Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-08
A CONTROVERSY.
City Would Open Old Brook
Road CuIVeTt.
f. 0. GeiChel| Objects on AC-
count Of Ice Pond.
Hearing Opens, tuesday, Before
Associate Justice Spear.

1
gave a hearing. Tuesday on the con-
Ioversy between the city of Augusta
and f. Q. Getehell, proprietor of the
| Peoples lee Co, over the proposal OF
| the city to open an old cuiVert across
! a read near the ice pond, which would
drain considerable territory onto the
pond. Mr.. Getchell contends that the
| city does not wish TO open the eulvert
| Tor the purpose of taking care OF the
surface water. but only for the par-
pose Of taking the drainage from four
| or i've houses. and avoid the necessity
OF building a sewer. City Solicitor Err
| nest l.. Mclean appeared tor the city
and Judge Benedict r Maher for Mr..
| Gctchell
Joseph \. Mclean. street commits
soner, described the street and con-
ditigns surrounding the culYert, which
| is new a!ied up and does not allow the
water to pass through it. He then
| gave way 10 Melvin $. Holway. who
stated that Remembered the old eul-
vert, that there was some tsbublc with
| it and IN effort made to have i open
| ed. when lie was a member of the city
government committee of highways.
two years ago. lie went up to see the
place then. The cuIvert VAS at the
| time in bad condition.
Eugene Il. Fisher and job Cartledge.
laborcrs. testified concerning tie con-
ditien of the cuivcrt and Mr. Cartledge
stated that lie started Ia open the etii-
ser: bout a year aud g half ago and
that Mr. Getchell, through Mr. Pierce.
who WAS then street commissioner, had
the work. stopped
w u. Trask. city engineer. stated
TIN; Tic oul' rrt was an in the road
AMI Tat 81 was not carrying off any
water II present. Tie examination 81
fhe witness eas soen directed toward
the proposition to build q sewer to
tax eaf,- Of the aHFf#ee water and
sink clippings from the houses ii
WAS his opinion that tho construction
ef a sewer would be very expensive.
not because Of it's length bat because
al one point it would be necessary to
cat through u knoll
As a matter OF fact. isn't tllls
" lnle blisiness to avoid putting in
seuer?" demanded judee Maher, IN
opening his cross xaiaination.
Mr. Mclean olijccted steenaousiy.
hut Judgc spear PERMITTED the witness
10 answer.
II supposc 1t is to TAXI care of the
pres al ar image. ~ Least, Ms MI
Trask's reply. tpcn heinz asked by
NJ. Mclean t. s;aia no" larg" a pipt
he tEaa.h. wnnIrl lc necessary 10 take
care # the snrftee water from that
district, III. witness said he Thought
il ousht 10 b.. l,-incb sipe.
Would that ts'ls- care Of the s1riitce
wate. alone" asked :4r. Mclean.
81 don't know. have never peeii
up there in the spring.
AT this point Joseph A. Mclean was
recalled.
How many houses drain into that loh'
place. asked the city solicitor
-Four or five
How large a drain would ii take u
take care of the surface water alone
~ l6-inch pipe, probably, to take car
! Of the showers and the spring weather,
| In your Judgment would it be prac-
ticable to drain that territory by sewer
at this time?''
Il don't think SO, not at this time
Judge Maher-"Why do YOU qualify i
by saying "a this time? The city hash
the money. has it?"
No
city solicitor MeLean--"You would con
slider it dangerous to leave it as it is2
.'Yes. it has been washed out and
would be dangerous.
| Judge Maher-"You did not do anything
about this until after the conference wiia
DR. Davies and the Board of Health. did
you?"
No"
City solicitor-"You knew. didn't you
that Mr.. Getchell had stopped every
lother street commissioner who had-trie1
to fix it?'
Yes"
Judge Maher-"You went to DIR. pa
vies?'
Yes"
why did you go to DIR. Davies"
| Because l understood that Mr.. Getch
ell, through DR.. Davies, and the Boar,
of Health. had stopped them every time.
City Engineer Trask, on being recalled
estimated that it would cost $1,000 or moi
to take care of the drainage by sewer
| =