Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-30
WATER FOR SACRAMENTO.
A citizen Desires Pure Water Beyor
Doubt, or None at All

DouDt, or None at All.
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN: In the matter of so
much Importance as that of the supply of
this city with pure mountain water, too
much precaution cannot be taken in Sc
Letting the source of supply. 1t is evident
that the promoters of rival propositions
may be tempted to give the Trustees and
the public exaggerated statements respect
ing the merits of one or the dement's of
another plan for securing the water so
much desired. All attempts to hastily
push the city into contract should be re-
garded with suspicion. 1t cannot be pre-
tended that the Trustees have, from the
superficial examinations thus far made,
suthclent information to enable them to
safely make contract at this time. In
April last it was stated to the Board of
trustees that the Amador Canal Company
was now the only one that had PROPOSE
ton before the Board or would have" We
know now how unsafe it would have been
to have acted upon this statement. The
Amador Canal Company takes its
water from the Mokelumne river, at
point about four miles above the town of
Plymouth. The Mokelumne river does
not afford supply for the canals
IN the summer season. To supply this
natural deficiency of the river the canal
company turn into it, at distance of about
fifty miles above Plymouth, the water of
the Blue lakes. These lakes, four in num-
Der, aggregate only $40 acres in surface
area, ana 1t Is by no means certain that
they have the capacity to meet the antici-
pated demand. They are doubtless valua-
Bile auxiliaries in supplying the necessities
of the Mokelumne river in low water sea-
sons; but they are too remote from the
head OF the Amador Company's canal, and
too much disconnected with that canal by
reason OF the long reach of the intervening
river, to be regarded as being the exclusive
source OF its water supply. The character
of this river and its waters should he
thoroughly understood before the CITY ven
lures upon any experiment with it, The
waters of the Blue lakes, like those of all
lakes IN the snow belt, must certainly be
pure; but whether, when mingled with the
waters of the Mokelumne for fifty
miles, and SO coming econd-handed.
is pure or not, is questionable. The
Mokelumne river, for the fifty miles
referred to, runs through a part of the
mountains which, ii is believed, will be in
time comparatively thickly settled.
Whether the water in the canal of the Am
ador Company or in the canal of the Cali
fornia Water Company at given point is
pure or not, cannot be determined satisfac-
torily by sending the City Surveyor to
" taste " it and report whether it is Sweet
or not. Something more reliable, more
comprehensive than the gustatory qualities
OF that officer will be found necessary in
the investigation.
The proposition of the California Water
Company is one, as it stands, and with
what is already known of its large source
of supply and its direct communication,
that should receive careful and favorable
consideration. If its main canal does, as it
is claimed, bring the water pure from Loon
Lake to the point where the iron pipes will
receive it, there are many reasons why the
city should avail itself of that water. This
point should be carefully determined before
any supply whatever is accepted, and I'M
less pure water, beyond question, can be
had from the mountains, let us not ely
from the ills we have to those we know
not of V