Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-12-11
The Water Question.

TUCsoS, December S.-The city coun-
 cil will have a special meeting on next
 Saturday evening to consider whether
 the best interests of the citizens of Tue
 son will be subserved by granting a
 franchise to certain parties to supply
 tue city from the water of the Santa
 Cruz river in the neighborhood of War
 ner's mill. This is most important ques-
 ton and should receive careful and
 thorough investigation before action shall
 be taken. l understand the scheme to
 be considered is this-certain parties
 propose to buy Mir. Warmers water right
 and from the neighborhood of his mil
 pump the water from the canal into a
 reservoir on the mountain at sufficient
 elevation, by means of iron pipes. to dis
 tribute itself through the city. in tbis
 matter the conspicuous points to be con
 sidered by the council are: Is the water
 healthful? Does Mr. Warmers right
 include sufficient water to at all times
 furnish the city with abundance of
 water without interfering with the rights
 oI those engaged in agriculture? As. health Is most important to Us all. the
 quality Of the water is of primary and
 vital consideration. As water is one of the most fruitful conductors CT disease. no one can en.oy good health who hab- ltually drinks impure water. It has been urged In support of the scheme that London chemist has pronounced the water of tie Santa Cruz good. At the distance a chemist in London is from thls locality he might say what he liked about tine water without lear Of consequences. But even a Lon don chemist, when speakingof the Santa Cruz water, only uses a qualifying ad- l lectlYe m the comparative degree. We agree with the London chemist. as far as We have seen him quoted, that the 1 water Is GOoD-fOr irrigation; IS good Tor laundry purposes; IS good-pOssibly. | Tor horses, but that the water is good for | human beings to drink no one outside | or the scheme, familiar with the water. | VIII Tor moment insist We need no | London chemist to tell us aboUt the | santa Cruz river water. The water | speaks, and speaks loudly, for itself | There IS no mlstalIlng its language IL l talks alkall. snakes, bugs, decayod vege- | tatlon, filth, and excrement IT you have | any dOubts about its quality 70 out and | 1rlnk 1t. GO also and examine the canal | that conducts the water from the river To the mill. Ton will find its bottom covered with black, slimy mud, which. when exposed to the sun and ar, gives | put foul odor. its sides deeply fringeG | Nltu nONous weeds where countless 'eptlles and poisonous insects find amidst | .he unWhOlesomc yaV'rs a c0ngenial | Why, even he Indian wash srWomen who go to Jha locality Co wash clothes carry tleir Oi s or drinking water with them. The umu stomach would rebel at the intro 1cti0n of such ile HluiL Yes, it ;. good Dis.
 rbute it through the city and he doctors and the unClrtakers wlA cap a rich harvest. The council will urely hot assume the grave responsi- llilty oI putting on our citizens SO seri- JUS an intliction in order that few gen lemen shall make money out of the
 chemc. Tucson has existed one hun ircd years without water works and here IS no reason for undue haste just low. l believe a large majority oi our -tzens are opposed to the scheme. T. VII be well for the council to consult he wishes of the people on this ques- ion. Let it be made an issue m our | le1t municipal election, then the rcspou- ability will rest where 1t properly be- ongs. J. 4. B.