The Somerset reporter., 1909-02-11
Proposition Accepted.
continued nom rlrst Page

the water which the town Is 10 nave
without charge is concerned, 1t may
be said that the supply for the city
building will more than Offset some
slight deductions for other uses.
The new contract protects the town
as to the purity of the water by pro-
viding, In addition to the specification
as to portability, that it must be "good
water, other than from the Kennebec
RIVER, and as to pressure the stipu-
ulation as to efficiency is supplment-
ed by the provision that an average
daily pressure of 20 Lbs. shall be main
tanned ON the Water street level.
1t is provided that the Water Com
pany shall install and maintain. at a
point on Water, street to be designa-
ted by the town a recording gage SO
that the pressure at all times can be
readily determined. The rates to the
town for general purposes and to in
dividuals are not to be raised.
A committee of Ave, w. FL. Wildes,
George w. Cover, s. H. Bradbury,
John g. Griffin and R. T. Patten are
to make temporary con-
tract substantially as above outlined,
the terms during the life of said tenn
porary contract to be those now in
force. and to conclude 20 year cont
tract with the Water Company
"Whenever and not until said
Water Company shall have 80
improved its plant and present
existing facilities for supply
ing good water. other than
that from the Kennebec ri
yer, at sufficient pressure, 80
that said company shall be
able, at time said contract
is signed, and apparently for
the future, to fulfill the condi-
tions of said contract in all
particulars"
Much occurred at the meeting, dur
ing the discussion of the water ques-
ton, that would be of interest in its
bearing on the matter, but we assume
that the readers of the REPORTER wish
to be informed as to final results and
would prefer that other details, not
essential to an understanding of those
results, be omitted. 1t should be add
ed, however, that the Water Com
pany is required to signify it's willing
ness, to enter into an agreement as
above outlined, before the annual
town meeting which will occur on
March 9Th. Should it fail to do this,
or should it fail to suitably improve
it's plant by Aug. 10, 1910, no contract
with them is to be made.
Report of Committee on Fire Protection.
At the annual meeting in March
1908, committee of three, E. E..
Greenwood, J. H. Steward and G. j..
Abbey, were appointed to investigate
our system OF fire protection and this
committee rendered an excellent re-
port, through its chairman, Mr.. Green
wood, Immediately on conclusion of
the consideration of the water ques-
ton. The report gave the conditions
as found and made certain recon-
AS to the fire alarm, the
committee believe the town has a
system as good as is obtainable and
that it we'll served in this respect. 1t
does not believe that connecting the
present system with one or more of
church bells would be an improve
ment. AS to force pumps, it seems
that the ones already installed are Of
size and design and that very
slight alterations will render them
efficient. The committee believes the
failures of the past would be in a
large measure remedied if the de-
partment had at least one man, es
pecially assigned to the care and OPP
Grafton of the town force pumps.
This man, as they recon me d.,
should have the requisite knowledge
OF that kind of machinery and should
be depended on to put the pumps in
operation when necessary.
AS to reservoirs it was recommended
that three new ones be establi shed, so
that the steamer may have additional
resources on the higher levels, where
the committee finds that the pressui e
of the city mains is low. The locations
are corner OF Main and
Bloomfield streets, Mount Pleasant
avenue or Milburn street, North aven-
ue near Catholic Cemetery, and cor
ner of Madison avenue and JeWett
streets The keeping Of horses at the
fire department. building is not recon- :
mended at the present time. 1t is
however recommended that the town
purchase a new hose wagon and that
a commission of three men be created
to have entire control of the depart
ment including the appointment OF a
fire chief. 1t is suggested by the COM
mittee that more time might be re-
quired under the commission plan for
practice on the part of the members
of the different companies and II such
be the case, the committee recon
mend that the pay be increased to
for the additional time.
The committee also recommended
that fire limits be established SO that
the the erection of wooden buildings
in the thickly built up portion of the
town be hereafter prohibited.
The report of the committee was
accepted and 1t was voted to instruct
thom to provide for carrying out their
recommendations by applying to the
for the authority to form
a Fire Commission and by inserting
the necessary articles in the warrant
for the coming town meeting. The
extended it's thanks to the
for its labors and a4o ac
cepted the report of the special water
which had been at work
on the water question for the past
year, and suitably acknowledged the
of the citizens for the
with which they had per-
formed their duties.
Other Matters.
Two motions, on matters entirely