WASHINGTON COUNTY. 4853

pair, extend, enlarge or improve a system of water works or a water works
for the purpose of supplying to the inhabitants of the town of Hancock
and corporations, firms and establishments doing business therein, a suit-
able and adequate supply of water for manufacturing, industrial and
domestic purposes, and protection to property from fire, and for other
purposes usually subserved by a water works or water works system, and
to this end said Burgess and Commissioners of Hancock are authorized
and empowered to adopt a system or plan for a water works, or system
of water works; to contract for, and purchase in fee simple or lease for
a term of any number of years, exceeding the period of fifteen years if
deemed desirable, any land, real estate, spring, brook, water or water-
course; to dig, bore and sink wells; to erect and maintain a reservoir or
reservoirs, a storage dam or storage dams, and a standpipe, or standpipes;
to lay and maintain pipes and conduits; to erect and maintain fire-plugs;
to purchase all proper machinery, appliances, supplies and material to be
used in building, constructing, operating or maintaining said water works
or system of water works, or repairing the same, or extending and enlarg-
ing or improving the same; to employ all necessary labor; to engage the
services of engineers, superintendents, or foremen, or other persons of
skill or special knowledge in the designing, construction, repair, exten-
sion, enlargement, improvement, or operation of said water works or sys-
tem of water works; to connect any and all springs, brooks, waters, or
water-courses, wells, reservoirs, storage dams, standpipes, pipes, conduits,
fire-plugs and machinery or appliances, acquired, dug, constructed, laid

or placed by said Burgess and Commissioners of Hancock into a water
works or system of water works for the purposes above set forth, to do
and perform all things necessary and proper to carry out the aforegoing
powers and others incident thereto so that said powers may be adequately
and amply executed. The said Burgess and Commissioners are authorized
and empowered, in their discretion, to let out the whole or any part of
the work involved in the construction of said water works, or system of
water works, as said Burgess and Commissioners may deem the best in-
terest of the town of Hancock.

In exercising the aforegoing powers in the construction, operation,
maintenance, repair, extension, enlargement and improvement of said
water works or system of water works, the Burgess and Commissioners of
Hancock may exercise said powers and any other powers conferred by this
Act on, upon, or over lands beyond the corporate limits of the town of Han-
cock, and said Burgess and Commissioners of Hancock may also in addi-
tion, supply water to persons, corporations, firms or establishments for
manufacturing, industrial and domestic purposes in the vicinity of Han-
cock and not within the corporate limits thereof, provided that the water so
supplied to such persons, corporations, firms or establishments beyond said
corporate limits shall not be detrimental to a suitable and adequate supply

of water to the inhabitants of the Town of Hancock and corporations, firms
and establishments doing business therein or for protection of property
in said town from fire, and provided further that the terms upon which