. Report of Water Commi ss'ioners elected b<^ the town of Plymouth REPORT OF THE •i WATER COMMISSIONERS, ELECTED BY THE. TOWN OE ELYMOUTH,, TO CAUSE WATER TO BE BROUGHT FROM JSOTJT3EZ 3F»03»-I>, INTO THE VILLAGE OF PLYMOUTH.. SUBMITTED TO THE SELECTMEN FOR EXAMINATION, FEB. 1, 1856. PLYAIOUTH, OH AS. A, S. PERKINS, PRINTER. 1 8 5 6. 3 SUPPLEMENT TO REVISED STATUTES, CHA.P’I^1SK 3 5 1. An Act to authorize the Town of Plymouth to procure a supply of Water. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives^, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : Sect. 1. The town of Plymouth, in the County of Plymouth, is hereby author- ized, by and through the agency of such officers as the Tegal voters of said town may elect, to acquire and hold by purchase, and convey through any part of said town, the water of any pond, spring, or strearu in said town; to purchase the fran- chise, rights, lixtures, and property of any aqueduct corporation now in existence in said town, and to acquire and hold by purchase, any lands or other real estate^ not exceeding in value twenty thousand dollars, which may be necessary for con- structing and maintaining an aqueduet for the supply of pure water to the inhab- itants of said town of Plymouth ; and said town may erect and establish sucb dams, reservoirs and hydrants, as may be found desirable, and in general do any act necessary or proper for the purpose- of constructing and maintaining said aque- duct. Sect. %. Said town may lay such pipes as may be necessary for the distribution of water in s-aid town, prescribe the purposes for which hydrants may be used, regulate the use of water, and establish such prices to be j.mid for the use of the- same, as they may deem expedient and proper: provided, that not less than five-- dollars per annum shall be charged for each family using, the same, and a like pro- portion in other cases. Sect. 3 The said town of Plymouth shall be liable to pay all damages that shall be sustained, by any person or corporation, in their property, by the con- struction of any dam, aqueduct, reservoir or other works, for the purposes of this- act, to be assessed in the manner provided in the one hundred and sixteenth chap- ter of the Revised Statutes ; but nothing in this act shall authorize said town to flow the lands of any person or persons without their consent. Sect. 4. For the- purpose of defraying the expense of the construction of said aqueduct, and of the purchase of an-y lands, real estate, rights and franchises, and all other expenses incident to the same, the said town may issue scrip, notes, or certificates of debt, to be called Plymouth Water Scrip, to an amount not exceed- ing thirty thousand dollars, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the legal rate in this Commonwealth, said interest payable semi-annually, and the principal pay- able at periods- not exceeding thirty years from the date of the issue of said scrip, notes or certificates. And said town, in such manner as its legal voters may elect, may sell the same, from time to time : provided, no scrip shall be issued for the payment of any mterest on money borrowed for the purpose of this act, after the expiration ol' two years from the completion of said water works. Sect. 5*. The surplus of the net income derived from said water w-oiks, after payment of the semi-annual interest upon said scrip, and after deducting all the- charges of distribution and repairs, and other expenses incident to the same, shall be set apart as a sinking fund, which, with the accumulated interest upon the same, shall, be devoted to the payment of sai«l scrip at maturity. And the se- lectmen of said town, for the time being, shall be commissioners to hold, invest and manage said sinking fund, rendering to said town, at each annual meeting, a statement of the condition thereof. Sect. 6. The Selectmen of s-aid town of Plymouth shall notify and v.^arn the legal voters of said town, to meet at such time and place as said selectmen shall direct, not exceeding six months from and after the passage of this act, ior the purpose of giving in their printed or written votes, upon the question whether they will accept the same ;• and if a majority of the votes so given shall be in th.) negative, this act shall be null and void. Sect. 7. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. [Approved by the Governorl April 22, li854.] At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Plymouth called for that pur- pose by the Selectmen, and held at the Town House on the third day of June« the foregoing, act was adopted in the manner provided in said act. Attest : LEANDER LOVELL, Town Clerk. iv: A“t a legal Town Meeting held December 2G, 185 4, it was Voted, that nineoflicers per cent annually on the outlay, for expenses of said service pipes from the main pipe or from the end of any service pipe which may have been laid. Voted, That the selectmen be authorized and required for the purpose of de- fraying the expenses of the construction of said aqueduct or water works, and of the purchase of any lands, real e.-tate, rights and franchises, and all other- expenses incident to the same to issue scrip, notes or certificates of debt, to be called Ply- mouth Water Seri)), to an amount not exceeding thirty thousand dollars, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the legal rate in this Commonwealth, said interest payable semi-annually, and the principal payable at periods not exceeding thirty years from the date of the issue of said scrip, notes or certificates, and the select- men shall sell the said scrip, notes or certificates at a rate not less than par value, from time to time as tlie officers or water commissioners may require, pro- vided no scrip, notes or certificates shall be issued for the payment of any interest or money borrowed for the purpose of this act after the expiration of two years from the completion of said water works or aqueduct. Voted, That a committee of five be chosen lo petition the Legislature for an Act Supplementary, or in addition to an Act passed the Legislature and approved by the Governor April 22, 1854, entitled “An Act to authorize the town or Plymouth to procure a supply of water, (said act was adopted by the town on the third day of June list) granting to the officers or water Qommissioners, who shall be elected by said town poVi^er to take any land or water power for the purpose of construct- ing said water woi’ks or aqueduct, and if the terms of payment for any such land or water works cannot be adjusted with the owner thereof, the damage shall be assessed by the county commissioners in the same manner as provided for in the construction of railroads, and also giving said officers or water commissioners full power to fix the compensation to be paid for the water, provided that the average price to each family shalhnot be less than five dollars per aunum. And I hat said committee be also instructed to petition for the amendment of said act, granting to said town full power to i-sue a suitable amount of scrip for the construction of said water works or aqueduct and to provide for the redemption of said scrip. The following persons- were chosen said committee, viz ; Moses Bates, Jr., William H. Spear, CuAS. 0. Churchill, Leander Lovell, Abiatiier Hoxie. A true copy of record. Attest ; LEANDER LOVELL, Town Clerk. V. “An Adt in addition to an Act to authorize the town of Plymouth to procure a supply of water. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representaiives in Grnerid Court assent' bled, and by the authority of the same., as follons : Sect. 1. The town of Plymouth in the county of Plymouth is hereby author- ized through the agency of such officers, or water commissioners, as have been or may hereafter be elected by the legal voters of said town, to purchase or other- wise take any land, water, water pow^r, or materials necessary for the purposes of constructing an aqueduct in said town, as provided by an Act of tlie Legislature, passed April twenty-second, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, and ifthepriceto be paid bysaid townforsuch land, water, water-power or materials can- not be fixed by agreement with the owner or owners thereof, the same shall be es- timated by the county commissioners in the manner provided in the twenty- fourth and thirty ninth chapters of the Revised Statutes : — provided, that the right of either party to a jury shall be forever barred, unless the petition for the same shall be filed within six months from the time when such land, water, water power, or materials shall have been taken. Sect. 2. Said town shall have authority through the agency of the officers aforesaid, to prescribe all the purposes for which water may be used, and establish the prices, or water rents to be paid for the use of the same, provided that the av- erage price to be paid for each family using said water, shall not be less than five dollars per annum. Sect. 3. Said town of Plymouth is hereby authorized, in addition to the sum of thirty thousand dollars i mined in said act passed in the year one thousand eight hun- dred and fifty four, to which this act is in addition, to issue such an amount of Ply- mouth Water Scrip, as provided in the aforesaid act, as shall be necessary in the opin- ion of the legal voters of said town, to complete said aqueduct, and the same shall be issued and sold in the manner prescribed in the act aforesaid, unless otherwise provided by a vote of said town ; provided that no scrip shall be issued payable at a period of more than thirty years from ihe date of the issue of said scrip. Sect. 4. All parts of the Act of eighteen hundred and fifty four, to which this is in addition, inconsistent with the foregoing provisions, are hereby repealed. Sect. 5. This Act shall take effect from and after its passage. {Approved by the Governor, March I6th, 1855. TOWN MEETING.— Plymouth, May 5, 1855. Voted, To accept the Act passed by the General Court and approved on the 16th day of March last entitled “An Act in addition to an Act to authorize the Town of Plymouth to procure a supply of water.” A true copy of record. Attest : LEANDER LOVELL, Town Clsrk. TOWN MEETING.— Pltmodth, Nov. 17, 1855. The following Resolution was introduced by the Chairman of the Water Com- missioners and adopted by the town. BeGoIved, That said Water Commissioners, on the completion of the water works in accordance with their estimates, be directed to make a detailed report of all the expenditures on account of said construction, showing the amount of ex- penditures for each portion of the work, and cause the same to be printed in such form as shall be deemed most convenient, and a suflBcient number thereof to l>e deposited with the Town Treasurer., on or before the first day of February 1856, ibr the supply ol all the legal voters of the town. And that all the accounts of said Board of Water Commissioners be audited by the Selectmen. A true copy of record. Attest : LEANDER LOVELL, T&wn Ckrk, To the Selectmen of the Town of Plymouth. The period for which the undersigned were elected as Water Commissioners for the Town of Plymouth being about to expire, it becomes our duty, in accordance with the in- structions of the town, to submit for your consideration our final REPORT. In entering upon the discharge of duties of so much impor- tance to the town as that of affording to the people an abund- ant supply of PURE WATER, the Commissioners have hoped to appreciate the magnitude of the task which had been assigned to them, and at the termination of their labors it is a satisfac- tion to be able to render to the people, whose interests had been entrusted to them, a faithful account of their steward- ship. The question of furnishing a supply of water by artificial means for a town situated like our own, where the advan- tages accruing to the inhabitants must, in some degree, oper- ate unequally in proportion as they are enabled to avail them- selves directly of those advantages, is a question upon which there must necessarily be a diversity of opinions. But this matter has fortunately been settled by the town in its corpo- rate capacity, and in a manner which must be eminently sat- isfactory to the whole people. The several Acts which have been passed by the Legislature, in pursuance of the direct votes of the town itself, have guarded sacredly and securedly against any contingency by which the polls or estates of the people are likely to be assessed for defraying the expenses of this construction. The credit of the town has been loaned, to secure the payment of the scrip upon which the money has been borrowed to construct our works, in the same manner as the credit of the State is loaned to secure the construction of some of our most important railroads ; but the redemption of this scrip and ultimate discharge of the liabilities of the town ^8 WATER commissioners' REPORT. is incumbent upon those who are directly benefited by the wa^ ter itself, while the additional enterprise and business, conse- quent always upon public improvements, will enhance the amount of property upon the valuation for the assessment of taxes, and by affording a more ready and extensive home market, enure to the advantage of every producer in the town, whatever his locality or his possessions. The duties of the Commissioners have in some respects been defined by the votes of instruction from the town, and so far as those instructions are decisive it has been our purpose to pursue them to the end, that the expressed will of the people should be carried out. From the nature of these instructions, which provide that the water shall be brought into the village of Plymouth from “ Great or Little South Pond," in pipes ‘‘ not less than ten inches in diameter," and conveyed into all parts of the town where a sufficient guaranty shall be given that the income for the use of the water shall be six per cent, merely upon the cost of distribution^ it is clear that the town has contemplated the construction of water works not merely to meet the wants of our present population, but to build a permanent structure, adequate to supply a large and flourish- town, for which Plymouth is possessed of almost every natu- ral advantage, except pure water. To carry out these intentions of the people of Plymouth, expressed by their votes, or following by necessary implica- tion, on the 28th of December, 1854, we accepted the ap- pointment of Water Commissioners, and entered upon the per- formance of our duties. The Board of Commissioners was organized by the choice of Charles 0. Churchill, as Chairman, and Moses Bates, Jr., as Secretary, which officers have continued in the discharge of their duties to the present time. One of the first acts of the commissioners, was to secure the services of Wm. S. Whitwell, Esq., of Boston, under whose superintendence, the most difficult portions of the Bos- ton Water Works were constructed, as well as others of a sim- WATER commissioners’ REPORT. 9 ilar character, and in whose judgment we were confident the whole people would rely ; and he has continued to advise Avith the Board as our consulting engineer, during the pro- gress of the work. As the constructing engineer, a member of this Board has been employed, under whose directions the excavations and some other portions of the work have been performed, and whose report herewith annexed, will give some idea of the extent and character of our works. Aware that contracts must be drawn, upon the perform- ance of whidi would be involved large amounts of the money of the Town, and presuming that questions might arise, in- Amlving to some extent matters of a legal nature, the Commis- sioners engaged the services of Jacob H. Loud, Esq., as their adviser upon all matters where questions of doubtful le- gality might be involved, and to his exertions are we indebted in a considerable degree, for the success with which our efforts have been crowned. The source of supply being limited to one of two lakes, or ponds, careful examinations were necessary to determine which of those sources should be adopted, and early in February last they were both examined, in company with Mr. Whit- well, and subsequently, after a careful survey of the whole premises the smaller lake, or “ Little South Pond,” was adopted, for reasons embraced in the Report of the Engineer. The most important question to bo decided by the Com- missioners, because involving an appropriation of money equal to all other parts of the work combined, was the kind of pipes through which the water should be conveyed. The largest experience in this country, as well as in Europe, pointed to Cast Iron, as the principal material used in the construction of water pipes. But the experience of the last few years has shown that where water approximates in any considerable degree to purity, the iron pipes through Avhich it has been conveyed have become coated with rust, or tuber- cles, in some instances diminishing the size of the pipes as 10 WATER commissioners’ REPORT. much as 50 per cent., and the iron couplings used for connect- ing the wooden logs of the old aqueduct in this town, in some instances, were found to have been diminished in their capac- ity for conveying water more than seventy-five per cent, by the accumulation of these tubercles. The analyzation of the waters of South Pond, by Professor Horsford, of Harvard Uni- versity, having shown them to be of unsurpassing purity, and all experience having proved that the injury to iron pipes is increased in proportion as the water is pure, the Commissioners were decided to look for other material than iron for the con- struction of the pipes. The report of a committee of the Town in 1854, having presented some important evidence relative to the use of an article called Ball’s Patent Indestructible Cement Pipe,” the Commissioners decided to test that evidence by inquiries in places where this pipe had been introduced. For this pur- pose Messrs. Lane and Davee, visited the city of Rockland, in the State of Maine, where this pipe has been some three years in use, and Mr. Sherman visited the establishment in Jersey City, N. J., where the pipe is manufactured ; and the result of all their enquiries was so entirely corrooorative of the facts presented by the committee of 1854 (provided a proper degree of care is observed, and suitable material used in its construction,) that an adoption of this pipe was decided upon ; and on the 29th of March a contract was concluded with the Jersey Ci^y Patent Water & Gas Pipe Co.,” un- der which 57,679 feet, or nearly eleven miles of main and distributing pipe have been put down, besides a correspond- ing amount of service pipe of the same material. And so far as we can form an estimate of the value of this pipe by our experience thus far, it has been in the highest ^degree satisfactory. The water has been flowing through a ■considerable portion of the pipes since the 15th of August, and through all of them from South Pond since the 29th of October ; during which time very few leaks have appeared, much less indeed than might have been anticipated in the IVATETl COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 11 fsame number of connections of iron pipe, wMle the water ap- pears to flow with perfect purity and freedom ; and where oc- casions have been presented for disturbing the pipe, it has heen found in a condition to warrant a belief that it will be, what the manufacturers claim for it, indestructible. To adapt the various sizes of pipe to the different streets or sections of the town in such a manner as to insure an equal supply of water, has been among the most difficult of our du- ties, from the fact that demands would be made for water by the people in sections of the town where its flow had been unanticipated, or the amount required under estimated, after the pipes, in other portions through which the water must pass to reach these localities had been ordered, and in •some instances had been laid. But in these respects it is be- lieved that no errors have been committed, which, in a prop- er distribution of pipes, in the extensions of the work, which will soon have to be made, to meet the wants of the people, may not be entirely obviated. The main pipe, extending from the lake to Court Street, is of the smallest size which we could have adopted under the instructions of the town, and much smaller indeed than our own convictions, or the advice of those by whose experience we have in many instances been guided, would have dictated. But the additional expense of such a main as our own sense *of right, under other circumstances, might have dictated te supply a town four miles in extent, would have increased the ^aggregate cost of the pipes by more than fifteen thousand dot- dars^ which additional expense we did not feel justified in incurring at the present time. This deficiency has in some degree been obviated by the adoption of a continuous descend- ing grade from the source, to the commencement of the ser- vice, and is as we believe entirely overcome by the construc- tion of a reservoir to supply the loss of head from the want of •a more commodious main. In their estimates preparatory to the negotiation o.f a con- tract for the pipes of the different sections of the town through 12 WATER commissioners' REPORT. which it would be necessary to carry the water, the Commis- sioners were obliged to be governed by their own judgment with regard to the prospective wants of the town ; and if they have over estimated the demand for service in some sections, and under estimated in others, it is only because they were want- ing in a full appreciation of the character of the people. To have waited until each individual should apply for his service pipe before contracting for the pipes which were to convey the water from the lake, would of course have amounted to an indefinite postponement of the whole work ; nor did such a course appear deducible, by any reasonable construction of the laws by which we are governed, or the instructions of the town with which it has been our purpose to comply. Our instructions to carry the water into all parts of the town where the amount of income should only be eq^ual to six per cent, for the cost heymd my piece of pipe which may have been laid; clearly contemplate the laying of pipe through the streets be- fore that demand for extensions shall be made, and seems in-^ tended rather to prevent the Gbmmissioners from withholding a supply of water to any person who would pay for it a rea-' sonable compensation, than as any general direction for sup- plying the ^ ^village of Pl3rmouth," which had been provided for in the Act of the Legislature, as well as in the appropri- ation of money by the town. With this view of their duties, the Commissioners have ex- tended the pipes from the village known as Welfingsley in one direction, to that generally recognized as “^North Ply- mouth,'' at the factories of the ‘^‘Plymouth Cordage Compa- ny," and Kingston line in the other ; in the first instance ex- tending south about one mile from the point of distribution near the Court House, and in the latter about two and a quar- ter miles to the north. Besides these principal lines, the water has been carried through nearly all the streets in the more thickly populated portion of the town, and embracing, as will be seen by the plans of the engineer,, one continuous village or towm WATER COMMISSIONERS^ REPORT. 13 In addition to the pipes already laid, and where applica- tions for water came too late in the season to admit of our compliance with the demand, are several new or less thickly populated streets, to supply which, will doubtless be among the first duties of our successors. Excepting in the southern distribution of the work, the de- mand for the water has exceeded our anticipations, and the number of water takers already drawing from the pipes before the structure is completed, will be found to pay, in their wa- ter rents, an income exceeding three per cent, upon the entire cost of the works ; which amount will be largely increased as soon as the opening of spring shall admit of the excavations for laying the service. In the southern portion of the village the people have not yet availed themselves of the advantages of the water, but the saving to the town by the introduction of the hydrants, of the expense of a Fire Engine, which was justly demanded in that locality, will fully justify that extension, while the advan- tages to be derived from its use cannot fail to induce the peo- ple there soon to become water takers. The contract for excavations and masonry, upon the line of our works, excepting the trenches for the reception of the pipes, were given to Mr. E. H. Joslyn, of North Bridge- water, whose proposals were the lowest of those received from several contractors. He has performed his part of the work to our entire satisfaction, appearing always to be governed as well by a sense of justice and the interests of the work, as by the strict letter of his contract. This part of the work has been brought within the original estimate of the Engineer, which was $ 9 , 500 . 00 . The excavations for the pipes in the principal streets of the village, where the intersection and disarrangement of the gas pipes, and logs of the old aqueduct, rendered it unadvisable to let the work by contract, were done under the superintend- ence of Mr. William Hall, one of our Board, and also the su- perintendent of streets in this part of the town — the workmen 14 WATER commissioners'' REPORT.. employed being for the most part our own citizens, and tax- payers,. and who were paid by the secretary of the Board.. Although this portion of the work might have been done upon a contract with a somewhat smaller appropriation,- yet we have the satisfaction of knowing that during all the interruptions in our narrow streets no accident or extra expense of any im- portance occurred, and that nearly the whole amount of money thus paid was to be distributed again among our own popula- tion.. Upon the main line, and through the streets in some of the more remote sections of the towUy it was deemed unadvisable to do this work by the day, and on the 6th of August a con- tract was concluded with Messrs. James and William Hall, under which most of the remaining trenches were excavated. The back filling of the trenches, after the pipes had been laid, was performed by the New Jersey Water Pipe Co., by special agreement ; that portion of the work, or a part of it, being considered by that company important, in keeping the cement on their pipes in its proper place until sufficiently hardened to retain its position,' and adhere to the iron, w^hich constitutes a portion of the pipe. In entering the lake, at a sufficient depth below its sur- face to secure a full and pure flow of water, much difficulty was encountered, from the loose texture of the sand which constitutes the entire embankment or shore of the lake, and the cost of this part of the work considerably exceeded our calculation. But as finally constructed, with a pipe twenty inches in diameter for the first fifty feet from the filter, it is believed to be in a situation to last for ages, increasing in strength and durability, as the cement becomes more imper- vious to' water. The filtering apparatus is contained within the flume or water room, as described in the report of the Engineer, and is be- lieved not to be excelled in its effect to prevent anything hut water from flowing into the pipes, and with sufficient rapidity to supply the ordinary draft, by the people. The freedom of WATEll CO^i^lSSIONERS* REPORT. 15 our water from any sediment or impurity, is the strongest proof of the value of this part of the work, and fully justified this outlay of money. These portions of the work were done by the day, and excepting the Gate House, and part of the trench excavations, under the superintendence of the Engineer, by whom all the bills were paid. Although the capacity of Little South Pond was deemed amply sufficient to supply the town of Plymouth with water for any period of time, if kept at its ordinary level, still the examinations of the engineer having shown that water was reached on any part of the belt of land that divides this from the principal lake, or “Great South Pond,’' on excavating to the approximate level of the two ponds, it was deemed advis- able for the town to avail itself of the provision in the Act of the Legislature, allowing the “taking of the water of any pond or stream,” in the town, and prevent any future contingency which on reducing to a considerable extent the larger lake, might diminish the supply of the smaller one, and thus sub- ject the town to much inconvenience with regard to its high- er streets. To prevent such an emergency a canal was exca- vated, to allow the water to flow from the larger into the smaller lake ; and on the 16th of July, 1855, a “mud sill” was put down to secure to the town the right for water to flow into the source from which the pipes take their supply ; making all other parties liable to the town who should there- after deepen the artificial outlet from the larger lake. Anoth- er effect of this canal is to increase and keep up the level of the smaller lake — the larger one, during the dry season, being found considerable the highest ; and for the first fourteen days after the waters of the two lakes were connected, the smaller one rose upon an average one inch per day, the water flowing through the pipes for the supply of the town at the same time. The construction of the Eeservoir has involved a consider- expenditure of money, which the Commissioners would gladly have avoided, and which upon a superficial examination they might have been disposed to consider could have been dis- 16 WATER COMMISSIONJ^RS’ REPORT. pensed with. But the advice of Mr. Whitwell, whose large experience, and scientific attainments gave us entire confi- dence in his judgment, as well as the result of experience in other places where water works had been constructed, gave such assurance of the absolute necessity of this portion of the work that we did not feel at liberty to terminate our labors without its construction. At first it was thought the work might be delayed until another season, but the additional cost of excavation, when new contractors must equip for the work, and of laying the pipes necessary to unite the reservoir with the connections in the streets after the pipe layers ha this line of grade is of a wild uncultivated charac- ter, and under ordinary circumstances, when divested of its wood, which constitutes its chief worth, would hardly be val- ued at ten dollars per acre, and the cost of some of it is prob- ably less than half that sum^ where the present proprietors de- mand from $200 to $500 per acre for the right of way over their territory, the title to which remains vested in them, and some of whom have appropriated the wood upon the premises to their own use, after the expense of cutting it had been in- curred by ourselves. Much of this land, before difficult of ac- cess, has been increased in value by the grade of the Water Works, which at no distant day will be made a commodious and level highway, over which the immense tract of woodland in the vicinity of South Pond will send its products to our 20 WATETR COMMISSIONERS^ REPORT. Tillage, and even now to a considerable extent it is used Fcwr that purpose ; and we have decided to award in the unsettled cases, all the damage which could with any show of reason be claimed by the parties interested, and leave to the town a settlement of those claims. With Messrs. Asa and Alanson Thomas, through whose wood lots our pipes are carried, in two difTerent places, besides half the length of Mr. Asa Thomas's farm, the Commissioners agreed for the sum of $200, which they did not consider extravagant under the circumstances ; although the great improvement to the premises, especially when the highway is changed to correspond with the line of grade will doubtless exceed the damage done to Mr. Thomas's farm. The cost of the land for the Reservoir, and the right of ac- cess to it for the pipes, exceeded our expectations, but not to such an extent as to warrant a resort to the terms of the statute, and the land of the Messrs. Russell has been conveyed to the town by deed, and the right of way over the land of J. T. Stoddard by an obligation of his legal guardian. In pursuance of a vote of the town, granting us authority for that purpose, as provided in the Acts of the Legislature, the Commissioners have purchased of Wm. Morton Jackson, Esq., of Boston, for the sum of sixteen hundred dollars, all the rights and privileges contained in the charter of the “Ply- mouth Aqueduct Corporation," established by the General Court, Peb. 15, 1797, under which franchise the corporation had full power “to convey water by subterraneous pipes, from any part of the Town Brooks so called, in said Town of Plymouth, into and through any way and street in said town, and may enter upon and dig up any highway, or town way, for the purpose of sinking and repairing such pipes as may be neces- sary for the purpose aforesaid all of which rights and priv- ileges, are, by this purchase, secured to the town, and to per- petuate which we have constructed a six inch branch pipe from the main into said “Town Brook," near “Deep Water Bridge," so called, with the necessary gates and fixtures to WATER commissioners' REPORT- 21 enable the town to avail itself of that sonree at any time, by merely closiig^ one gate and raising another ; and from which source all the less elevated portions of the village may be sup- plied, should any unforeseen accident cut otf the main pipe and the reservoir at the same time- We consider this a most judicious and fortunate investment, not only because it secures to the town important rights and privileges which were vested in this franchise, but in pre- venting any rivalry that might otherwise exist, by the acts of a private corporation, which for nearly sixty years has fur- nished our people with water. In closing this communication, we beg leave to express our most hearty acknowledments to the people of Plymouth for their uniform and cordial co-operation with m in the discharge •of our oficial duties, during the period of our appointment. ’ Especially is this aeknowle(%ment Washington, Pleasant and Mayfl )wer 2 468 11 Pleasant, Washington and South 2 360 7 Massasoit, From Mayflower Street 2 196 5 South, Sandwich and Pleasant 2 318 8 From Pleasant Street south 2 459 6 Stephens’ Lane 2 120 1 Commercial, Sandwich and Emerald 2 314 11 Emerald, Commercial and AVater 2 291 9 Water, * 1 Sandwich and Union 2 629 18 Pleasant St. PI From Pleasant Street 2 280 6 Spring, 1 Summer and High 2 296 11 Bartlett Place,' High and Russell 2 575 12 24 WATER COMMISSIONERS REPORT, Statement y §-c., continued. Location. Between what Streets or Places. Diameter of pipe In inches. No. of feet laid. No. of Faucets. Alley, Middle to Cole’s Hill 2 282 5 Cole’s Hill, Leyden and North 2 1,051 14 Jackson PL, From North Street 2 583i 13 Church St., From Town Square 2 163 6 Willard PL, From Summer Street 2 186 7 So. Russell St., From School Street 2 168 4 Drew Place, From Court Street 2 378 10 Samoset Street, From 4 inch pipe west 2 336 6 Rail Road, From 6 inch pipe to Engine House . . . 2 239 Cushman Street, From 4 inch pipe to Allerton Place.. . 2 469 10 Allerton Place, From Cushman Street north 2 . 249 5 Lothrop Place, From Court Street 2 761 8 Hall’s Place, From Court Street 2 787 6 At North Plymouth 2 471 To A. L. Russell’s and Wm. T. Davis’ 2 291 Recapitulation. Number of feet of 20 inch laid 51 (C Cone 5 (( (( 10 inch 18,226 cc (( 8 “ (C 4,050^ (C <( 6 “ (C 3,984 (C <( 4 “ (C 20,276 (C (( 2 “ cc 11,086J Total, Number of 1-2 inch Faucets 457 “ ‘‘ 5-8 “ 316 “ “ 8-4 “ ‘‘ 163 (( (( (( (( ^ Total, 836 To this line of pipes are attached various branches, for such extensions as must sooner or later be made, to avoid the ne- cessity of disturbing the pipe hereafter, to the inconvenience of those who depend upon this supply. In all the extensions in streets and places north of “Cold Spring,** as well as in sev- eral streets and places on Watson’s Hill and in other parts of the town, the assurance has been given to the Commissioners that the number of water takers should yield a water rent equal to six per cent, upon the cost of such extensions. APPENDIX A. 25 Statement showing the Number of Families, Stores, Public Houses, §*c., supplied with Water to the day of Febru- ary, 1856, with the Water Rates applied, as established by the Water Commissioners, Number. Rate. Aggregate. Private families 36 $4.00 S144.00 (( (( 42 5.00 210.00 u u 153 6.00 918.00 (< (( 92 7.00 644.00 n u 7 8.00 56.00 Public Houses 2 10.00 20.00 (( (( 1 15.00 15.00 (( u 1 Restaurants 2 4.00 8.00 1 3.00 3.00 Provision Markets 3 5.00 15.00 Dry Goods Stores 1 3,00 3.00 Offifins 1 3.00 3.00 Barbers’ Shops 2 4.00 8^00 Bakeries 1 Shoe Manufactories 1 4.00 4.00 (( (( 1 3.00 3.00 Bath Rooms 5 2.00 10.00 Water Closets ... 3 3.00 9.00 Street Sprinklers 22 2,00 44.00 Private Stables, 7 2.00 14.00 (( 3 3.00 9,00 ((■ 1 4.00 4.00 (( 3 5.00 15.00 Livery Stables 1 26.00 25.00 (( (( I 15.00 15.00 Stables for Neat Cattle... . 5 1.00 5.00 a (( 1 2.00 2.00 It (i 1 3.00 a.oo Fish Markets 1 10.00 10.00 0. C. & F. R. Railroad — 100.00 100.00 Gas Light Co 1 $2,320.00 To the above is to be added the income for supply of ship- ping, building purposes, &c., for which provision has been made, amounting to not less than $100 per annum, and may indeed be safely estimated at a much larger sum, and, with the places, for the supply of which the price has not yet been permanently fixed, will make an annual income for Water Rent of not less than $2,500.00 already secured, which must be increased at least fifty per cent, during the present year. :26 WATER commissioners’ report, SERVICE PIPE. The following service pipes have been laid under the direc- tion of the Commissioners, and the sums there specified charged to the several estates, persons, or corporations named, being the amount which exceeds the expense of carrying the water to the curbstone, or within ten feet of each water takers’ premises. John B. Atwood, $3.24 Wra.T. Davis, 26.62 S. H. Doten, 4.13 Robert Brown, 3.90 James Barnes, 5 60 Miss Mary Bartlett, 11.62 VVm. L. Battles, 8.86 Benj. Bramhall, 6.72 Estate John Battles, 27.87 J. D. Baxter, 2.24 Stephen P. Brown, 8.14 Corban Barnes, 17.66 Andrew Bartlett, 1.52 Richard W. Bagnell, 2.00 NathT Bartlett, 2d, 3.12 Ephraim Bartlett , 3.83 Truman Bartlett, 5.36 South worth Barnes — cement, 5C Mrs. Levi Barnes, 11.79 E. S. Bartlett, 18.4^ N. 0 Barnes, 2.08 Miss Elizabeth S. Bagnell, 4.8C Wm. B. Barnes, 2.92 M. Bates, Jr., 14.51 E. B. Bramhall, 80 Heman Cobb,, 3.50 Miss Eliza Clarke, 11.92 Wm. Churchill, 3. 33 deorge R. Callaway, 3.04 Mrs. Jacob Covington, 2.60 Barnabas Churchill, 8.88 Cr. E. Cunningham, 7.20 R. E. Cotton, 9.93 Chas. 0. Churchill, 2.52 George G. Dyer, 13.28 David Drew, 5.10 Mrs. Priscilla Drew, 2 24 Atwood L. Drew, 2. 20 Wm. R. Drew, 2.75 James Doten, 4.50 Geo. A. Drew, 10 64 Mrs. Wm. Davis, 19.76 Sarah J. Davee, 9.70 Jas. A. Danforth, 2.50 Johnson Davee, 27.41 Thos. Diman, 1.60 James Diman, 2 24 James Drew, 3 40 Chas. G. Davis, 36.25 “ “ “ Tenements, 7.04 Oliver Edes, 1.04 Harrison Finney, 3.54 J. C. Fuller — cement, 33 Ezra Finney,. 4.60 Granville Gardner, 13 07 Albert G. Goodwin 2.50 B. H. Holmes...... 2 90 Nath’l Holmes,... 16.92 Jason Hart, 1.54 Adiel Harvey, 3.62 B. Hathaway, 6.30 Joseph Holmes, 3d, 9.26 J. VV Hodgkins, 3.33 NathT L. Hedge, 9.43 James Hall, 4.88 Wm. Hall, 5.12 J. & W. Hall, 23.39 Reuben Hall, 8.40 Mrs Hannah Howard, 2.50 Jas. L. Hunt, 12.02 Mrs. Nathan Hayward, ....... 28.58 Richard Holmes, 25.81 C. L. Howard, 6.24 C. B. Irish, for “Bradford House,” 25.31 Henry F. Jackson, 2.80 Mrs. M. B. Jackson, 9.64 Abraham Jackson, 10.42 “ “ residence of D. Seavey, 19.74 A. Jackson, “of Thurber and Spear, 10.55 A. Jackson, at Jackson Place,. . . 35.08 Estate Salisbury Jackson, 23.00 Robert B. Leach, 80 Jacob H. Loud, 21.55 Leander Lovell, 17.81 Phineas Leach, 6.40 Anthony Morse, 4.57 Mrs. Seth Morton, 1.24 Chas. May, 19.68 Mrs. Mary Nelson, 2.90 APPENDIX 'A. 27 PJIisha Nelson, 20.37 Chas. Nelson, 11.55 John Nickerson, G.6G Wm. Nelson, 1G.20 Win. Nickerson, 7.28 2iaben Olney, 15.84 First Parish — Rev. J. Kendall,.. . 20.66 Chas. S. Peterson, 80 Gideon Perkins, Jr 4.88 Mrs. Plympton; C. G. Davis, Ag’t, 8.46 Plymouth Cordage Co, 243.99 John Paine, 14 81 N. B. Robbins, G«?o. Simmons, 1. N. Stoddard, Thos. Spear, N. B Spooner, George Simmons, Jr,, William II. Spear,. . . Wm. D. Simmons,. . . Stafford Sturtevant,. . Wm. Sylvester, Mrs. John Sylvester,. E. C. Sherman, JMrs. Isaac Sampson,. 25.75 4.63 5.84 7.80 7.22 .80 1.84 9.35 12 17 3.62 2.90 9.90 2.16 Caleb Rider,. — Mrs. Wm. Randall, “ Thos Russell, Henry Raymond, Andrew L. Russell, — L. T. Robbins, Nath’l Rus.'«ell & Co, Miss M. H. Russell, John Russell, — Mrs. B. F. Russell, Luther Ripley, Josiah Robbins,.. A. L. Russell and Wm. T. Davis, O. C. & F. R. Railroad — Pipes, Hydrant, &c, 10.30 VVm. Thomas,. 4.96 Mrs. Jno. B. Thomas,. 15.84 E. S. Turner, 2.88 Nahum Thomas, 8.82 E. G. Turner, 4,20 6 97 2.24 1.48 10.29 22.90 33.40 10.20 7.00 2.50 3.33 11.50 84.92 227.27 David Turner, including plumbing, 34.68 Miss D. L. lArner, 7.99 Sam’l Talbot, 3.36 Phinehas Wells, 15.88 Harvey Weston, 10.72 Nath’l Wood, Jr, 5.87 Timothy Wheeler, 11.52 Benj. Weston, 2 90 Wait Wadsworth, 9.55 $1847.72 Of this amount, the sum of $691.85, has been collected, and placed to the credit of the work, and the balance out- standing, (as well as the water rents) the Commissioners have made it the business of Mr. Churchill, chairman of the Board, to collect, and it will doubtless be received and credited, be- fore our Keport will have to be acted upon by the town, di- minishing by this sum the aggregate amount of expenditures, these amounts having been included in the several items of our construction account. 28 WATER commissioners’ REPORT, Statement showing the whole amount of Expenditures of the- Water Commissioners to February 15, 1856 ; and also of all liabilities incurred on account of the construction of the Plymouth Water Works. EXPENDITURES. $5,287.06 144.50 55,431.56 Paid “Jersey City Water pipe Co.” for 57,679 feet of main and distributing pipe, inclusive of cement, pipe laying, branches, &c., $35,145.48 “ do. for 13,226 feet Lined Service Pipe, 1,424 42 $36,569.90 “ Freight on Cement, Pipe, &c., from Jersey City, 1,333 92 “ E C. Sherman, chartering Vessels in New York, 15.00 “ Johnson Davee, superintending pipe laying, 258.00 $38,176.82 “ For labor of men by the day on trenches for pipe, as per time-book, receipted, and sundry bills, “ William Hall, 72| days superintending trenching, a $2, “ J. & W. Hall excavation of 20,363 feet, trench, at lOi c, “ J. C. Water Pipe Co. filling 28,178 feet trench, at 4 c, “ J. C. Water Pipe Co. filling 28,375 feet trench, at 3 c, “ E. H. Joslyn tilling trenches, &c., 330.12 $9,878 16 “ E. H. Joslyn for 62,4884 yds Earth Excavation on main line, at 14| c, $9,060 80 “ E. H. Joslyn “ 23 30-100 yds loose rock at 50 c, 11.65 “ “ “ “ 12 48-100 “ solid “ at 1.00, 12 48 “ “ “ 20 24-100 Perches Culvert Masonry a $2, 40.48 “ “ “ Excavation of canal into Great So. Pond, 227.31 $9,352.72 1,127,12. 851.25 2,138 11 1,978.37 330.12 “ E H. Joslyn for 18,997 78-100 yds Earti> Excavation, embankment, and Pipe Trench at Reservoir at 14 c, $2,659.69 “ E. H. Joslyn labor, grading embankment and street, 242.26 “ Cost of Gate House, Flume, Screens, Filtering appar- atus, with cost of Lumber, Piling, Pumping water, and labor at South Pond, “ J C. W. Pipe Co. 30 Stop Gates, inclusive of setting, &c., $1,094.00 “ J. C. W. Pipe Co., 836 Faucets inserted, 957 89 “ “ “ Cones, Tools, &c., on hand, 29.25 $2,08114 “ Sylvester & Cram and A. J. Morse for Gates 78.25 “ A. Stanwood, Castings for Gate Tops, 157.50 “ Sylvester & Cram, 36 Fire Hydrants, $648.00 “ So. Boston Iron Co., Hydrant Bends, Tops, &c. 248 12 “ L. Locke, castings for Hydrants, 9.47 “ Freight on Hydrants and Castings, * 17. 43 “ S. Boston Iron Co., Iron Pipes in Reservoir, 18.54 “ Extra Faucets with Express bills, &c., 13 25 “ Lumber and Labor on boxes for Hydrants, Gates, &c , 295.84 Truckage, Horse Hire, Team work, &c., “ Franchise and Rights of Plymouth Aqueduct Corporation, $1,600.00 “ Labor for repairs, rent &c., 97.59 “ Interest on $50,000 Water Scrip to Dec. 1, 1855, $1,500.00 “ “ to Plymouth Aqueduct Corporation, 6.13 “ J. H. Loud, cash advanced, 3.10 $2,901.95 $1,430.25 $2,316.89 $1,250.65 $911.80 $1,697.59 $,1509.23 APPENDIX A. 29 'Pwd J. A. Robbins, Clay for Reservoir, S300.00 “ Chas. Gurney dravring same to Reservoir, 1,473.29 “ J. & W. Hall filling clay pit, 140.00 Bills for labor of men, lumber, tools, overseeing, &c. , at Reservoir, 1,918.50 “ Advertising and Printing, “ Labor on Service l^pes, setting Hydrants, Plumbing, &c., “ Travelling Expenses to Rockland, &c.. Expenses for repairing streets, replacing pavements, blacksmiths lulls, including sundry goods furnish^ on different portions of the work by Wrn. R. Drew, John Washburn, N. Russell & Co., and others, land damage acc’t, N. & A. Russell, land for Reservoir, S900.00 “ J. T. Stoddard, right over land for entering Reservoir, 200.00 John Gooding, land on main line, 25.00 ■“ Samuel Barnes, “ 4.75 “ Lemuel Stephens, “ “ 17.50 “ Elias Cox, “ 67.60 James Collins, “ between ponds, 50.00 “ Expenses of Office Rent, Stationery, Account Books, copies, &c., S6S.70 Pay of eight Water Commissioners to March, 1856, at S75 each,* 600.00 Pay of J. H. Loud, Esq., Attorney and Counsellor, 100.00 Miscellaneous labor, including the clearing of line of grade, lighting streets, C. O. Churchill superintend- ing Service Pipe laying, setting Hydrants, and other labor on construction account, “ W. S. Whitwell, Esq., consulting Engineer for advice and services as per original agreement, $500.00 “ W. S. Whitwell, advice and services for extensions of work, 300.00 “ M. Bates, Jr., 16U days as Engineer at $3, 484.50 “ ‘‘ “ labor of Assistant 15 days a $1.25, 18.75 “ Chas. C. Doten 40 2-3 days at $3, 122.00 “ Joseph Smith 36 days with 2 Assistants, 228.50 “ “ Incidental expenses, 3.91 $3,831.79 72.42 1,509.46 108.76 $1,236.37 $1,264.75 $768 .70 $938.36 $1,657.66 Aggregate, Deduct Draft to Jersey City Water Pipe Co. dated Nov. 28, 1855, payable in one year from date, with inter- est, the same being a guaranty for repairs. $80,814 33 $1,000.00 Total amount paid of Expenditures, CASH ACCOUNT. CASH For amount of proceetls for sale of Scrip, “ “ from Service Pipe Co., CASH. By amount of expenditures on construction account, interest, Old Aqueduct, &c., as per foregoing statement, Cash on deposit in Old Colony Bank, $79,814.33 DR. $81,991.78 691.85 $82,683.63 CR. $79,814.33 2 ; 869.30 $82,683.63 ♦Mr. Kendall W. King not having met with the Board, no olaim has been presented for payment. 30 WATER COM^fISSIONERS’ REPORTj Plymouth, February 12, 1856. The undersigned. Selectmen of the town of Plymouth, in obedience to a vote of the town passed on the 17th day of November, 1855, have carefully examined the foregoing state- ment of the Board of Water Commissioners of the amount ex- pended in the construction of the Water Works, and find every item properly vouched,, and said statement to be fully verified. JACOB H. LOUD, ) Selectmen WM. T. DAVIS, } of E. C. TURNER. ) Plymouth. LIABILITIES. Due Jersey City Water Pipe Co., Nov. 28, 1856, $1,060.00' Contract with Chas. Whitten for fencing Reservoir, $325.00' “ “ J. &. W, Hall 2100 yds paving “ at 33 cts., 693.00 Estimate of cost of finishing, lining, sodding, and completing Reservoir, 900.00 $1,918.00 Due Asa & Alanson Thomas, land damage, 200 OO' Award to Mrs. Joseph Whiting “ “ 10.00 “ “ Estate formerly Seth Harlow’s, 40 00 “ “ Freeman Morton, 5.00 “ “ F. B. &G. W. Cobb, 25.00 “ “ Ellis Barnes, 125.00 “ “ Estate of Henry Finney, 4.00 “ “ Richard Holmes, 42 00 “ “ Mrs. Lucy Goddard, 3 50 “ “ Jeremiah Farris,.. 28.00 “ “ Nath’l C. Laninan, 8 00 “ Mrs. Brown, 25 00 “ “G.W. Virgin, 5 27 $520.77 “ Estimate for wood Culvert in E. Cox’s swamp, 20.00 “ “ contingent Expenses, including collecting outstanding demands, water rents, &c., 500.00 S4, 018.77 Amount of Expenditures, $79,814 33 Whole Amount, $83,833.10 Deduct amount for Old Aqueduct, .$1,600.00 “ expenses on do 97.59 “ amount of interest paid, 1,509.23 “ stuck on hand, 640.53 amount due for service pipe, &c., 1,155.87 $5,003.22 Total cost of Construction of Water Works, $78,829.88 APPENDIX A. 31 If from this sum the amount received and due for water rents is also deducted, the above amount will be reduced to about $77,029.88 ; but as the water rents have not been brought into the construction account, it has been deemed advisable to make that amount available for the payment of interest which will be due June 1, 1856. STOCK OK HAND. 92 feet 10 inch pipe, valued at $61.67 49 “ 8 “ “ “ 25 97 18 “ 6 “ “ “ 5.40 98 “ 4 “ “ “ 25.97 92^“ 2 “ “ “ 13.52 One 4 inch Iron Gate “ 27.00 One 2 “ “ “ “ 14.00 One Hydrant “ 18.00 One Hydrant Bend “ 3 50 2 Faucets “ 2.75 2 “Corporation Faucets,” drill, brace, &c., 3.00 2 Iron Mandrels, Cones, &c , for lining pipe, 8.25 21 bbls Cement in Storehouse, SI 50 About 4000 feet lined service pipe,. 400 00 $640 53; One “ Hydrant Top, Sundry Picks, Shovels, Bars, Lanterns, &c., 32 WATER COMMfSSIONERS REPORT. LIST OF WATER TAKERS. The following is a list of the persons, corporations or places 'Connected with the pipes as “Water Takers,” whose water rents, at the rates provided in the Water Tariff established 'by the Commissioners, amounts to the sum of $2,434.00 per annum, which amount is collected semi-annually and placed to the credit of the Water Works, independent of the con- struction account, and will be available for the payment of interest on Water Scrip as it shall fall due, the amount al- ready collected and Henry G. Andrews, John B. Atwood, 'Wm. Atwood, -2nd, Thomas Atwood, 'Wm. B. Alexander, Richard VV. Bagnell, Benj. Barrett, ■Isaac Brewster, Moses Bates, Jr., Mrs. John Battles, Allen Ballard, Edward P. Bates, Wm. Bartlett, Wra. B. Barnes, Mrs. Mary Bartlett, N. Carver Barnes. Wm. Barnes, Truman Bartlett, Corban Barnes, Southworth Barnes, Stephen M. Burbank, Bradford’s Hotel. Mrs. Levi Barnes, George W. Barnes, Ephraim Bartlett, John C. Barnes, Stephen P. Brown, Ellis B. Bramhall, Mrs. Judah Bartlett, Andrew Bartlett, Wm. L. Battles, Bake House, E. Winslow Bradford, Amasa Bartlett, Lamed S. B. Barrows, James Barnes, Thomas B Bartlett, Robert Brown, Wra. Bradford, Stephen Bartlett, Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon, Antipas Brigham, Edward Bartlett, SO deposited being $ Benj. Bramhall, Michael Beach, Josiah D. Baxter, Walter Burbank, Winslow Bradford, Wm. Bishop, Simon R. Burgess, John Bryan, Ellis Bames, Jr. , Mrs. Jacob Covington, Guilford E. Cunningham, Henry Carter, Joseph Cushman, Barnabas Churchill, James Collins, James B. Collingwood, Winslow Cole, John Churchill, Roland E. Cotton, House of Correction, George Churchill, Aaron Cornish, John D Churchill, Benj. H. Crandon, Wm. Churchill, Albert C. Chandler, Heman Cobb, Miss Eliza Clarke, John E. Churchill, Robert Co wen, George R. Calloway, James Cox, Joseph W. Collingwood, John B. Collingwood, Job Churchill, Henry L Chubbuck Sylvanus H. Churchill, Thomas Churchill, Benj. Cobb, Charles Churchill, Martin Church, Amasa Churchill, Georgo A. Drew, ,273.78. Wra. T. Drew, Winslow Drew, Wm. R. Drew, Johnson Davee, James Doten. Atwood L Drew, Jas. A. Danforth, Thomas Diman, Richard B. Dunham, Lysander Dunham, David Drew, Is.iac Davee, Allen Danforth, G. G. Dyer, C. G. Davis, Mrs. Wm. Davis, S. H. Doten, Jas. Diman, Mrs. Priscilla Drew, Mrs DeWare, Mrs. Ichabod Davee, Ellis Drew, Wm. T. Davis, Abbot Drew, Samuel N. Dunham, Stimpson Dunton, James Drew, Davis’ Hall. David Diman. Calvin Damon, Samuel N. Diman, Elisha Do'.en, Joseph Dunham, Mrs. Hannah Dunham, B inlett Ellis, George F. Ellis, Nath’l Ellis, Lewis Eddy, Oliver Edes,, Adoniram Ellis, Josiah C. Fuller, Harrison Finney, Ephraim Finney, Jr., Jeremiah Farris, Ezra Finney, Elkamih C. Finney, George P. Fowler, James Frothingham, Mrs. Eliza Fuller, Robert Fuller, Nathaniel Gooding. Granville Gardner, Tiraoti y Gordon, Gas Light Co., Eben’r S Griffin, John T. Hall, Joseph W. Hodgkins, John Hall, Reuben Hall, Wm. Hall, James Hall, James L. Hunt, B H. Holmes, Joseph Holmes, 3d, Benj. Hubbard, Nath’l Holmes, Barnabas Hedge, Mrs. Nathan Hayward, Benjamin Harvey, Jason Hart, Richard W. Holmes, Mrs. Hannah Howard, Charles Holmes, Sylvan us Harvey, Adiel Harvey, Benjamin Hathaway, Allen Holmes, Robert Hutchinson, Lemuel Holmes, Nath’l Harlow, George A Hathaway, I^ewis Hall, Wendell Hall, Oliver Holmes, Jacob Howland, Gideon Holbrook, Jr., Albert Hedge, Caleb Holmes, Winslow S. Holmes, Benj. Hewes, Sam’lS. Howland, Wm. H. Jackson, Mrs. Mercy B. Jackson, Jacob Jackson, Edwin F. Jackson, J. B. Johnson, Abraham Jackson, Isaac Jackson, Mrs. Sarah Jenkins, Putnam Kimball, Jr., James Kendall, James Kendrick, Thomas Kinsley, Stephen Lucas, APPENDIX A. Phineas Leach, D. J. Lane, Nath'l C. Lanman, Thomas Loring, Jacob II. Loud, Leander Lovell, Augustus J. Lucas, Isaac J. Lucas. Ellis Lanman, J. N. Leonard, Anthony Morse, Mansion House, Charles May, Chas. T. May, !Mrs. Seth Morton, Henry Mills, \Vm. Morey, Wm. Morey, Jr., Mrs. Priscilla Morton, Warren S. Macomber, Joseph T. Mitchell, Town Market, 'riiomas Murray, Jeremiah Murray, Elisha Nelson, Mrs. Polly Nelson, John Nickerson, Charles Nelson, [ Wm. Nickerson, Wm. Nelson, Zaben OIney. Job B Oldham, John Perkins, Sylvanus Paulding, Gideon Perkins, Jr., Lewis Perry, Plym. Cordage Co., Lucius Pratt, Thomas Pitman, Chas. A, S. Perkins, ; Charles Peterson, \\‘m. Paulding, John N. Prouty, John B Paulding, Foster Perkins, John Russell, Mrs. Wm. Randall, Caleb Rytler, Nathan B Robbins, Leavitt T. Robbins, Mrs. Thomas Russell, Mrs. Bridgham Russell, Luther Ripley, Charles Raymond, Natlrl Russell, Wm. S. Russell, Dan’l Ryder, Daniel Ryder, Jr., Josiah Robbins, N. Russell & Co., 33 Henry Raymond, George Ryder, Edmund Robbins, 0. C. & F. R. Rail Road, Andrew L. Russell, Josiah A. Robbins, Calvin Ripley, Isaac B. Rich, Francis H. Robbins, Sam’l Rickard, Edmund Robbins, Jr., E. C. Sherman, Wm. Sylvester, Mrs. John Sylvester, Samoset House, Mrs. Wm. Simmons, Wm. D. Simmons, Wm. H Smoot, Stafford Sturtevant, 1. N. Stoddard, Ichabod Simmons, Thomas Saunders, Mrs. Alonzo Scudder, Samuel Sherman, i David Seavey, I Ephraim Spooner, Samuel Shaw, Wm. Sampson, N. B. Spooner, James Spooner, Jabez Swift, Jacob Southworth, Bourne Spooner, George Simmons, Jr , Wm. H. Spear, Thomas Spear, Jr., Charles Sampson, Sam’l Samp'son, Charles Suiith, James A. Sylvester, Win. B Tribble, Lorenzo D Tribble, Misses D L. & S. Turner, E. S. Turner, E C Turner, James Thurber, Mrs. John B Thomas, George N. Thomas, Samuel Talbot, ]\Irs. Lydia Torrey, David Turner, John Tribble, Nahum Thomas, Ezra Thomas, George W. Virgin, Phinehas Wells, Mrs Mary Warren, Benjamin Weston, NathJ Wood, Jr, Harvey Weston, 3 34 WATER, commissioners’ REPORT, C’h;is. Whitten, Wtiitt^n, Jr., ('ha^. II. Weston, ilonry Weston, Wait Wadsworth, Tir)>otliy Wheeler, U’lii. VVeston, M'^eston & Atwood, Win. 0. S. Wells, Whii. Windsor, (xeorge Whicinj^, Mrs. EHz i Williams, Miles S. VV’'eston, Ervin Webster, Harvey W. Weston, Coomer Vv'eston, Jr., John '.V.i(*e, Willard Wood, Whitinii;. Frames II. VV'eston, George 1). Young. PLYMOUTH WATER SCRIP. The Selectmen of the town of Plymouth, pursuant to a vote passed at a legal meeting of the inhabitants of said town, held 00 the fifth day of May, in the year one thousand eight hun- dred and fifty-five, issued and sold scrip or certificates of debt in the name of said inhabitants, called Plymouth Water Scrip, to the amount of fifty thousand dollars, in sums as fol- lows, for the purpose of defraying the expense of the construc- tion of an Aqueduct as authorized by the 351st chapter of the Statutes of 1854 and the 61st chapter of the Statutes of 1855, of this Commonwealth : 40 (Yrtir.cutes iiiunbe>'P,d from 1 to 40 inclusive, each forSlOOO, dated June 1, 1855, payable June 1, 1885, he aring interest at sis per cent, per annum, payable semi annually, -wiih interest warrants attached, $^40,000.00 100 Certificates numbered from 1 to 100 inclusive, each for SlOO, dated June 1, 1855, payable June 1, 1875, hearing interest at six per cent per annum, payable semi-annually with interest warrants attached, SIO.000.00 I’lie above scrip was sold at a premium of 1 per cent, advance, !ir500.00 interest accrued on said scrip when delivered, received, $445.78 $50,945.78 Pursuant to a vote of said inhabitants passed at a meet- ing legally notified and held for that purpose, on the seven- teenth day of November, in the year one thousand eight hun- dred and fifty-five, the said Selectmen issued and sold an ad- ditional amount of Plymouth Water Scrip for the purposes aforesaid, for the sum of thirty-one thousand dollars, in sums as follows : APPENDIX A. 35 29 Certificates numbered trorn 41 to 09 inclusive each for $1000, diitcd Deeernbor 1, 1855, payable June 1, 1885, hearin;;; interest at six per cent. |>er annum, payable semi-annually, with interest warrants at- tached, $29,000,00 20 Certificates numbering from 101 to 120 inclusive, oacli for $100, dated December 1, 1855, payable June 1, 1875, bearing interest at six per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually, with interest war- rants attached, $2,000 00 Interest accrued on said scrip when delivered, received, 40 00 $81,991.78 The above sum, amounting to eighty-one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one dollars and seventy-eight cents, was all paid into the Town Treasury and has been paid over to the Board of Water Commissioners, by Samuel Shernniii, Esq., Town Treasurer, upon warrants therefor drawn by the Selectmen. Dated at Plymouth, this ninth day of February, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty five. . JACOB H. LOUD, ^ WM. T. DAVIS, E.-C. TURNER, ^ EZRA LEACH, | ISRAEL CLARK, J Selectmen of Plymouth. APPENDIX P. CONSTRUCTING ENGINEER’S REPORT. Engineer’s Office, y Plymouth, Feb. 1, 1856, ) Charles 0. Churchill, Esq., Chairman, and members of the Board of Water Commissioners. Gentlemen : — In accepting at your hands the appointment of mechanical, or constructing Engineer, of the Plymouth Water Works, I was not insensible to the reluctance of many of the citizens of Plymouth, who are largely interested in the welfare of the town, to entrusting duties so responsible as those which must necessarily belong to such a position, to any of our own citi- zens ; and I should have hesitated to assume those duties but for the engagement by your Board of a Consulting Engineer, to whom I might under all circumstances apply for advice and counsel, and in whose judgment I could at all times con- fide. But with this assurance and a reliance also upon the co-operation of your own members in the discharge of my duties, I allowed myself to be designated as the Engineer of the work, and ask to submit the following REPORT. The actual amount of water which will be required for the supply of the town for a quarter or half a century to come, must of course be assumed, rather than calculated ; the growth of the town depending much upon the means employed by the people already residing here, to develop its future re- APPENDIX B 37 sources. But the fact that in every city or town in this coun- try, hitherto supplied by artificial means, the consumption has exceeded the estimates, and that while in many of the inland towns of Great Britian the average daily consumption for each inhabitant is but about 20 gallons, it is shown that in Philadelphia in 1852 it was 40 3-4 gallons, in New York 50 gallons, and in Boston in 1853, 63 1-4 gallons, leads to the belief that it is wiser to calculate too largely than to fix such a limit to the works that water may not be used extensively for manufacturing purposes, if at any future period it shall be required. And if any calculations I have made, or any plans which have been proposed, shall be looked upon as extrava- gant for a town no larger than our own, I must meet those ideas with the hope that my anticipations of our future pros- perity, are not over estimated, and a belief that nothing is proposed which will not in the end prove economical. The South Ponds, Although the town by its vote of December, 1854, had* designated one of two ponds, or lakes, as the source from which water should be supplied to the inhabitants, it was nevertheless the duty of an Engineer before entering upon the work of actual construction, to ascertain whether that se- lection had been made with a due regard to the prospective: interests of the town, so that the mistake, if any had been made, might be corrected before the appropriations for the enterprise had been sacrificed. For this purpose the sheets of water known as ‘‘Great South Pond’' and “Little South Pond,” (designations indicating only a sub-division of what would be simply South Pond,) were visited by me in February last, in company with Mr. Whitwell, and a careful examina- tion was made, not only of the lakes themselves, but of the surrounding territory from which the waters are discharged into these inland seas. The size of the lakes, with the vast extent of water shed upon either side, rendered it so perfectly apparent that the supply must be adequate for a large number 38 WATER commissioners’ REPORT. of such towns as Plymouth, and a pix3vious analysis, by Prof. IJorsford, of tlie waters themselves, having shown them to be purer than any yet subjected to an examination in Mas- sachusetts, left little to be done, with regard to the source of supply, but to ascertain the least expensive means of connect- ing those lakes with the town in such a manner that the full head should bo made available ; and as early as the season would admit the surveys were commenced, preparatory to the commencement of the work. From a survey of the smaller, or Little South Pond, I found it to cover an area of 67 20-100 acres, or nearly 3,000,000 superficial feet, having upon all sides a shore comparatively bold, and free from flats or mud of any kind, but presenting a bottom mainly of white sand and gravel through which the water, falling upon the surrounding forests, must flow before it can mingle with that of the lake ; on the margin of which the pure, and ever open springs are constantly sending their transparent waters into the lake itself. Under any ordinary circumstances this supply would be deemed amply sufficient for a town much larger than our own, but as Great South Pond, wdii(‘h is much larger in itself, was found to be separated from Little South Pond only by a belt or strip of land about five hundred feet in width, through which the waters were found to be connected, though the fact that the surface of the larger was some twenty inches above that of the smaller lake proved that this subterraneous communication Avas not of suf- ficient capacity to meet the more rapid evaporation of the smaller pond, which contains less depth of Avater. This gave some reason for the apprehension that an unforeseen draught from the large pond might diminish the supply from the small one, and the town, if not entirely cut off, might suffer from a Avant of head, already much less than is desirable to supply the higher service. These facts, together with that of their being no natural outlet to any of these Avaters, Avhich precludes all claims for damage to mill OAvners, determined the neces- sity of opening a canal for the permanent connection of the APPENDIX B. 39 two lakes ; the whole expense of which has been less than $300, inclusive of the land' through which the canal has been excavated. This has produced a. constant flow from the larger into the smaller lake, thereby raising the latter to a height not otherwise attainable, and saving the large additional expense that would have accrued in carrying the pipes to the large or principal lake. Route. Having thus decided to bring the water from ‘‘Little South Pond,” the next thing waste ascertain the most feasible, and at the same time the most permanent line for the safety of the pipes, and this I have found among the most difficult of my duties — having decided upon that over which the pipes have been carried with reluctance in some respects, and not until obstacles upon ail the other lines had been met which ap- peared insurmountable, wdthout largely exceeding the antici- ipated expenditure for this portion of the work. In 1854,1 had occasion to make a temporary examination of the land between South Pond and the Town Brook, and with- out being allowed the opportunity to take the necessary levels and execute the profiles by which alone a correct conclusion could be arrived at, I expressed an opinion that “the cheap- est and most direct route would be to commence at what is denominated Little South Pond, and from a conduit there constructed, of sufficient capacity to contain the necessary fil- tering apparatus, lay the pipes in nearly a direct line to the margin of Loud Pond, on the westerly side,” and from which point I then said the grading would be more difficult, and the whole w^as qualified by the expression that“a more careful and thorough examination might suggest a better and possibly a shorter route” over which the pipes could be laid. A “careful and thorough” survey of this route showed the elevations on the westerly side of Loud Pond to be much more formidable than appeared to the eye, rising more than thirty feet above the surface of the lake itself, and to remove which. 40 WATER commissioners' REPORT, added to the necessity of a large additional amount of exca- vation through the southerly part of the farm of Mr. Asa Thomas, would enhance the expense to^ an amount not deemed advisable if it could be avoided. A route was then surveyed by the same line for the first 3000 feet from the lake, and passing Loud Pond upon the easterly side, extending across the farm of Mr. Thomas T. Jackson, in nearly a direct line to the intersection of Sum- mer and High streets. This, as was anticipated, proved to be a shorter line, but the profiles showed the range of hills north-easterly of Loud Pond to be in the lowest place forty- eight feet above the line of grade, and the route was of course abandoned. A survey was then made of the line, that in the main, was finally adopted, and which proved to be less expensive than the others ; all of which are delineated upon a plan herewith submitted, and which alone can convey a correct idea of the route adopted for the line of pipes. The pipes from the lake to the highway near the pond of the Samoset Mills are laid upon a series of descending grades or inclined planes, varying, during the first 2800 feet from 125 feet to 10 feet in the mile, to meet the various difficulties which nature had placed upon the route, and from this point (2800 feet from the lake) the grade descends uniformly about 6 1-2 inches to the mile, 6650 feet, after which the descent is a little more rapid, until the town brook is intersected, where the line of pipe is twenty-three feet below the surface of the lake. The reasons for adopting a continuous descending grade, instead of following the irregularities of the surface, as con- templated in 1854, are so familiar to the commissioners that but a casual reference appears necessary in this Report. The fact that the entire head was required to meet the higher grades of service, so that no power could be wasted in ascend- ing acclivities, all of which must be supplied with air-cocks, requiring the closest attention, might have been a sufficient APPENDIX B. 41 reason in itself for this course, when the small size of the main pipe was determined upon; but with the subsequent exten- sions, which continued small sized pipes for miles beyond the original estimate, such a course was indispensable. Another reason is found in the kind of pipe that has been adopted, which can only be protected in a permanent bed below the surface^ while iron pipes can be secured in almost any kind of soil or substance, those of the Jersey City Water Works, as is well known, being laid upon the surface of the marshes, without even a trench to contain them. These, and various other reasons, might be adduced to show the economy of the line of grade which was adopted, rather than increase the length of the pipes by curving around the hills or following the undulations of the surface, and compelling a resort to iron pipes to span the swamps and marshes ; but they are all so well understood and appreciated by the commissioners and by the whole people, that it is needless to dwell upon them. It is true, as suggested in 1854 that a line of pipes can be laid through which water can be conveyed from South Pond, to Loud Pond with a very small amount of excavation, but it does not prove true upon investigation that cement pipes can he laid there and remain permanent, and hence that course has not been adopted. Entering Lake, In entering South Pond I have adopted, mainly, the course suggested on a former occasion, “have constructed a conduit (or flume) of sufficient capacity to contain the necessary filter- ing apparatus,'’ from which the pipes are laid in nearly a direct line to within a few hundred feet of Loud Pond, after which a series of curves and angles through the valley men- tioned in my former Report, as less expensive^ brings the line to the point upon the farm of Mr. Asa Thomas, then desig- nated. The difficulties In entering the lake itself, partly because the pipes have been carried to a greater depth than was first 42 WATER commissioners' REI^ORT, contemplated, and partly because the water flows a distance beyond the margin of the lake, not expected from the indica- tions upon the surface, were considerably larger than had been at first anticipated; but when it is considered that much of the expense at that point is for the filtering apparatus it- self ; which is admitted to prevent anything hut water from passing into the pipes, it is believed that all additional cost there, is more than compensated by the additional purity, given to the water itself, nor am I enabled to discover that anything would have been gained had any other point been selected for entering South Pond than that contemplated in 1854, and now adopted. Entering Town Brook. The Town Brook I first contemplated crossing above the stream, but the purchase of the Old Aqueduct induced me to reconsider that dietermination and carry the pipes below the bed of the brook, first to secure to the town the right to take water from that brook “by subterraneous pipes," as provided in the old charter, and also that the brook itself should be made available when the main source should temporarily fail; and the advantages of this arrangement have already been witnessed by our citizens by a two months supply before the works were completed. The filtering apparatus at this place consists only of a copper screen and is less perfect than it would have been had it been intended ever to take from this brook more than a temporary supply. From the Town Brook the pipes are carried to the village by the principal street or highway, traversing a hill which has heretofore been considered insurmountable by the water of this brook by the force of gravitation, and thence follows the line of our principal streets to Wellingsley upon the one side, and nearly to Kingston upon the other, the details of which will of course be found in your own Report, and as my super- vision over this portion of the work has been only of a general character, a detailed report will not be required. APPENDIX B. 43 Reservoir. The selection of a lot for, a Reservoir seems ratlier to have been made by nature itself — much of the excavation being- saved by the natural situation of the ground upon which it has been in the main constructed. This part of the work has been laid out to correspond with the lot, being at the top 227 feet long upon one side and 213 feet upon the other, by an average width of 13G feet. From these lines the sides in- cline inwardly upon a slope one and a half feet horizontally, to each perpendicular foot, to a depth of 21 feet perpendicu- lar descent from the face of the embankments, and to the water line will contain a fraction les ; than 1,700,000 gallons of 231 cubic inches. The water lining of the work is of ^‘Blue Clay,” found upon our shores in great abundance, and the experience thus far proves how well it is adapted to work of this kind. The water is let into the Reservoir from the bottom, the same pipe being construcied lor supplying and draining it, by which the full head of the Reservoir may at all times be kept upon the pipes, or by simply closing the gate upon the supply pipe, and opening that of the waste, all the water can be drawn from the Reservoir without affect- ing the purity of the water in the pipes from which the sup- ply to the town is being taken. This arrangement Avill ad- mit of changing the water as often as desirable, and in case any impure substance finds its way into the Reservoir, it can be removed without injury to the water in the pipes. With these remarks relative to the work that in part I have had the direction of, and which I trust may be intelligible, as I hope they will be satisfactoiy, 1 commit the work into your hands, content to abide with yourselves the verdict of the people by whose suffrages we have been given authority for the labor that has been performed. MOSES BATES, Jr., Ccnsirucling Engineer. 44 WATER commissioners' REPORT. CONSULTING ENGINEER'S REPORT. To the Board of Water Commissioners of Plymouth : Gentlemen : By your request I present the following state- ment of my connection with your work, from the commence- ment to the completion, with some reasons for the plan of construction which I have advised. Early in the spring of last year a committee from your Board engaged me to act as consulting Engineer of the work you were then just about to commence. In accordance with this engagement I visited a few days afterwards, “ South Pond" and the adjoining pond, in company with your Engineer, Mr. Bates, and examined carefully the two lines, by which it was proposed to con- duct the water to the village. From a survey of the ponds I was satisfied that the supply was abundant, and having been informed by Mr. Bates that the elevation of these ponds though only 60 feet above the main street of the town, was higher than that of any other large ponds in the neighbor- hood, it was very plain that it would not be judicious to take the water from sources of lower elevation. From a subse- quent examination of the town I was convinced that even this elevation would frequently fail to supply consumers on the high service, on each side of the river without the aid of a Reservoir. I therefore fully coincided with Mr. Bates in his selection of South Pond as a source of supply. After an examination of the two lines over which it was proposed to lay the main pipe, on the ground as well as by the profiles, it was decided that the west line, though longer, was much more level, and less expensive ; it was therefore adopted as the line of location. The next question was the kind of pipe to be used. Two kinds of pipe were proposed — the Cast Iron pipe and the Iron and Cement pipe, known as “Ball's Patent"; with the latter I had been acquainted for several years, and from its APPENDIX B. 45 cleanliness, cheapness and durability, I was much inclined to advise its adoption without any qualification ; as a precau- tionary measure I proposed that a committee of your Board should visit Rockland, in Maine, where these pipes had been in use for nearly two years, to learn there if any objections existed to their use, and if they had answered the expecta- tions that had been formed of them ; your committee returned so well satisfied with the report received of them, that they were adopted without further hesitation. The great objection to the iron pipe is found in the rapid incrustation which takes place on the inside of the pipe, and very soon seriously diminishes its capacity ; this becomes a matter of much more consequence with the small pipes, than with those of a larger size, and while in a 30-inch pipe the diminution of capacity would be scarcely perceptible for seven or eight years, in a pipe of ten inches diameter, the incrusa- tion of four years would probably reduce the capacity one- fifth. The ‘iron and cement pipe’ is free from this objection ; the bore remains always of the same diameter, always clean, and becomes harder and more durable by age. With proper care in selecting the best quality of cement, in the manufac- ture of the pipes, and in making the joints, I consider this as the best water pipe now in use for the supply of towns and villages, and it may yet be found to succeed quite as well in large cities. The Board have reason to be satisfied with the decision they have made, as they have materially decreased the cost of the work by the use of this pipe, and owing to the care and superintendency of Mr. Bates and Mr. Davee, together with the earnest desire of the Pipe Company to have the work done in a thorough and careful manner, there is every reason to believe that the expense for repairs will be unusually small. In making the calculations for the supply of water to cities, it has been customary to consider 30 gallons to an individual, as sufficient to include the domestic supply and all extra uses. 4G WATER commissioners’ REPORT, siich as steam erigiaes, mamifactoiics, &c. In all our large cities in this country, owing to the great waste which has been allowed, this amount has been exceeded, ranging in Boston at certain seasons from 40 to even 90 gallons per head. For towns like Plymouth where the work can be carefully su- pervised, this allowance of 30 gallons may be considered enough, though not a large supply. The first calculations for tlie main pipe, were based upon this allowance for each individual of a population of 10,000 persons. To supply this quantity would require a pipe of 12 inches in diameter, discharging under a head of G feet during IG hours of the day. As the cost of this pipe was beyond the limit allowed by your Board, it was resolved to substitute a pipe of 10 inches diameter, and to connect it with a Reser- voir. In this manner the diminished size of the pipe, would be nearly compensated by the greater length of time in which it would be giving off its supply. Thus a 10-inch pipe dis- charging during the hours of consumption, say 16 hours, un-