Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-12

justify this attitude.
The sources of pollution described
by the compliments and the conduct
Of the village authorities in relation to
them have contributed their full share
to the seriousness Of the present situa-
ton. In describing this condition the
compliments showed that the sewage
from houses in Madison went out upon
the ground and directly. into the Ken
nebec or into that river through Royal
Brook. Mr.. Humphreys testified that
quite percentage Of the houses are
located on streets on which there are
sewers and not connected" These
sewers discharge into the Kennebec
below the dam. but no steps have been
taken to compel the people to connect
with them. The same witness testi-
fed that four houses on the bank dis
charge their sewage and water closet
product onto the surface. They aren't
connected with any sewer"
Much testimony was offered to show
the presence Of filth. water closets.
stables and pig pens along Rowell
Brook and the river and where their
impurities would reach the river. AL
fred NJ. Corson testified and offered
photographs Of pig pens near Rowell
Brook, a water closet within ten feet
kinds Of rubbish at one point. Melvin
c. Adams testified that 40 to 60 men
were housed in a boom house from the
middle Of June to the latter part Of
September and that all Of their sewage
discharges direct into the river
This whole situation, the present
pollution Of the source of supply, the
cost Of remedying the evils, the extent
to which that cost might be affected
by an attempt in good faith on the part
Of the Village Corporation to clean up
its own filth. the attitude Of the Village
toward filtration system. the demand
for specific remedy too expensive for
this town alone. and especially the
peculiar contractual interest Of the
Village Corporation in the water COM
pany's plant by virtue Of it's option Of
purchase as it will exist after the
changes now required are made, all led
the Commission to believe that the in
terest Of the parties and the public
could be advanced by a conference and
free discussion Of the situation and its
remedy in the light of what this inves-
tigation had disclosed. We suggested
such conference, and the respondent
acting on that suggestion asked the
compliments for an appointment This
was declined. and nothing remains but
for the Commission to issue its order.
The complainants protest vigorously
against a filter system, but experience
appears to have demonstrated its eff
hciency when properly constructed and
operated. AS already indicated, the
compliments urge with equal vigor that
the respondent should go to Hancock
Pond. This seems to be feasible only
II arrangements can be made with
some other company or municipality
to share the expense. The testimony
OF compliments shows that it is not
practical for Madison alone. It would
not be desirable to require the re-
spondent to assume an expense which
Its field Of operation would not war
rant, nor fair to Madison, which will
probably take the property over at some
time. to create plant at unreasonable
cost. The respondent has no right to
create plant at an unnecessary ex-
pense. If it has a source Of supply
that can be made suitable by measures
proven acceptable, it cannot 20 to some
other sources that involve q substan-
tial increase in cost This is clearly
stated in the opinion Of Justice Savage
in Water District " Water Co.. 90 Me
371,3S7.
The ideal solution would appear to
be for the villages Of Arson and Madi-
son to unite in this matter. An en-
aiding act making this possible was
passed by the legislature Of 1913 and a
bill reported from the judiciary COM
mlttee at the session Of 1915 extending
the right. Counsel for the COM
plainants stated in argument that this
latter bill was defeated through the
enorts OF those interested in the pres
ent complaint. because they feared ex-
cessive valuation OF respondents plant
by appraisers appointed by the court
1t Is significant that the third an.
praiser to act under the Village Cor
poration's present contract with the
company IL to b appointed by the
court and that II this legisla ton had
passed 1t could not have been forced
upon the Village Corporation. It would
have become effective only on tts ac-
cepfance by the legal voters Of the
Corporation. Whatever the real mo-
tive may have been, tho citizens have
lost their present opportunity to act in
what would appear to be a very prac-
teal manner II they really wish TO ac-
quire their own water supply and to
secure It from a source which, on ac-
count Of expense, Is not available to
them alone.
Under these conditions we shall not
recommend that respondent 20 to any
particular source Of supply or adopt
any particular method. even II We had
such authority. which we doubt. We
believe that the limit Of our authority
in the first instance Is to require 1t to
furnish pure water. It must work out
the method as well and as expedi-
tiously as it can under the circum-
stances
We shall not now close the case. As
already indicated the other three al
legations will be considered further
when this most pressing and most ex-
pensive item is disposed Of. The case
win remain open for further action as
required.