New Britain herald., 1918-05-25
PUBLIC INTERESTED
IN TUNNEL PROJECT
Will Be Given Chance to Express
Views to Committee

ability of building the Burlington
tunnel this year met last evening in
City hall to begin their work Of COL
lecting data for their report to the
council. Those who attended were
Chairman o. F. Curtis, who intro
duced the resolution asking for a
committee Investigations Clerk A. F.
Eichstaedt, councilman from the sec
ond ward; Aldermen H P. Richards
and A. M. Paonessa and Councilnen
George M. Landers and William G..
Wall The meeting was purely a pre-
ljminary one and more complete dala,
and information will be received ana
acted upon at the next meeting, which
will be called by Chairman Curtis
possibly next Friday evening. the
chairman explaining that it is his in
tention to hold these meetings pub
lie and for the purpose Of giving all
people interested in the project an
opportunity to listen to arguments
and present their views.
Want Manufacturers Opinions.
Members of the committee arc of
the opinion that these meetings
should be made public and Mr.. Lpn-
ders said he understood, unofficially,
that some of the leading manufac-
turers are greatly interested in the
controversy as it will affect them vi
tally and are planning to hold Il
meeting Of thet: own to form opin-
ions. 1t was likewise reported that
rumor credits some Of the II ulac-
turers with opposing the Plan to
+1,s
because of the great expense and be-
cause many feel that it is Tot upper
ative, but also on account of the la
Dor market. Some have said that to
build the tunn,l now would take Ia
Dor which might otherwise % await.
able for the factories. TIL so opin-
ions. it was explaine ed, az by no
means unanimous among thp factory
officials and their definite views will
be solicited.
Chairman Curtis of the committee
has visited all Of the watel sheds
connected with the city's water sup
ply and is familiar with conditions.
possibilities and probabilities con-
nected Herewith. Other mem
bers are also familiar, but some ex-
pressed a desirs to see for them
selves before venturing a final opin-
ion. With figures at his disposal. as
we'll as fair estimates, Chairman Cur
It's says that it is not beyond the
realm of probability that By installing
pumps on one of the watershed
brooks that is now practically wasted
the city could save an enormous
amount of water every day. He also
has figures to show that the water
supply, properly handled, might last
Two
Gus drought. The city has water
enough, in the opinion Of many, but
lacks a proper place to store it, Mr..
Curtis has report from ore expert,
he declares, that shows that an enor-
nous quantity Of water can he saved
at the Whigville reservoir every day.
At present there is a costly leak ia
fine dam there, permitting thousands
Of gallons of water to be wasted each
day. By adopting the plan put forth
by this expert 1t is said that this wa
er could be saved Cor the city and at
u very small cost.
No Danger OF losing Rights.
According to the plans worked out
very carefully and thoroughly by the
water department and city engineers,
the proposed Burlington tunnel would
Vile brook and thence into the Wing
Vile reservoir. In the opinion Of
Chairman Curtis how ever, this tun-
mel would be at maximum efficiency
only in the spring and autumn months
when the country experiences heavy
rains. The arugment was also put
forth, in favor of developing these
water rights Immediately, that unless
the city does SO at once the rights
may be taken away by legislative
acts, especially since the city of Hart
ford is eagerly looking for more wa
ter rights of it's own. Councilman
Wall did not think this argument
very good one and doubted if the
city would lose it's rights simply be-
cause they did not develop them at
this time for economic reasons. AL
derman Curtis also thought the city
would be taking no chance on losing
it's rights by failure to develop them
at this time, declaring that the enor-
nous amount of money already ex-
tended in it's development is proof
of good faith, and to a question he
said already a considerable amount
has been expended in this place. He
thought 100000 might be near the
figure already spent. The estimated
cost of the tunnel would be about
$685. 900 and this figure does not in
clude any property damages which
would result from diverting the
brook. Further data concerning the
water departm and it's various
sources of supply is being tabulated
by City Engineer w. III. Hall and will
be given the committee at its next
meeting.
Councilman Landers said he did not
think the council would insist on an
Immediate report on June s. as pre-