Increased fire protection for the borough was assured in 1874 when a six inch pipe to feed hydrants was laid connecting the Linen Company and the Smithville and Windham Companies.  Historian Allen B. Lincoln said that, “The mill owners were to be allowed for such service a rebate of one-half their taxes to the borough. Much opposition to the plan prevailed for a time, but it was finally put into execution with the decided support of the people of the borough. September 13th, 1873, the borough voted to allow the warden and burgesses to borrow money to lay the pipes. The work soon after began and was continued, though opposition appeared at every step and it was impeded somewhat by perplexing litigation, which, however, did not succeed in preventing the execution of the plan. The system completed, was connected with the force pumps of the Smithville, Windham, and Linen companies, and the pressure attainable as 150 pounds to the square inch. “ And so, upon completion of the project, the system was deemed, “of sufficient caliber to answer all the purposes for which it was designed, with the immense velocity with which the powerful pumps can impel water…forms a protection against fire absolutely unsurpassed”. Still, with the growth of the village, the need continued to grow for a system of supplying water for businesses, homes and household purposes. In 1880, Whiting, James E. and Willard T. Hayden applied to the general assembly for corporate privileges as “The Hayden Water Company”. Had the Hayden resolution been passed, it would have given the company, “a deed of all the real estate in the borough and vicinity that they choose to occupy”, and the borough’s Burgesses opposed the plan. The “Chronicle”, in January, 1881,editorialized, “The borough needs a good supply of pure water more than it needs anything else, but we think it may be furnished without the creation of such a monopoly as this charter would grant.” At the February, 1881 meeting of the borough, called for the purpose of seeing whether the borough would concur in the action taken by the court of Burgesses in opposing the Hayden Water company scheme before the legislature, there were, “eloquent speeches by Hayden backers James. E. Hayden and Esquires Hunter, Sumner, Clark, and Conant.” A motion was made, and a resolution introduced to stop the Burgesses’ opposition. The resolution passed. It read in part, “Resolved--That the borough authorities be and they are hereby instructed to cease all opposition to the chartering by the Hayden Water Co.,… Said company shall provide that it shall not interfere with the property or water in wells and springs or pipes of private individuals without the consent of such individual within the limits of the borough.” This resolution was adopted by a vote of 25 to 18. However, the Burgesses remained adamant in their opposition and in January 1882, the Burgesses appointed a committee to oppose it before the General Assembly.  Although the Hayden Company sent several representatives and attorneys to the State Legislature in support of their company’s resolution, the Burgesses eventually prevailed by presenting the Legislature with a resolution of its own. For almost a year, the Burgesses had consistently recommended that a system of public water works should be established and the idea became so popular that the borough, at a meeting November 13th, decided to ask the burgesses to petition the assembly for an amendment to their charter which would allow them to undertake such an enterprise. “In accordance with such petition the amendment was granted at the May session of 1883”, and on August 18th, 1883, the borough accepted the water charter by a ballot of 194 to 16. George W. Burnham was elected water commissioner for one year, E. B. Sumner for two years and Henry N. Wales for three years. The commissioners were authorized to issue bonds to the amount of $200,000 to carry out the plan. Willimantic’s newly appointed water commissioners decided that the borough should be supplied from the Natchaug River which was considered the most available and economical location. The water commissioners then hired  Mr. J.T. Fanning of Manchester, N.H., “a civil engineer who has devoted the greater part of his labors to the construction of this kind of work, for consulting engineer in the building of the water works. A chance will be given in a few days for all who wish to bid for a contract to build the dam.” Willimantic was on the way to having its own water works. (to be continued.) .