The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-07-16
THE WATER SUPPLY.
A Few Ideas on the All-ImpOr-
tant Topic.
QUESTION OF PRIMARY RIGHTS.
One Source Of Supply That Can be Utilized
The Hanauer Mill Stream-The
Expenses Attached to 1t.


To the Editor of THE HERALD:
For several years past, and especially
the present, the water question" has
been the all-important subject uppermost
in the minds of the public, and especially
agitating and disturbing the thoughts Of
the citizens of our ''would-be" peaceful
and beautiful city of the west. We are
to-day, through lack Of water, passing
through an ordeal, indeed, extremely try
ing. Which of your readers who have
sometime during their life time thirsted
for a drink Of water and could not readily
obtain it, but what would have given their
''old shirt, yea, or a new one either, in ex-
change for draught of "Adam's ale'' sufh-
Gent to have quenched their parched lips:
Yet there is a considerable proportion of
our citizens who are in a deplorable condi-
ton through the lack of the precious fluid
not only do they suffer physically, but their
mental organizations are taxed beyond a
reasonable en- lurance in seeing their once
beautiful orchards and gardens (famOusly
the pride of our city, rapidly vanishing be-
fore their eyes. Was it not water that re-
deemed each and nearly every lot located
what they arel And is it not the lack of
water that is rapidly and surely reducing
them to their worse than primary condi
ton!
AND WHAT SHALL WE SAY
in answer to these questions as cause!
Need we remind the public that certain
suffering citizens have primary rights
which ought to be, but have not been, re
spected! Have not these same suffering
citizens had forced upon them condition
similar to well known adage that ''when
they ask for bread they were given d
stone;n yea, worse than this, for when the
bread (water) they own was asked for, they
were given naught. Who owned the water
that once flowed cOpiously forth from our
mountain gorges supplying irrigation and
culinary needs! Was it not the early set
tiers who made the bitches, brought out
and appropriated the waters, thereby ac-
Quiring to themselves a moral as well as a
legal and primary right that is without
question! Now, what has become of these
Watersl Have they not been -emptOr-
lily taken possession of and boxed up in
pipes of iron and sold out to the more
wealthy classes of citizens, to those who
can better afford to have the luxury of
lawns and water IN their houses! But
says one, mas not the city attempted to
furnish water in lieu OF that taken away
from the people! Certainly they have
made the attempt. But did they not make
the citizens owning the water pay for these
boxes of iron to distribute their own water
to purchasers, and also pay for the canals,
rights of way and annual expenditures for
main aiming these SO-called lien waters
which barely have the name, and but a little
realitys And such a reality Say nothing
of the quality, the quantity is only as
"drop to the bucket" And what is the re-
suit of all this! The answer seems to echo
that those who prided themselves in homes
made sacred and dear to them by earnest
toll, industry and paternal ties are wrested
from their possession and placed within the
reach of the Spectator and the rich.
And what now, has become of these lieu
waters which the early settlers had forced
upon them in exchange for their own beau
riful water of the City creek2 Have not
Aey
Also BEEN TRADED OFF
for canon water for the purpose of supply
ing the eastern and northern higher lands
of the city which have no title whatever to
the water in question: Yet we are told by
some that this is equal distribution of
water" this is equal rights What, Mr..
Editor, can that be called "equal'' that will
dispossess a citizen Of his property and
give nothing in return! Yes, but Mr..
Citizen, we must extend our borders, set
out trees and beautify those portions of the
dry bench lands and make them equal to
the older portions of the city. Shall we
say it is good logic to allow our old land
mark shade trees and our valuable orchards
TO wither and die, because robbed of their
drink, for the sake of starting new ones
upon some sage brush lotl Why, the city
should set premium upon the care of these
old veteran trees and preserve their lives
as long as possible.
l would not discourage, for moment,
Il r -
all directions possible, but let US not i'm
prove one section at the expense of the
other; not tear down and destroy one por-
ton of the stronghold to fortify the weaker.
But rather let US devise plan to build up
and strengthen the weaker and add to the
stronger, that all may grow aud develop
together.
1t is said ''all ills have remedies If |
such be the case, perhaps there may be
remedy found for our diseased water |
question: At least, there is no harm in |
hunting for one.
Before the city council, at it's last meet |
ing, the question was propOunded, by a |
committee of gentlemen from the third pre- !
cinct, asking as to the rights of the City |
creek waters. This certainly, is a very |
serious question. And there can only be |
one consistent answer to this embarrassing |
though justifiable question, and that is. let |
the people aggrieved have water. Shall this |
question as to who owns this identical City |
creek water be answered either in the neg
ative or affirmative: Let rs say no! Be |
cause, if so answered, it would certainly |
credit one portion of the community at
THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER,
and no argument is needed to convince US
that this would be bad policy: yea, worse, |
it would be very unjust. If errors have |
been made, through omission, by our city |
government, let US seek to point out the |
way by which the errors may be corrected. |
Now, then, the people residing in the |
third precinct ask that their water be re-
stored to them. They say in their resolu-
tion adopted at their mass meeting the
other evening, that they are determined to
have it at any cost. How can hungered
and thirsty man be pacified except food and
drink be given! Then let water be given,
not only TO these thirsty third precincters,
but to all others who have taken up
the water cry. But where say our CITY
fathers, "shal we get water; from whence
snail we bring it. If we give you water
we shall have to shut off Mr.. BIS supply,
and you know his nice lawns and flower
gardens would suffer" In the opinion of
your writer, justly grounded upon the ex-
perience he has had in carefully looking
over the water supplies and their prospects
surrounding Salt Lake city and vicinity,
there can be obtained sufficient water to do
the city for many years to come.
In late issue of your paper is published
report of M. F. Sturges, G. E., which was
read before the city council Tuesday even
ing last, in connection with some petitions
and propositions from the Pratt Brothers
Company, in which is given some estimates
and suggestions in regard to taking out and
bringing to the city the waters flowing
through the Hanauer wheels, and d flow of
some 100000 gallons daily is given Al
lowing for seepage and evaporation there
WOULD STILL BE SUFFICIENT