New Britain herald., 1919-11-20
kEHOE SAYS DIR. REEKS LIES IF HE MADE QUOTED STATEMENTS
 ON CITY WATER; RAPS CURTIS
c Commissioners Defend Water Board in Statement to Public-In Heated Argu- ment With Alderman.

Charging that pr. T. Tben Rocks, board, is "a common garden variety of liar," if the statements which the doctor is quoted as having said were uttered by him, Water Comnlis- sioner Thomas Fl. kehoe upheld the water board in it's work. in an inter- view this morning. The commission CT also accused Alderman Orson F. Curtis, now acting as mayor in the absence from. the city of Mayor George A. Quigley, with having stood in the way of botterments between Whigville and Shuttle Meadow just because the idea of tunneling the mountain between those points had not originated with himself.
 Clashes With Curtis.
 Mayor Pro Tenn Curtis and Com missioner Kehoe had a heated argu- ment this morning in the office of the water board during which some strong statements were issued on both sides. Chairman Rossberg and Com missioner Kehoe stated emphatrally that the matter of the chlorination of the water supply had never come up at a meeting of the commission and it was therefore impossible to know just how the members stood There is no machinery for chlorination as the doctor is also quoted as having said. they contend, the present pump ing machine being of no more use for that purpose than for printing a paper.
 Commissioners Statement.
 X statement was issued this noon by Chairman Rossberg and Commits sioner kehoe, as follow:
 '"The board of water commissioners read with amazement the sensation al statements and charges of Dr. Reeks and the board of health which. no doubt, has made some of the peo- pie of the city nervous in the belief that the water in Whigville is pol luted, or likely to be.
 History of Whigvilic.
 "WhigVille reservoir was complet- ed about ? years ago. At the time It was put into use there were 20 farm houses and many other buildings on the water shed, which were occupied by people. horses, cattle, pigs, etc., which have since been cleared off. The board of health knew tneso facts but raised no objection, because the analysis, which is made weekly showed the water to be in good con- | dition. During several years when many of these buildings were on the water shed, Dr. Reeks was chairman 1 of the board of health, at a good sal | ary. He knew, or should have l known, of these conditions, but rais- ] ed no objection and pocketed his sal | ary, drank the water and, no doubt, 1 Q l the possible causes of pollution are l removed, he raises a hue and cry 1 against conditions which are better | than when he was charged with, and paid for protecting the health of the people.
 1 Hits At Dr. Recks.
 He is also quoted as saving: Just l because two members of the board do
 not favor chlorination of water is no 1 reason why the entire city should be 1 exposed to typhoid Now, as a mat l ter Of fact there was never a vote
 taken by the board on the question of l chlorinating the water in the Tcscr- l voirs, the subject was never dis
 cussed In the meeting, nor out of the 1 meeting, because it was never thought l necessary and in view of this, the
 declaration of Dr. Reeks, that two
 mem bers of the board are preveHtin it's being done can be characterized ] only as a cowardly and malicious ]!c
 Machinery Inadequate.
 ! 'He is further quoted as saying ! that the board has the apparatus fo,
 chlorinating the water all ready to be
 set up. That is not true. When con-
 ditions made it necessary to pumI
 from a polluted brook, the board purchased the apparatus necessary l for that work, but the chlorinating o 1 the water i'll the main pipe is a dir ] ferent proposition for which tho pres l cnt apparatus is not suitable, and i l Dr. Rocks knew as much about tht l ouestion as he prctonds 10 know ht l would know it. TO chlorinate the l main pipe is an engineering problem . 1 Tbe matter nas been referred to tht ] eneineering department to get the , proper plans and estimate Of cost ani when these are secured the common - council will be notified for such ac , ton as they may deem proper. Declare Water Pure.
 "Just why this hysterical cry O