The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-04-10
CANAL ROUTES.
Suggestion that the Draper Canal
be Adopted.

G SALT LAKE CITY, April 9. 1880.
t Editors EerqId:
8 On principles Of general economy
; there ought TO be but one canal in
this county east of the Jordan River
to carry water from that river for the
necessary uscs OF The Inhabitants,
; and the line of that canal should have
as great an altitude as is practicable.
4 multiplicity of canals extending
from the same source and in parallel
| directions is, unnecessarily, q waste
loi land, waste OF money and waste
Of water, besides destroying the unity
and specisl value OF many home
steads, and iniuring facilities for irri-
eating lands interseeted by them.
The ratio OF the Ices of water by
evaporation and percolation increases
with wonderful rapidly according as
the number OF canals into which the
water is distributed is Increased. THIS
ia certainly a matter worthy of stten-
tiop, since it is already considered that
the ordinary supply of water in the
Jordan is inadequate for necessary
purposes.
For these general, as we'll as for
special reasons which may be given,
the present location OF the canal to
supply the city with water ought to
be reconsidered and q new route
selected.
AT the time of the location of the
city canal, there was a canal already
located and partly constructed by a
company consisting OF farmers and
landowners in the southern part OF
the county. This latter canal is so
located as to convey the water along
the eastern part of the valley at as
great an altitude as possible and will |
reach the city, if extended, on line |
125 feet higher, in altitude than that
of the city canal as at present located.
The heaviest work on this canal
that around the point ofthe mountain
is, in the main, completed; it has
head of water six feet in depth and
so far as constructed has, at least,
twice the carrying capacity of the
contemplated city canal. The ex-
tension of this canal will cross the
Big Cottonwood creek above where
the main irrigating bitches and canals
tap that stream; and will follow, not
along the edge of the bench east and
south of the city but on top of it.
The cost of acquiring the right of
way for this canal will be less than
that for the city canal, because the
lands through which the former
passes are less valuable. It is true
that there are some large ravines to
Cross which will add to the cost of
the northern half Of the canal, bat
no one can doubt the practicability of
crossing these. This additional out
lay, however, while partly compen-
stated by the amount saved ON the
southern part of the canal, can bear
no proportion to the additional ad-
Vantages OF such q canal to the city for
all time. This canal, if extended to
10 the city, may be made to cover,
and supply water to, every part of the
same, and would have an altitude
sufficiently great to connect with any
system of water works ID supply
water for culinary purposes and for
he extinguishment of fires. Such a
canal may be used to carry pure
water from mountain streams to
such points as it might be wanted in
case farmers south would accept
Jordan water in lieu thereof. This,
hey would probably do, as Jordan
water is better for general irrigation,
% account Of its fertiliziug properties.
The company organized to con-
;truct the canal referred to placed its
lolthern terminus at Little Cotton
aood-about one-half the distance to
he city. Almost o1e-hali the labor
necessary TO complete the canal to
hat point has been performed. The
entire cost OF completing this to Little ,
Cottonwood, as estimated by Sur
'eyor Fox, is $S7, 900. This estimate
vas not according to cash rates, but at
'ates somewhat higher, as the laborer
would take for MS pay stock in the
l have reason to know
hat SO far as the company is con-
,erned, the city can obtain at the
Little Cottonwood one-half the guam
ity of water the canal will carry by
paying one-half the entire expense Of
the canal to that point as
IN original cost, and afterwards one
lalf the cost Of necessary repairs.
Thus, for an outlay OF between $40,-
100 and $4,000, all the water that
could be desired by the city can be !
obtained at point on the Little Cot
onwood, hom which it can be con.
Keyed to the city by a canal cor l
tructed by it independently. An
eau be perfected With
he company in regard to the man
lgement of the upper section of the
,anal to which the city can certainly
nave no objection.
If these considerations are now ig-
lored, it will be a matter for future
regret.
Respectfully,
J. L. RAWLINs.