Putnam patriot., 1925-03-06

city water department plant appeared af the meeting of the common council Tuesday evening to ask authority to install a new. large motor driven cen trifugai pump at the station in liar risville. The pump which the board wished permission fo install is one of a pumping capacity of 100000 gallons of water per day. t0 cost in the neighborhood of Ss,500. After considerable deliberation and discus sion the council gave the commission CTS power to make this purchase.
 Present Conditions
 C. Allen Hawkins. chairman of the board, told the council of the con- dition in which the department is at present situated with regard to water supply and water pressure. A tri- plex pump driven by water power developed at the station is able 10 take care of the demands when there Is plenty of water. but in times Of drought . motor driven pump with maximum capacity Of l.in7,00o gallons of water per day must be re- lied upon. This pump has given fault less service since it's installation six years ago. In case of emergency or break down. and to meet the increasz ed demands upon the department, the commissioner believed a new pump desirable at this time.
 Mr Hawkins gave figures showing that the average daily consumption of water in Putnam Is g43.0 900 gallons and the minimum for on day during 1924 was s47. 900 gallons. Because the rate of increase in consumption of water is about five per cent annu- ally. the present pumping apparatus will not long be able to meet the de- mand.
 Fire Chief Agrees
 Fire Chief Thurston emphasized the statements of the water commis sioners and spoke also in regard to the fire dnngers. Under existing conditions at the water station insuf- ficient pressure cannot always be developed for fighting a fire of any enormity With q new pump install ed there would be considerable rise in the pressure and in the number of streams afforded.
 had to defend the project by answer ing questions fired by the aldermen. always on the lockout to reduce ex penses. Finally Alderman Richar ] offered a motion to authorize the commissioner to make the purchase. There was no dissent.
 No Interest In Layout
 \ week or two ago the city paid for three perfectly good columns of newspaper space te advertise the lay out of some new streets and to invite anyone with an objection to theae lay outs to appear at the Tuesday eve ming meeting. All of this advertising wns proved 10 no avail by the fact that not a solitary abutter stood out side the nldermanic rail to ask for n revision of the proposed lines. City Engineer George W Perry was pres ent and pointed out to the alder ment just where the new streets were located on large scale city map.
 More Lights
 A resident of Powhattan street ap-I peared to ask for two lights on that street. which is one of those to be- taken over by the city. The street lighting committee will take this mat ter in charge, and will report on this together with several other matters at the next meeting.
 Fire Dept. Condition
 Fire Chief Thurston gave the an- nual report of his department for the year 1924. The department is made up of sixty-fve men. Besides the chief there are two assistants. a Su perintendent of fire alarms. six fire police. twenty-five members of com pany one, fifteen members of com pany two, and fifteen members of hook and ladder company.
 There arc i0S city and twenty pri- vate hydrants, all tested in October. and believed to bs in good condition at present. Mr. Thurston reiterated his previous request for boxes at the eastern end of School street south erly end of South Main street. on the corner of Arch and Park streets and near the Little River bridge on Pom fret street
 He also recalled Co the attention of the council the need of keeping Q competent truck driver at the head quarters during the night hours, and the adoption of a code of ordinances as outlined by the National Board Of Fire Underwriters,
 Police Dept.
 Police Captain W l. Jarvis report ed twenty four arrests during the month of February Fourteen of theses were for the old fayorite, in toxieation, two for bfeach of the peace. one for violation of the motor vehicle law, and three for vioiations of the liquor law. Nine offenders be- came residents at Brooklyn jail one was committed to the school for boys, | five were placed on probation and seven paid fines and costs of Si.62S.- II7 Fortysfive tramps were lodged. The chairs of Aldermen Pigeon, farosc and nelisle were vacant Tues