Putnam patriot., 1910-05-06

 fault somewhere which should in any event tn some manner he ren,edied,
 The committee Is of the opinion that greater pumping capacity Is needed that the piping is insufficient and that the head of water from the standpipe Is, at least for a considerable part of the time, insufficient, In other words, the present plant should be equipped with better pumps of larger capacity, the property should be improved aad enlarged in many places, and there should be either better head from a sufficient reservoir, or, in place of al. addititionali reservoir capacity there | should be an arrangement whereby pumps of proper capacity can be im- mediately started upon signal, giving an adequate flre pressure, and at the same time il should be made manifest | ly certain that the system iof piping could stand the additional pressure that would be needed to give an adequate supply of water for fires.
 Taking into consideration the fact that the insurance company experts | state that even down around tho group of mills on Pemfret street and south of 1 the same, this being the lowest point l in the city where the pressure should 1 he the greatest, there Is an insufficient pressure to give an adequate supply | gxn l.ar f lt ts, case of large fire, the Council can req. dily see that the pressure In almost any other portion of the city cannot be called sufficient.
 The changes necessary to an adequate supply of water for lire protection are 1 therefore, as We have already stated, of such complex character, and of such importance that this committee would not, in any event, care to assume the responsibility of negotiating n long 1 contract with the Putnam Water Com pany without first obtainingcxpert as- sistance in our investigations.
 l This committee has caused tests of the pressure to bc made at different dates and at different times, at many hydrants on different elevations In this city. The tests were made by attach Ing one gauge to . valve on a,hydrant the same as you would attach one hose, and even without taking into consider alton the friction which the water would have on ordinary hose, we find that by our gauge the water at many points is inadequate even for one hose. In case of s large fire often times six streams would be required, and sys. tenn of fire protection for this city should furnish pressure sufficient to handle six streams of water at one time. Your committee is satisfied that in most places within thIs city even four streams of water with sufficient pressure for our large buildings cannot receive the proper pressure at one time, and more especially as the depth Of the water decreases in the standpipe from being rapidly drawn upon by streams used at fires. The committee Is also Of the opinion that at many hydrants in the city there is practically no fire pro. lection from the use of water through hose from the hydrants, and we are Of the opinion that provision for proper fire pressure should SO be arranged that the whole city should receive, and have at all times, proper fire protection. The question has become n large question, and one of vital importance to the com munity.
 The rates for private rentals charged by the Putnam Water Company are, in the opinion Of the committee, exor- bitant and quite unusual, and should be reduced to very considerable ex. 1 tent, and this reduction would effect favorabIy nearly every householder in I this city and be q tremendous saving to the individuals who use public wa 1 ter.
 On the 26th day of April this com- mittee held meeting at which our cil- izens were invited to appear before the committee and make recommendations and suggestions in all matters concern ing all questions before the committee. At that meeting very strong arguments were made in favor of the installation Of public water sytem by the city in order that the city may furnish pure supply of water with adequate fire pro- lection, and so much was said by very prominent men among our very largest taxpayers and real estate owners, and so much has been said since that time 1 to the several members of the commit tee, that the committee is in doubt as to whether It should continue it's Invcs. tigalions Of the wster plant and It's negotiations with the Putnam Water Company until the question shall bc decided as to whether the city is to in- stall or purchase . water plant of it's own.
 A short time ago committee was appointed by the direction of the May. or and Common Council to consider the question of public sewers, and . part of the duties of that committee is. to consider the question of the ad- visibility of the installation by the city of public water system of its own or the purchase by said city of the plant of the Putnam Water Company. fit be the fact that the voters of tho city Of Putnam are in favor Of owning . {. public water system of their own then