The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-26
THE CITY WATER.

THE CITY WATER.
When Mr.. WITCHER JONES, some weeks
ago, presented proposition to the city
council in regard to the water supply and
service, the community was startled if not
alarmed. His offer was to purchase for cash
the waterworks and water supply of the
city, when he would thereafter furnish the
necessary fluid to all the inhabitants for
irrigation and for culinary purposes. He
would give bonds to never charge more
than the present rate, to give better ser
vice and to do various other things in the
interest of the people. He talked as if he
were a public benefactor, and having
any amount of money back of
him his great desire was to expend
the cash in ways that would help
this particular community. But no
property-owner, SO far as we have been
able to discover, took kindly to the propo
sition. On the contrary, with a unanimity
Of voice that must have astonished him. the
people proclaimed against even a serious
consideration of his scheme. Had the
council intimated possibility of accept
ing the proposition, such a storm Of popu
lar Indignation as was never witnessed
hereabouts would have burst forth, and be-
fore the formalities of transfer could
have been agreed upon a hundred iniunc
ton suits would have been instituted. The
jealousy of the people over the water sup
ply was never before shown in such pro-
nounced manner. The owners of the water
made it manifest that whatever else
might be done the right TO the
free use of the water must
not be disturbed. Mr.. JONES has
taken his departure. Whether or not he
has abandoned his scheme we do not know,
but we hope he has, for to press it in the
face of the opposition that was developed
would display a lack of ordinary judgment.
Now comes the announcement of the or
ganization of company to supply the city
with water. just how this is to be done
has not appeared, and there seems dispo-
sition to keep the public in ignorance of the
plan. Nor does it appear that the company
has supply of water upon which to draw.
There are good men in the organization,
and we don't believe they would put up a
job on the public, or take advant-
l
less have satisfied themselves that
the lines they propose to follow
are legitimate. But we might as well in
form them first as last that splendid as is
their record, and high as they stand In the
good esteem of the community, until they
let the public know, frankly and fully, just
what they propose, the water company will
be looked upon with more or less suspicion.
They must disavow all intention 10 inter
fere in any manner with the city's water
rights, and give an assurance that what
ever water they may control will not be
obtained from the corporation.
THE HERALD has said that it can see no
good reason why private company should
not have the privilege of laying
mains in the streets and supplying water
to those who may want to purchase; but if
any such privilege shall ever be granted
it must be with the definite understanding
that the people will forever retain the
ownership and control of the streams to
which they are now entitled, that they will
acquire more water as soon as they are
able to do so, and that the municipal water
works will not be managed as money
making institution. The theory is this,
and there is a prevalent opinion that the
practice will be made to conform to it one
of these days: The water belongs to the
people and cannot be charged for by the
corporation; all the city has the right tc
demand pay for is the convenience or ac-
commodation of conveying the water in
pipes, and these latter being owned by the
:. owners OF the water, the corporations
right to charge is reduced to the trifine
amount that is necessary for managing the
business of distributing the water, keeping
= the works in repair, etc. In other words
= neither the water nor the waterworks car
legitimately be made source of corpora
ton revenue. In time .he water
, rate will be nominal, and because this
= will be the case the public will not lister
: for moment TO any proposition which
: implies the loss OF any of the city's water
" rights.
: If a private company wants to fetcl
= water here and compete for custom in
!. community which confidently looks fo
: practically free water, we can see NJ
: ground for objection. Meantime, the asso
.. citation just formed should understand tina
:. it will be looked upon with a degree o
:, suspicion until it makes it plain and EN-
: phatic that it has no design upon the city,
IL water supply