Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-06
THE 4 T QUESTION.

We have no desire in the world to pain
our sensitive, but highly esteemed evening
contemporary, in criticizing it's course on
the city water question. And we would
ask it In oil candor il it were not better to
| treat this matter from q purely practical
standpoint. It is true there is aprovoking
scarf y Of water in some portions OF the
city, but it is equally true that the Water
Company is outstanding and economizine
every drop Of water at it's command. It is
an article which can not be manufactured.
Its supply is dependent upon causes be.
yond the power of man to control, and the
whole matter may thus be briefly summed
up: No rains, no snows-no water.
As we understand the matter the Water
Company depends upon certain springs and
a small stream some eight or ten miles dis
tant to supply the city. Owing to the very
light snow fall last winter, and the absence
of sufficient rainfall during the past sum-
mer, the springs and the stream yield but a
very limited volume OF water, every drop
of which is carefully husbanded and
brought to the city without other waste
than that caused by evaporation. 1t is
possible the company could increase the
supply by extending it's ditch to another
stream some distance beyond. OF this.
however. we are not informed. Butadmit
ting it to be q fact, the question arises:
Would not the expense in reaching and
controlling the water involve such an out
lay of capital as to necessitate the raising
OF the schedule of rates to a point that
would become an onerous burden upon the
poorer classes of our people? This is a
very essential point to be considered in dis
GUESSING this question Of water supply.
Again, if there are parties in the city hav-
ing uninvested money to loan the Water
Company to ~incrnase the supply OF water.
what binders these same parties from
bringing the water in themselves? If it
would pay the Water Company to accept
the loan would it not pay the lenders to
invest their money in the enterprise?
Our esteemed evening contemporary says:
"The Butte Water Company has entered
into a contract with it's patrons to supply
them with water" We have not under
ooOOu SuOpV QUILL Vd6 OAV NdSCs u " w We
believe that outside Of IN agreement with
the city to supply it with water for fire
purposes for a given sum annually, that
the company has entered into a contract
with any party or parties to furnish him
or them water. If it has that party or
parties have redress for damages when
such are sustained by reason of a violation
of contracts. And furthermore, if it has
entered into snch contracts it certainly
should not collect water rents from those
whom it fails to supply, and he is simple
ton who would pay for what he dosen't
get.
The MINER is no apologist or defender OF
any corporation that deals unjustly with
the people, nor will it attack a corporation
because it is a corporation. We
very well understand there are those who
stand ready to lanch curses against a cor
poration upon the slightest provocation,
and there are journals-we disclaim class
ing the Inter Mountain among them
which pander, irregardless of all equity
in the case, to this %well-known prejudice
corporations for the sole purpose
OF currying favor with the masses.
Returning to this question OF water sup
ply for the city it is apparent that the
source is unequal to the demand.
the city increases in population a larger
Of water is demanded. Since the
water mains were laid in the city it's pupu-
lation has nearly or quite doubled and the
drafts made upon the Water Company's
haye increased at the SAM ratio.
Butte will not stand still. No purely min
ing section does. 1t grows to it's sustain
ing point and then decays. Butte will
grow and grow for years. The point at
it will begin to decay will not be
until it's immense mineral resources
commence to fail. In the meantime a great
increased water supply will become an
imperitiye necessity, Steps should be
taken to meet it. If it is, as it is claimed
to be, a largely paying investment there is
good field here for enterprising capital.
Who will enter it?