The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-03-20
DAVID G MCINTOSH, ESQ,
Chairman Committee Water Supply,
/ Towson Improvement Association, TOwsOn Md.
MARCH 18TH, 1909.

its original bottom inferring thereby that the
well either has, of itself, or has been in some
manner, partially filled up upon the assumption
that the well was originally, as you state, three
hundred and fifteen feet deep, all of which it is
intended shall be done under the direction of Mr.,
Henry G. Shirley, who was member of the
committee which had charge and control of the
test made on its behalf by Mr.. Clemmitt.
At the time of the acquisition by us of this
well, together with the distributing pipe system
of the Towson Water Company we were in
formed by the then officers and directors of said
company that the well was approximately three
hundred and fifty feet Deep and assuming this
information to be correct we relied thereon
without measuring its depth ourselves. When
we removed the old deep well pump and Installed
a compressed air pumping system some time ago,
in the effort to increase the output of said we'll
we found that an error had been made in the
depth of the well and that as a matter of fact it
was only of the depth reported by Mr. Clemmitt
namely, two hundred and seventy-nine feet, SO
that, as TO the depth of said we'll. we had been
originally misinformed as well as yourselves.
To undertake what your letter now proposes,
original DEPTH ASSUMING Of ase bat the TO e 5s
is not now of its original depth, would REQUIRE
the shutting down of our plant for possibly sew
eral weeks while portion of fine pump station
building would have to be removed in order to
admit of the use of we'll drilling machinery and
should this work be permitted and undertaken,
the entire community of Towson, Lutherville
and vicinities would be obliged to do without
water supply until the work proposed in your
letter is completed. Further than this, there
can be no assurance given that in attempting to
drill deeper, the water. instead of being in
creased, will not be diminished because of the
possible opening of outlets in the rock forma-
tion below, which would result in the loss of a
part or all of the water in said WELL Therefore.
we cannot see anything which would Justify us
sort with our well, especially SINCE in such case
we would lay ourselves open to endless claims
Tor damages TO our consumers for failure to sup
ply them with water during the progress of
your proposed experiments, because as would
then be the case, this failure would be due to
matter which would be held to be in our control
W. vch aor,
today, to grant any reasonable request we are
Obliged, after most careful consideration of
every phase OF this matter, both as to the facts
and the law relating thereto. to refuse the per-
mission asked for in your letter.
: On March 9Th you called upon Mr.. A. DER
Sapplngton. our counsel. to inquire, as you have
done on several previous occasions. whether or
not 1t would be possible to lease from this Com
pany us well and pumping equipment at Aig-
Company supplying therefrom water to Tow
son, Lutherville and vicinities to those who NAV
desire sucn supply On the 24th instant. we are
INFORMED, the County Commissioners of Balti-
more county will hear petition filed by certain
residents and property owners of Towson and vi
entity, asking for the revocation of certain pro
visions in franchise granted to this COMPANY
some time ago. under which provisions it is re-
CURED that this Company shall supply water to
IoWson, Lutherville and vicinities, only from
the well at Aigburth, the purpose of said petit
ton being, we assume, to permit this Company
to supply in the territory named the same water
which 1s now furnished to practically every por-
ton of Baltimore county along the system of
this Company from Relay and ST. Denis to Ca
louisville. Govanstown and Hamilton. the same
water which is about to be furnished to Hale
thorpe. and is being demanded in Lauraville and
in all of the developments along the Belair road.
very careful consideration and can see no reason
why those of Towson and Luthervile and vicini-
ties, who desire to continue to operate said WE'LL
should be denied the privilege of doing So ex-
cept. of course that this Company should not be
asked to assume any burden because of suoh
arrangement, and further that in order to dis
from said hQ
posed users lay their own water pipes for this
purpose. Accordingly we are now prepared to
say that should the County Commissioners de-
eide on the Gath instant to grant the petition re-
ferred to, thus allowing this Company to furnish
in the prohibited territory the Catonsville water
after the granting of the same, allow the station
at Aigburth to remain intact in its present con-
dition, we refraining from removing any part of
operating equipment contained therein and
necessary for the operation of said station SO
that you and your associates may determine
whether or not you desire to undertake the leas-
ing of said we'll and pumping equipment, to-
gether with the land upon and the building in
which the same is located
Should you decide to lease said we'll we will be
very glad to enter upon such an arrangement
with such persons as may come forward for this
purpose, upon some reasonable terms and con-
ditions to be hereafter agreed upon said lease to
provide for an annual payment to this Company
of two hundred and fifty dollars as rental said
payment to be satisfactorily guaranteed and as
sured, so that in this manner it may become DOS
sible for you and your associates of Towson
Lutherville and vicinities to lay distributing
pipes from the said well and pump station, in
GLIDING the necessary standpipe required for
continuous service. and to supply water to those
who desire service from said well in preference
to the Gainesville supply of this Company as
now furnished elsewhere in Baltimore county.
We regret very much that we cannot accede
to your request for permission to make the test
mentioned in your letter of the 18th instant
with it's attendant changes and possible serious
alterations in the present situation, but feel
quite sure that solution of the difficulty of
your objection to the introduction of the Cations
vile supply into Towson, Lutherville and vicini-
ties. can be met by those who so object through
the leasing of our well as outlined above. and
the providing of the necessary distributing sys-
tenn for the operation thereof.
We would be very glad to have you take I'D
and fully consider the matter of leasing our well
and pumping station, and in the event of the
granting of the petition to be heard on the 24th
instant by the County Commissioners, to have
you advise us at as early a date as possible
thereafter as to your pleasure in the premises.
We are forwarding copy of your letter of
the 18th instant, and of this reply thereto, to
each of the newspapers published in Towson
with the request that the same be published in
their respective issues of Saturday, the 10th
instant. Yours very truly
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY WATER
AND ELECTRIC COMPANY,
By lSigned) ALBERT H. WEIR,
Vice-President and General Manager.
Mob 00-It