The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1909-02-11
Victory for Water Company.

securing the vote of the town Tor a
renewal of their hydrant rental lease,
for another twenty year term, at a
price and upon conditions virtually of
their own making. The very meager
concessions made by them from the
proposition first presented count for
little awhen it Is recalled that they
have nearly or quite doubled their
price for the chief item in the con-
tract, the annual rental for the hy-
rants, over what it has been for the
past twenty years.
The Water Company presented a
united front throughout the entire
period of negotiations while the
voters, through honest differences of
opinion, were very much divided ON
the question of the best policy to
pursue and thus placed at CORES
ponding disadvantage. They finally
reached a concert of action at the last
of the three town meetings but this
agreement came only in time to ac-
cept the terms of the Water Com
pany, when if it had been manifested
earlier it would doubtless have gain
ed some important advantages. which
are now withheld.
We believe no gentleman who
spoke in behalf of the town will take
offense if it be said that side of the
debate lacked leadership. Those who
spoke for the town felt that the com
munity were being driven to a hard
bargain but, they were, as stated by
Mr.. Walton at the opening of the
meeting last Saturday, like sheep
without shepherd, and to be classed
as amateurs in comparison with Mr..
Gould, the president of the Water
Company, who conducted that side of
the case with signal ability. The
facts and circumstances which go to
make the istory of the past twenty
years were in large measure unfav-
orable to the Water Co., but Mr.. Gould
made the best use of them that he
could and, the final vote of the town
to pay the price asked and to accept
the terms proposed by them, the Wat
er Co. is tribute to his skill. The
only vital thing which the Water Co.
has bound itself to do Is of the most
simple nature, being solely to carry
out projected improvements in its
plant, that it must needs have done,
whether or not required by the town,
if they were to continue to supply
water for either domestic or fire pur-
poses. In other words they have
agreed to make impro vements, which
must have been made in any event,
and in the process have secured an
advance of about 10000 in their hy-
drant rental for the twenty year term.
The Water Company seemed to
have its own way except as to the
naming of the committee of five who
are empowered to make contract
with them on behalf of the town, and
the matter OF the charter which the
town deems it wise to have, for use
only in case the Water Company finds
itself unable to carry out its contract.
AS to the committee, the officials and
stockholders of the Water Company
were plainly entitled to participate
in their selection to the same extent
as other citizens, and no more. Their
president, Mr.. Gould, seemed to GO
much farther than this, his argument
in the matter amounting to an insist
ance that this committee should be
constituted according to his dictation
To have allowed the demands of the
Water Company to prevail in this
respect would be much like allowing
one party in suit at law to select all
the juryman, custom which in legal
procedure would be regarded as pre-
posterous and which would not have
been less SO as regards the town and
the Company in the present instance.
The meeting was entirely within its
rights in deciding otherwise.
AS the terms of the contract are OF
their own making it is to be presum-
ed they can and will carry them out,
in which case this charter, above re-
ferred to cannot affect them In the
least. II the town gets its supply OF
pure water, under sufficient pressure,
the charter will be forgotten. 1t is
simply to provide against the possible
contingency that might occur. Not
withstanding the best intentions on
the part of the Water Company, they
might, in part at least, be unable to
furnish the town with the service it
should have. In the event of such a
possibility, the Company should be
glad to have the town in position to
assist itself and them.
The selectmen have alrea dy taken
steps to have charter drawn and
presented at Augusta, as voted by the
town. 1t is to be presumed there will
be no opposition to it's passage by the
legislature now in session.
Y. M. G. A. Sunday.
Sunday next is to be observed as
Young Mems Christian Association