The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-26
NORR|DGEWOCK AND
FIRE PROTECTION
Excellent Facilities In
Town if Developed
Scheme Is to Have Hydrant System
VIII Cut Down Insurance Rates
Meeting Next Monday.

Norridgewock is to have special
town meeting on Monday, October 30,
to vote on fire and insurance protec-
ton. There are five articles to be
acted upon, as follows:
Article /. To elect a moderator to
preside at said meeting.
Article 2. To listen to the report
of the committee of twenty citizens,
chosen by the town to investigate the
matter Of fire protection and the re-
duction of insurance rates on village
property.
Article 3. To see if the town will
purchase the Howe, Gasoline Fire
Engine now on exhibition here and
to pass all necessary votes respect
ing the same, including the arrange
ment for payment by loan or other
wise.
Article 4. To see what action the
town will take in regard to a hydrant
system and to pass all necessary
votes respecting the same.
Article 5. To see If the town Will
subscribe for ten or more MIGRANTS
of standard capacity, Of the Norridge-
wock Water Company, provided said
company shall, within one year from
date, enlarge its system under its new
charter sufficiently to be able to Sc
cure volume and pressure which
will reduce fire insurance rates with
in five hundred feet of any hydrant
one half the present amount on resi-
dence. property, said hydrants to cost
the town thirty-fiye dollars each, per
year, including water for street
sprinkling and schoolhouses; said
subscription to be for period of ten
years, and pass all necessary votes
respecting the same, but no payment
to be made in any case, for said hy-
drants, until the same are in accord
ance with the requirements of the
New England Insurance Exchange
and no payment to be made except
annually, at the end Of each full year
of actual service at the number OF
pounds of pressure required by the
town.
Norridgewock appears to be arous-
ed over the matter of fire protection
and the reduction of insurance rates
on village property. 1t has reason to
be stirred in this matter, considering
the towns in the State that have suf-
fered great losses by fire recently be-
cause they had no fire protection. Now
Norridgewock has wonderful facilities
for getting fire protection without any
great expense of buying engines, etc.
The town has four local acqueducts:
the Vaughn acqueduct sin the direc-
ton of Winding Hill; the Mosher
acqueduct which is owned by H. X.
and r. F. Sawyer supplying mainly
Mechanic street; the Sawtelle acque-
duct owned by DR.. ]. d. Ames supply
ing the larger portion of the business
section and Railroad street to Burn
ham & Morrill's corn shop; and the
Sawyer acqueduct owned by E. w.
Gilman and Frank l.. Ames. 1t will,
therefore, be seen that nearly all
parts of the village have good sup
plies of water, but they lack the re-
quired power at present to give fire
protection.
But by very little cost it is under
stood these systems can be developed
so that the town can have as good a
hydrant system as any town of its
size in the State. The scheme is to
place a stand-pipe on Sunset HILL The
base of it will be 200 feet above the
business streets and would afford a
very heavy pressure for fire protec-
ton. The main acqueduct mentioned
for this purpose is the Gilman & Ames
system. A charter has already been
obtained at the last Legislature by
DR.. Ames, Representative of that
town, which provides for the erection
of stand-pipe on the hill mentioned,
for pump stations and for hydrants
Provision was also made for a COM
pany called the Norridgewock Water
Company to issue bonds for the pur-
pose of financing the construction.
This charter was discussed at the
recent town meeting and a committee
of twenty men, consisting of ten
farmers and ten village people, was
elected to investigate the matter of
hydrants and insurance, and also to
consider. the advisability of buying the
Howe gasoline engine at an expense
of $4,000.
1t would seem that 1t would be I'M
wise to buy the engine, but It would
appear to be practical to do as Bing-