will wake up to
The fact that another source OF water
supply is needed, and can be had, by a
little exertion, we shall be able to have
,ur own water works and make good
Investment at the same time.
THE FINANCIAL PART OF 1T.
The first thing to consider is, Can we
.fford to get along as we are now? A
number of years ago there was very
disastrous fire in Norway, and practical
Y all of Norway village was wiped out.
This was two miles nearer the reservoir
han South Paris, and at that time the
PRESSURE was better than it now is, for
here were great many less takers Of
he water to draw the pressure down.
4 the Norway Water Company could
,ver give a satisfactory pressure they
would have done it then, but in spite OF
III they could do the village was soon
n ashes. Last year the village of Frye
,urg went the same way. This year
3ryant's Pond and Harrison have been
BADLY burned. A year ago last April we
lad the worst fire that We have had for
,ears, in which several buildings were
burned including factory, which threw
|. large number of employees out of en-
oloyment for a while. This fire could
nave been checked, and if not complete
v extinguished, it could have been kept
Town, so that small part of the dam.
zoe would have been done, IL we had
had a proper pressure that we should
have or that we ought to have had,
to our contract. Last winter,
IN very cold and windy Sunday, fire
broke out on the south side of the vii.
age nearly opposite the station. All
hat saved the village from a very seri-
,us conflagration was the fact that the
strong wind which was blowing, blew
he flames away from other buildings
instead of toward them. 1t is reason
,ble to suppose that the village of South
Paris bears no charmed existence, and
that the fate that has come to other
about us may come to ours, and
i is of the utmost Importance that we
AXE the necessary steps to put ourselves
IN position to fight fire before the fire
starts, for if a serious fire ever gets
started in this village, we can do as Nero
IF old did when Rome was burning, get
up on the hill top and fiddle while 1t
ourns, for we can do but little else with
our present equipment.
THE INCOME FROM OUR WATER WORKS.
The next question to consider is,
What will it cost? While / am not at
present prepared to 60 into exact fg-
lres, | can say that the Norway Water
Company claim that their full equip
nent cost them about $50, 100000, which
includes a pumping station, that we
would not need to consider. From fig-
ares that believe to be accurate enough
Tor the present purpose, am informed
hat there is an income of about S5,OOO.O0
Der year taken from the water that
zones to South Paris through the pipes
IF the Norway Water Company. If
,hese figures are anywhere near to the
actual cost, and the income, it is safe to
assume that with much less expensive
equipment than theirs we ought to
make at least a profitable investment
and get our water much cheaper.
GOOD WATER.
Probably in the village of South Paris
there are not one-half of the people that
drink the Norway water. There are
other water companies that have small
supply of water, good water but no
pressure, and some few families are so
fortunate as to have their own water
supply. If a water supply that had the
and the good water too, could
be brought into this village it could not
help being satisfactory to everyone.
THE COST OF WATER.
From figures collected by previous
water committees find that we are pay
ing a good deal more for water and get
ting a good deal less pressure than
villages about in this vicinity, and when
we are asked to pay more, in some cases
a great deal more, considered together
with what we are getting, both in
quality and pressure, am inclined to
use my best efforts for the purpose OF
getting an abundant supply of good wa
ter into this village, and to own it.
VILLAGE OWNERSHIP.
l believe that the interest OF the vii
lage will be best served if the money
raised for this purpose is raised In this