The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-10-28
Today's Edition
lOPages
Section |
the possibilities that is being consid,
Il

:
the possibilities that is being consid-
cred
1t has been apparent for some time
that the village has outgrown, indus
trially and residentially, the capacity
of the system as at present construct
ed, especially In view of tie fact that
IL seems impossible to impress upon
the people of Bennington the necessi-
ty of exercising care in the use OF
water. There is an abundance Of
water available but the pipe which
collects the water from the different
springs and carries it TO the reservoir
Is not large enough to meet the grow
ing requirements Of the community.
This circumstance has been under
stood for some time and Thursday the
superintendent. the clerk, A. w
Braisted who had charge of the sys-
tenn for years before II became the
property of the village through gift
of the late H. W. Putnam II. r.,
Breed, the consulting engineer for the
village, and his assistant, ID. d.
Thompson. made an inspection OF the
reservoir and tie intake system with
a view to the construction of an ad-
ditional pire line leading from the
sources OF supply to the reservoir.
The data obtained during the tour Of
inspe ton has been taken to New
York By Mr. Breed and will be sub
m.tted by him TO a personal friend
who has long been engaged in max
ing estimates of proposed water sys-
TENS and additions The result Of
this tour OF inspection viii be submit
ted to some meeting of the village
voters for action.
rhe present situation has resulted
In much Inconvenience. annoyance
and possible hardship and is resulting
N considerable resentment as indicat-
cd by the following letter from Mr.
Spargo OF Old Bennington:
Editor Of the Banner.
The time has come for some plain
speaking concerning the failure OF our
authorities to manifest any
thing like an intelligent appreciation
of the seriousness OF the shortage in
our local water supply. The prolonged
indifference and incompetence Of our
officials are menacing the
community and inviting disaster.
Beyond perfunctory notice or two
in the local press, absolutely nothing
was done during the entire summer,
either by the Water Commissioners
or the superior municipal authorities.
to conserve the water supply ,notwith-
standing the obvious shortage and the
danger to the community therein in
volved.
Notwithstanding the danger of ac
tual water famine, and the fact that,
throughout the Summer, complaints
reached the Water Department almost
daily from inhabitants Of several sec I
lions that they were unable to get
water for domestic use. no real effort !
was made to stop waste. Lawns and /
gardens were watered, quite openly, |
sven though in many homes there was !
40 water for drinking, while little |
children were actually crying for |
water to drink, and sick people were 3
obliged to go unwashed, one could (
Zee. almost any day, the village water /
ised for sprinkling dusty streets and /
sidewalks. And when these conditions
protests to our elected Off
iials they issued more perfunctory
So far as could learn, not single
erious effort OF a positive character
vas made to stop abuses which were
10 manifest, and so criminal.
II seems never to have occurred to
hese gentlemen who are responsible
or the management Of our water sup
'ly system that the primary and fun
claim is that of the human
eings in the community: water for
cooking, washing, sanitary
purposes, and the like; and that every
ther claim must be subordinated to
his, no matter how good in and OF
tself. Unless and until that pri-
nary and fundamental claim Is salts
ed, the use of the available water
upply for any other purpose save
me- extinguishlng dangerous fire.
5 entirely indefensible.
How much Of the stored water sup
ly was used in connection with the
treet construction?
What steps, il any. were taken by