Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-05-17
FRIDAY, MAY IL, 1912.
Boston's Water System
Editor of the Herald :

Editor Of the Herald:
just at this time when we are reading
of the damage done to property along
the Mississippi Valley by the rush OF
water, it occurs to me that your readers
may be interested in brief letter on the
water supply of Boston and the Metro
politan District.
Many will remember what unpalatable
stuff the drinking water of Boston was
some years since. 1t almost spoiled the
pleasure of country visitors, who then
realized, if never before, the blessing of
good drink of water. Now it is all
changed and the water is good enough
for anybody. Naturally, piped so far,
it gets warmer than the Vermont spring
and we'll water, but that is easily RENE
died, and it is clean and pure as attention
and filtering can make it.
When it became evident some years
back that new and larger reservoir for
the water supply of Greater Boston was
necessary, the State took it in hand and
found the most practicable thing was to
take over a part of the Valley of the
Nashua River in the towns of Boylston
and Clinton, build dam and pipe the
water to Boston. The section selected
took in the village of West Boyiston.
They tore down the houses, cleaned up
the debris and built the dam. There
was a natural basin which comprised
many square miles of land, which now
is big lake. The total length of the
dam including the side walls is l476 it,
and the actual length of the main dam
is GA it,, and the waste of overflow
extension is ever 452 it, long. The
dam is 22S fit. high, and, when the
reservoir is full, holds back almost sixty
six billion gallons of water. The cos
of the plant was about ten million dol
lars. Thousands of tons of concrete
rest on the bed rock granite of New
England, and the dam is so constructed
that in case of a food the water woulC
not go over the top of the dam, bu
escape through the sluice gates. Thu
magnitude of the work can best be real
lied by standing at the foot of the dan
and looking up at the granite wall tina
eonfrouts you. | felt awed, and m,
own insignifcance seemed more eviden
than | ever felt it before, as the though
oame--what scene of devastation j
would be if that great structure shoul
give way without warning. That, how
lever, appears impossible, and | do no
think the business enterprises along tn
river are in any jeopardy, nor home
and lives in danger.
Another interesting feature in Wis
to the dam is the trestle over whic
Boston & Maine trains cross the vale
just below the dam, at a height practit
ally the same as the dam. In buildin
the dam the course of the railroad ha
to be changed, so they commenced bac
the necessary distance and ran poll
blank into the face Of a hill which form
ed the east side of the river bank, ar
then tunneled through, coming right o.
on to the trestle. The effect of standir
at the foot of the dam and seeing
train 60 over the trestle is startling.
\ A side trip to the dam when 20
people come down here, Is most interes
ing and we'll worth the expense al
time. 1t doesn't take long, and the Ri
is very pretty. You can 60 out by tra
to Clinton, but to make it even mo
enjoyable, it would be nice to go
train to Hudson, and complete the ri,
by trolly through about ten miles of
pretty country as you ever sat eyes o
Now the city of Boston is only a pa
of the territory benefited by this grei
ystem. Cambridge, Somerville, M;
den, Everett, Chelsea, Revere, and otf
sscities and towns use the water. Tn
tell me the heavy drain caused by m
lions of gallons of water used in the