Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-09

by Mayor Charles F. Thayer, after the executive committee of the council had held a meeting. The minutes of the previous meeting were omitted as usual.
 Mayor Thayer at once called upon Clerk Stephen D. Moore to read the resolution from the board of water commissioners, which provoked a lengthy discussion of the water ques- tion- Two spectators. listened to the discussion.
 The following was the resolution:
 Whereas. the water shed and stor- in the opinion of the board of water commissioners, insufficient 10 furnish such a supply of water as the present and near future necessities and con- venience of the city of Norwich re- Whereas, considerable time will be necessary to construct new works to supplement- those now existing and duty to the city to take immediate steps to increase the water supply; and
 Whereas, the general recommenda- tion in the report of Hill, Quick and Allen, consulting engineers. bearing date March .22. 1901. printed in the appendix to the Journal of the pro- ceed1ngs of the court of common council of said city for the year 19o0- 1901. were approved by the board of water commissioners for said year and also meet the approval of this board;
 Therefore. subject to the aivice and approval of the court of common council of the city of Norwich,
 Resolved, That the board of water commissioners of the city of Norwich, for and in behalf of the city, do here by adopt the general plan of Hill, Quick and Allen; as outlined in their that in pursuance of said general plan, this board proceed to acquire by pur- chase or by right of eminent domain. and to take and hold as provided in the charter of the city of Norwich. such lands, water, water rights and privileges as are or may be necessary for the construction of reservoirs. canals, aqueducts or other works for conveying or containing water or for laying pipes or conductors for con- veying water in or through the city of Norwich. and to do any other act necessary convenient therefor; and that said board make all necessary conditional contracts with the pro- prietors of any estate, real, personal or mixed, or of any franchise right or privilege which shall be required for the aforesaid purpose and to contract for materials. services, etc, and that this board do all other and further acts necessary and proper to secure, construct and maintain for the bene- fit of the city an additional supply of water on the Pease Brook water shed. under the direction of the court of common council as provided by the charter
 It was accompanied by another reso lution also read by Clerk Moore, hay ing come from the executive committee through which the common council approved of the water boards. resolu- tions, and the board was directed to take immediate steps to increase the water supply of the city of Norwich under the general plan and recommen- dation of the engineers on the Pease brook watershed.
 Councilman woodworth asked if the matter had to come before the people if the council approved of it tonight, to which Mayor Thayer replied that the people had nothing to say about the selection of the site by the water commission CTS but the boards selec- tion was subject to the approval of the council. When the matter came be- fore the people, he said, on a question of funds to make the changes involved if they did not provide the money the site could not be bought.
 Councilman Woodwork suggested that 1t was advisable to lay so impor- tant matter on the table until fuller information could be obtained before taking action, and he said that he had reason to believe not all of the water board were committed to this project.
 Mayor Thayer assured him the vote had been unanimous by the board in favor of the plan and reminded him that in 1901 the action had been the same, when the political complexion of the common council was different from at present. The mayor quoted figures to show that the Pease brook project was cheaper than either the Trading Cove or the Stony Brook projects for the amount of water to be secured.
 Councilman Woodwork urged that the minority members of the common council could not know about this as the majority members did. and he thought there ought to be an oppor- tunity for more information.
 Alderman Ely arose at this point, saying that he was speaking for the purpose of gaining information and stated that he was informed that the ehsineefs fhsir H, 9u,ek To niism ths took took ernment survey topogra phical map and he understood that it had since been found that there was an error in the government survey by which the actual location for the Pease brook dam was 20 feet lower than 1t had been esti- mated. making it necessary to make the dam 20 feet higher in order to flow water into Fairview reservoir. The estimate had been for a dam 50 feet high. 800 feet long and 1So feet thick at the base. If it were so that the government figures were in error as he believed they were from credible au- thority which he did not care to name, the dam would have to be 70 feet high. 700 feet long and 250 feet thick at the base. The first dam named would be of four and one-third million cubic feet but the second would be of 12,- 250, 900 cubic feet. thus being about three times the bulk of the Hill. Quick & Allen dam. The Pease brook project was at best an expensive one, said the alderman, and if it will be necessary to build a dam three times the size of the one planned originally it will be at an imm ense increase of cost. The city is in no shape to go into a scheme of this size. and dam of the size he mentioned would provide more water than we could use in generations.
 He said his plan was to go to Pease brook watershed as planned but take 8 point further up than was mentioned by the engineers form small pond and run a gravity pipe line into Fair view reservoir. and in that way the city could be filled by the first of May each year and the city be safe. When. the city grows it will be large enough to pay for a bigger project
 Alderman Gebrath moved approval of the resolutions offered. which was sec onded. and Aldedman Ely asked if the minority was not going to get any in formation. as he had given figures which were worthy of serious consid- eration. To Alderman Gebraths in-