The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-10
SEATTLE WATER SUPPLY.
An Open Letter.


To ,Ae City Co,lEea asd Citizezs Of S.
a,tie:
The undersigned, . committee ap-
pointed by the King County Canal and
Manufacturing Company. take this
method of calling pour attention to the
objects Of said company, and TO a mat.
ter in which all the inhabitants Of this
growing city are deeply interested
In April. 1886. The King County Ca
nal and Manufacturing Company was
Incorporated under the laws of the
Territory, having two important OBJ
lects In view.
lst, The cutting Of canal between
Lake Union and Lake Washington and
opening up the outlet between Lake
Union and Salmon Bay. thereby giving
water communication between the
Sound and these lakes. and by which
means large body OF overfiowed lands
would be reclaimed. thereby adding
largely to the wealth of King County.
ID. The said company was also In.
corporated for the purpose of supplying
the City of Seattle with pure water.
Oar plan is simply this: By cutting
the canal between the two lakes aud
opening the channel from Lake Union
to Salmon Bay. we will cause the water
of Cedar river, one of the purest noun.
tain streams in this Territory. to flow
into these lakes. thereby keeping the
water thereof perpetually fresh and
pure. We then propose to adopt the
Holly system of water works to bring
this water into the city of Seattle. To
carry on this enterprise will require an
ortlay of ,apital of not less than one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Under the charter the city of Seattle
may authorize such company AZ we
represent TO build water works aud
furnish the city and inhabitants with
sufficient supply of water. No portion
of the city except that benefited by
such works can be taxed tor the water
supply. The City Council and the
company are 10 Fix the water rent to be
charged to individuals. The city can
grant the right to construct and operate
water works for the period of twenty.
five years. We have asked the city to
confer upon our company that right.
With this franchise we will be able not
only 70 supply the city with pure wa
ter, but also tn construct the canal,
which all regard as q public necessity.
The city and inhabitants cannot be
taxed in any way for the construction
of these works. They are to pay for
nothing until the company actually
supplies the city with sufficiently
qusntity Of pure water.
. The compensation TO be paid is fixed.
definite and certain, and not left to the
will of the company or the uncertain
action of board of arbitrators. The
rights of companies and persons now
supplying water IN the city. or their
right to supply themselves from other
sources are carefully protected and
guarded. as will be seen from the ex-
animation of sections 3 and IL of the
proposed ordinance.
The annual compensation fixed for
supplying the city with water for
municipal purposes does not exceed
that now annually expended in keeping
up irclines and fire cisterns and fire
engines. The benefits conferred are
more than one hundred fold greater.
In the single item of Insurance more
will be saved annually to the inhabit-
ants of the city than the compensation
to be paid to the company.
For the sanitary welfare of the city,
water is now required which cannot be
supplied under the present system.
While the moneyed consideration is an
important one. we should not forget
that the health of the citizens is above
that. We believe our proposition is Q
fair one. Our company is composed of
some of the most responsible men in
King county. We want the people to
know what we ask before they grant
this privilege or pass on the merits Of
our proposition, and hence we call your
attention to the following ordinance,
which will be laid before the Council
ct an early day. and ask you to give it
q careful consideration. We will be
pleased to receive from any of our citi-
zens further suggestions on this i'm Dor
tant subject.
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