Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-18
BATH OBJECTS
TO CHANGE IN
water SUPPLY

Sabbathday pond. small body Of
water containing 5s-l00th Of a square
mile. was the little center around
which a big storm Of discussion waged
at the session of the committee on in
terror waters this afternoon.
The main point at issue was an act
to allow the Maine Water Co. to take
water for domestic purposes from this
pond. United opposition from the
towns of Yarmouth and New Glouces
ter developed. Hon. Edward w.
u heeler Of Brunswick appeared for
the bill and said that the Maine Wa
ter Co. supplies the city Of Bath and
the towns Of West Bath and Wool
wich. The source of supply is now
in Nequasset pond. across the Ken
nebec river. and pipes have to be laid
under the river to bring the water.
This main has often become broken
because Of vessels anchoring in the
river for all Of the federal restric-
tons against the practice. If Sab
bathday pond could be secured for a
supply. then a gravity flow could be
secured and water rates in the towns
affected could be reduced. The Bruns-
wick and Topsham water district
would also be able to use the new
water if it wished. Two million gal
Ions a day would be the maximum be
used.
Cyrus c. Babb
Cyrus c. Babb Of Augusta former
engineer Of the Maine Water Stor-
age Commission said that the diversion
Of 100000 gallons. day would mean
the lowering Of the pond about six
feet a year. The present storage is
five feet. With no inflow at all, the
present storage would be just depict
ed with the use of 100000 gallons a
day. At Yarmouth where there are
manufacturing plants dependent upon
the Royal river which is partly sup
Piled by this pond, the decrease IN
power would be one per cent Mr..
Babb, in reply to questions. said that
a dam could be built to provide suita-
BILE storage, but he hadn't examined
the pond to see what flowage would
be necessary.
Representative Gooding Of Var
mouth said that the use of 1000, 900
gallons a day from Sabbathday pond
would seriously hamper the fire sup
ply of the town. Representative Blake
Of New Gloucester and other citizens
Of the town spoke against the meas
ure as being damaging to the prop
erty rights.
Representative Corliss of Bath,
speaking for the city that was sup
posed to be benefited by the change,
declared that he didn't believe the peo-
pie of Bath would want their water
from this pond
He further called attention to the
fact that the Bath people are think
ing of forming water district. II
they did, then they would have to
take over the property Of the Maine
Water Co. 1T seems to me-" he said,
that the Maine Water Co. wants this
pond to sell as an asset to the Bath
Water district"
Judge Harry E. Coolidge Of Lisbon
Falls and Harry L. Cram of Portland,
appearing for the Yarmouth Lighting
Co. Hon. Scott Wilson of Portland for
the people Of Pownal, William E. Lin
nell Of Portland for the Forest Paper
Co. and Howard Davies Of Yarmouth
LOT the flOSdi river MauuIacGUSlQR GO.
all opposed the bill and told how the
power on the Royal river would be 50
adversely affected that the manufac-
turing plants could not run without
auxiliary aid.
Other Measures
Four other measures were also dis
cussed at this meeting Of the COM
mittee on interior waters. W. ]. Mayo
told why the Dover Foxcroft Water
District wished its charter amended
so that a supply Of water could be Sc
cured from Garland pond. The water
now being taken fro mthe Piscataquis
river is both inadequate and impure.
Henry Prentiss Of Bangor, speaking
on the act to amend the charter OF the
SawteIIe Brook Dam and Improvement
Co., asked the right to have the toll on
logs increased 20 that the company
cQ1A meet il euenas. H9donhtndAS