The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-05
.UNSANITARY
CONDITIONS
Complains : II at Barre
Nor Atal Yard In
nth End of City
RIVER WATER CAUSE
OF THE TROUBLE
Occupants Renew Request
for Water Main Ex-
tension

The testimony of some dozen EN-.
| ployes of the Barre Monumental ward
together with evidence submitted by Jo-
seph 0ssola and Edward Dmghi, who
conduct the business, and statement
from Health Officer DIR. ]. H. Woodruff
was brought before the city council at
its regular monthly meeting last night
| to show that conditions at the yard
were decidedly unsanitary owing to the
eity's failure to extend the water mains
to the plant some distance down the car
lline on the Montpelier road. Remarks
| from several of the protestants tended
to show that the situation was fast be-
coming unbearabe and that the alder
manic water committee should take
steps to alleviate conditions at once.
The protest was finally referred to the
water committee on the motion of Al
derman Patterson and arrangements
were made for an investigation to be
conducted this afternoon.
DIR. Woodruf's statement corroborat-
ed the opening remarks made BY Mr.
Ossola, who explained that the company
had been compelled to rely upon water
from the river nearby in the absence Of
the city water supply. River water. he
continued, was known to be eontaminat-
ed and it's enforced use was bound to
have a bad effect on the health and
comfort of the company's employees. He
asked the mayor to question several
members of the company's forces as to
conditions there. Meanwhile the clerk
had read the letter from the health Off
Ger, in which he condemned conditions
at the monumental yard and urged that
measures be taken toward extending the
main.
Mayor Ward first called upon Charles
Mills. representing the blaeksmiths en-
ployed at the plant Mr.. Mills said he
had to use river water in the black
smith business; that he knew the wa
ter to be polluted with all manner of
uncleanness and that he had already
told Mr.. Ossola that a man couldn't live
in such a joint. Steam which the wa
ter created was positively nauseating.
Believe me, il smells like pansy bed,n
was Mr.. Mills comment. He said he
had his first introduction to the water
the day he started working there
Thinking it to be city water, he start
ed in to drink some of it one forenoon.
The desire to drink was quickly dissi-
pated, he said. Afterwards he had called
Alderman Keefe to look over the sit
uation in the blacksmith shop. The
from No. 5 got as far as the
window and had decided to postpone fur
ther progress after getting a Whit from
within.
Engineer Carl HoIlenbach said the wa
ter plugged up the compressor some
times. Fred 0rdway, one of the polish
ers, wasn't at all impressed with the
fragrance around the plant, he said Nor
did he consider it very sanitary. Often
his hands came in contact with the wa
ter and once his face had been spattered.
He didn't know what the odor was, but
he knew what he thought it was, he
finished
Ornel Blair told Of working at the
plant when it was operated by Charles
Scott and later for 0ssola & Dunghi,
Turing each period as Jumper. To tell
The truth, said Mr.. Blair, he had never
discovered anything very sweet about
The water or about the odor it created.
Stones which came in contact with it
we're afterwards found to have turned
yellow. Hubbard Meeker a polisher,
,aid the odor was something fierce, es-
,ecially in the morning. Also there was
title force back of the water and it
Il afforded efficient fire protection Isaac
ionyea, bed setter, had a similar story
o tell. None of the eomplainants was
eady to describe the water as being any
aIa4, 60 I,,,, 4.
Alderman Dawson opened the case for
he council. He referred to a promise
which former council made to extend
he main last spring. He thought it was
Ugh time that something should be done
nd to that end he offered motion EN-
covering the water committee to 20
head with the extension. The motion
ras not seconded, but the matter was
ater referred to the committee for in
on Alderman Pattersons mo-
ion.
The Firemens Uniform Purchase.
The bill of the Iamorey Clothing Co.
or uniforms furnished the fire depart
lent was held up at the request of Al
eTman Patterson, who as chairman of
he finance committee. had refused to
pprove it for payment, although it had
een o. K.d by Alderman Dawson, chair
IAN of the fire committee. When the
ther business before the council had
cen transacted, the council adjourned
nd after the reporters had departed,
lok up Mr. Lamorey's bill. which Al
erman Patterson stated was in excess
the prices quoted the city by the
rank McWhorter Co. Alderman Ban
oft said Mr.. Lamorey had consulted
le city clerk for the purpose of cor
citing an error which, as he coEtended.
I'd erept in through oversight. 1t was
,cided to call Mr. Lamorey to the coun
! chamber and few moments later
. was amplifying his explanation by at
ibuting an overcharge of S4.20 to the
error.
On his promise to refund to the city
20. the bill was approved for s97.95.
18th this amount refunded to the city
e amount paid by the city for the
Informs is still Sl.32 more than the
ices quoted by another bidder
City Hall Doors.
N