The Bethel Water Company Journal

The Bethel Journals

1889 – 2006

Posted: February 1, 2007

September 26, 1890.

The Water Company let water into the village on Friday and attached a hose to one of their hydrants. It threw water 150 feet into the air and would cover any building for a long distance.

7-31-1888

Bethel Hill: W. E. Skillings (Steam Mill Company owner), Judge Enoch Foster, and Samuel D. Philbrook (cattle dealer and later President of the Bethel Savings Bank) accompanied by Albert Stanwood of Waterford have been investigating the general possibilities of supplying Bethel Hill with pure water and supply of water in case of fire. They have a natural basin in Chapman Brook about three miles from The Bethel House and one hundred fifty feet above the level of the Common on Bethel Hill. Mr. Stanwood was for many years connected with the water supply system of Boston. He thinks that the supply is sufficient and the intervening ground is suitable for digging and laying pipe. An early effort will be made to obtain a charter and enter in earnest upon the work. Oxford County Democrat

2/16/1889:

“The Bethel Water Company was chartered by the Legislature, February sixteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine. A leading object was to enable the Village Corporation to carry out its purposes in relation to a fire department. The corporators were William E. Skillings, Addison E. Herrick, Enoch Foster, Samuel D. Philbrook, Enoch W. Woodbury, Gideon A. Hastings, Gilman P. Bean and Ceylon Rowe. Its object as stated in the charter is to supply the village of Bethel Hill with pure water. By its charter the company was authorized to take, detain and use the water of Chapman brook and all streams tributary thereto or running therefrom in the towns of Bethel and Newry, subject to certain conditions, such as liability for damage on account of flowage, etc. The organization of the company was completed February eighteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety, by the election of the following officers President, Enoch Foster; Secretary, Addison E. Herrick; Directors, Ceylon Rowe, Gideon A. Hastings, Wm. E. Skillings, Enoch W. Wood-bury and Henry N. Bearce. The works were begun and completed in eighteen hundred and ninety, the water beginning to flow November first. No contract was made, but all labor and material were procured directly by the company. The enterprise is a complete success, and the people of the village wonder how they ever got along without it. The water is abundant and of superior quality. The main pipe is four and one-half miles in length from Common, and the water comes from Chapman brook, away up the mountain side above all impurities, the reservoir being one hundred and eighty-five feet above the level of the Common. The analysis of the water by the Secretary of the State Board of Health shows it to be practically pure, and equal to any supply in the State.”

William B. Lapham, History of Bethel, page 414, 1891 and 1981

March: At the town meeting.. [Art. 25^th. To see if the town will vote to permit the Bethel Water Company to lay its pipes across the Androscoggin River upon the Bethel Toll Bridge, so called, or to hang them upon or under said bridge, under the direction of the Selectmen.] This item was passed over. The town voted to take from the Bethel Water Company water to supply two public watering troughs to pay therefore a sum equal to the tax assessed on the Company’s works and franchise for a term of 20 years. Civil engineers were engaged last week in making levels for the Bethel Water Company. Village Corporation meeting March 10^th RE: The contract for supplying the village with water for fire protection purposes which had previously been executed with the Bethel Water Company was read before the meeting and ratified by its vote. It will be remembered that the water company agree to furnish 25 hydrants at $32 a piece for 20 years which aggregates $800 a year payable semi annually. The water is to be brought from Chapman Brook five miles and the pipes are to be 8 inches in diameter and will cross the river attached to the bridge. The work is to be done and the water running by the first day of next September.

June: The Bethel Water Company employees are hard at work. They have surveyed and located the line of pipe also located the dam which gives a head of 200 feet above Bethel Common and 300 feet at the (Bethel) station. The superintendent, John J. Moore of Hingham, Mass., who has complete charge of construction of the works, is already here in the employ of the Water Company. The men will be sent for as soon as the pipe arrives. Teams have also been engaged to distribute the pipe along the whole length of the line, 4 and one-half miles. One vessel load of 200 tons of pipe has sailed from Philadelphia for Portland and is expected there daily. It will require 80 car loads of pipe (to move the shipload to Bethel). The plan of the location has been drafted by A.M. Carter and will be placed on file with the County Commissioners agreeable to the law. The hydrants have already been located. June 26, The Water Company has received 24 carloads of pipe that is being distributed all its line. Each piece of eight inch main weighs about 570 pounds. They will use 600 tons of iron. The Water Company has rented barracks near the bridge across the Androscoggin River to accommodate the workmen. They expect to employ one hundred men in ditching.

July: A.P. Jenness, Superintendent of the Fryeburg Water Company was in Bethel Thursday to consult on building the dam at the head waters of Chapman Brook. Benjamin R. Bryant (a former owner of the Thurston farm, now the River View Motel) will put in a stone dam for the company. There is a natural basin of solid rock so that the dam 60 feet long and 10 feet high will afford all the water requirements and it will be held in a natural stone basin. The Company has asked for a meeting with the Village Corporation to seek a thirty day extension for completing the hydrants because of a delay in receiving pipe. Twenty car loads were received last week (of June) and the balance is expected this week. Fifty men arrived in Bethel Wednesday employed by the Bethel Water Company in ditching and laying pipe. Work is progressing rapidly.

On Saturday, July 12, 1890, the Bethel Water Company paid $1,500 to the Grand Trunk Railroad for pipe shipments. It was the largest freight bill ever paid at the Bethel Station, according to a news item in the Oxford Democrat of July15, 1890.

August: Friday the 13^th, the Italians that work for the Bethel Water Company celebrated the anniversary of one of their patron saints. About night they became hilarious and some of them became pugnacious. Pistols and knives were frequently used with one man shot through the neck and another badly cut. Sheriff Wormell made several arrests.

September: The corn shop opened Wednesday and it is getting some fine corn. They (the new shop near the depot) are supplied with water by the Bethel Water Company. The Grand Trunk R.R. is laying its pipes from the Water Company’s pipes to their stand pipe. The water company has their pipes laid on Main, High, Chapman and Broad Streets and it is ready to supply the Grand Trunk R. R. with water. The Water Company let the water into the village, on Friday, September 26^th, and attached a hose to one of their hydrants. It threw water 150 feet into the air and would cover any building for a long distance.

October: The Grand Trunk R.R. started taking water from the Bethel Water Company, Friday. A meeting of the village corporation is called for Saturday afternoon, to provide for horses, carriages and implements for fire purposes. The water company has the hydrants all in place and a few more days all of the mains will be completed. Grand Trunk officials visited the reservoir and examined the works. They pronounce the system the best they have ever seen and the water incomparable. The Bethel Water Company has practically completed their works and is installing service pipes to individual customers. They have 50 orders for new service on file and more orders arrive daily.

November: The Water Company of Bethel has notified the village corporation that it is prepared to provide water for fire protection as per contract. They are busy putting in service pipes and many are rejoicing in having the luxury of having Chapman Brook water in their homes. Prof. G.A. Robertson has filed application with the Bethel Water Company for water service connections to his houses in Bethel. 11/18/1890: The Water Company is overrun with applications for laying service pipes. The demand for service pipe connections continued strongly on into 1891.

Map above displays the line of pipe and key features in the water system installed during the summer and fall of 1890.

1931 The Oxford County Citizen Special Edition, August 3, 1931

Bethel Water Company Superintendent, 1931

Mr. William C. Garey was born in Norway, Maine, October 29, 1875, the son of John and Ellen Garey.

He received his education in the schools of Norway. On December 28, 1899, he married Elizabeth Norris of Lowell, Mass. About 1903, Mr. Garey opened a steam laundry in the Mason building on lower Main Street and for eleven years conducted a successful business there. In 1916 Mr. and Mrs. Garey purchased some land on the crest of the hill on Mason Street and built a modern home with a beautiful view of the mountains.

At the beginning of the 21st Century, Donald Katlin of the Bethel Water District and two Maine water utility officials inspect the reservoir built in the summer of 1890.

Mr. Garey is superintendent, secretary and treasurer of the Bethel Water Company and is manager of Odeon Hall. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Eastern Star, Bethel Lodge F. & A.M., Norway Chapter, Strathglass Commandery and Kora Temple. His recreation is hunting, fishing and golfing. No social activity is complete with the Gareys and they are never too busy to help others.

In November 2006, The Bethel Water District extended its water main in Mayville by approximately 1,026 feet. Cross Excavation laid a 12 inch main from a hydrant at 248 Mayville Road (US Route 2) to connect a new business known as Mayville Junction – developer Massachusetts contractor Domenic Pugliares of North Andover, Mass. Estimated cost of project before work started was main extension will be approximately 1,026 ft at an estimated cost of $45,461.12.  Other services and fire protection had an estimated cost of $13,462.12 for a total of $58,923.24.  Cost for extending the water main was the responsibility of the developer. Building seen in the background was the object being supplied with water. It was a remodeled service garage formerly owned by Paul Carter of Bethel. There are four 1,500 square foot condominium units in the building.