New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-11-21
RAP WATER CO. FOR
BEVERAGE SERVED
Hecklers at Town Meeting Fear
Water May Cause Sickness
WANT INVESTIGATION MADE


and No Action Is Taken-Purchase
of Voting Machines Ordered
Prior-McKeon Nuptials.
Attempts to bring about an investi-
cation to determine the purity Of the
water furnished to the patrons Of the
Plainville Water company were I'M
expectedly and unsuccessful1y made at
the special town meeting held last
evening, the men behind the scheme
failing In their efforts principally be-
cause of the fact that the call for the
session contained nothing which
permit Of formal consideration of it,
They succeeded, however, in securing
a discussion Of the matter and in the
parlance Of the streets did their best
to put the company ION the pan" The
issue failed to develop anything fur
Their than a discussion and was allow
ed to drop after a number had given
vent to their feelings, the chairman
declaring that the session had no au-
thority to take any action
The matter was brought to the at
tention Of the meeting after the voters
two voting machines used at the last
election, S. S. Gwillim, who served as
chairman, reading a. resolution to the
effect that the selectmen and board Of
health get together to make certain
that the odor and unpleasant taste as
ISOLATED with the water furnished
when the pumping plant at Mountain
View is not in operation are not ind1-
cative Of impurities which might be
DANGEROUS to the welfare of the COM
munity.
Chairman Gwillim explained that
the meeting could take no action on
the resolution as it's consideration was
not in order but he did not think any
harm could come from Informally
discussing the question.
Illness which has recently develop
ed in two or three families in town
which has been characterized as ty-
phoid fever by some physicians evil
IDENTIFY was responsible for the intro
duction of the resolution, It's sponsors
seemingly believing that the water Sc
cured from the reservoir since the use
Of the pumps was discontinued may
have been responsible. Others who
did not believe that the reservoir wa
ter is impure thought 1t possible that
people refusing to use 1t because of It's
nauseating flavor started to get their
supply from wells which were In dan
ger of cOnta n1inatiOn
Charles H Ca1Or president of the
water company, came to the defense
of the corporation. He declared he
and his associates would welcome an
investigation. He claimed that while
the reservoir water may have an I'M
pleasant odor or taste, analysis made
weekly by chemists prove 1t to be
pure. He declared that the water
company is not anxious to cause an
epidemic of typhoid and its officers
would not permit Of the serving of
water that is not pure.
Since the recent complaints about
the water the company shut off the
reservoir supply and again started to
draw on its wells. It is the intention,
however, to discontinue this service as
soon as cold weather sets in.
During the discussion doubt was ex-
pressed as to whether there are cases
of typhoid hero. Selectman Johnson
had heard of them but was unable to
locate any. Others thought that fears
that have been entertained Of an cpl
demic we're unnecessary while men
seeking an investigation Of the COM
pdny S SCOCk IN trade seemed sure
that the disease is here.
BY vote Of 20 to II the meeting
passed resolution appropriating ST.
$50 for the purchase of the two vot-
ing machines rented for use on cleo
ton day from the Automatic Register
company Of amestown, N. Y. The
apparatus had been brought here sim
ply as an experiment and the majority
of those present at last nights session
registered the belief that the trial had
proved their value.
Peter J. Prior, John E. Lamb and
John Larson were in the front rank
of the forces favoring the purchase
of the machines, while Joseph T. Nc
Carthy was leader for the opposition.
Mr.. Mccarthy maintained that the
machines are mechanically imperfect