The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-14
W00LSTON AND WATER.
These Synonyms Revive Interest
and Curiosity on Topics Of
an Aqueous Nature.
Butte Has q Big Water Scheme
and Woolston Was
There.
He Is Now in Helena-He Says He is Not
in it-Something About the Smoky
City's Water Project

Unless signs are delu5ine, Butte is going
to have as interesting time over its water
company franchises as Helena went through
during three years, when the "wily"
Woolston stirred things up SO lively. Mr..
Woolston was in Butte Friday, and 8
dropping in there at time when big
water scheme is ON foot naturally led some
to suspect that he was either in the new en-
terprise or had one of his own to advance.
1t is safe to say, however, that should Mr..
Woolston start three-cornered fight he
would get away with it. Though he did
not get just what he wanted in Helena, he
did succeed in securing fve-year contract
and monopoly of the entire water supply.
The city pays the company $4,000 year
for fire purposes, and after all, the arrange
ment with the Helena Consolidated Water
company was as satisfactory as 1t was pos
sible to get. The company would have
held out for its first demands of twenty
year contract and larger price for water,
but this was found to be impossible, in
view of the fact that during the contro-
limited at. The present company lie Civ
ing very good service and is
doing what it can to fulfill its contract.
Work is now in progress to bring an nd-
ditional supply of water from Ten Mile
creek and the springs in that vicinity
twelve miles of sixteen-inch pipe and will
increase the supply, it is estimated, 3,COo.-
600 gallons daily. The Helena company's
plant is not complete yet by any means,
but it will have acquired and conveyed to
to the city, every available inch of water,
by the time its five year contract expires.
Only one reservoir-the Woolston-is now
The Hale reservoir is kept constantly filled
and is used only in case of fire. The COM
pany has made some important improve
ments to its plant and realizing that Hell
ena is we'll fixed for fighting fire. the in
surance company recently made readjust.
ment of rates which has resulted in con-
siderable reduction.
Mr.. Geo. +. Woolston is now at The Hell
ena. He says he has nothing whatever to
do with the new company at Butte and his
business there was of an entirely different
character. While not stating what that
business was, it is presumably connected
with the Bennett system of street railways
in Butte. That company, about eight
months ago. expressed desire to substi-
tute electricity for steam power and was
looking around for some capitalist whom
they could induce to put in the electrical
appliances for an interest in the railway.
Mr.. Woolston interested himself in the
project and it was understood at the time
had agreed to make the necessary financial
1t is to Re presumed, there
fore, that he has succeeded and his business
in Montana at this time is connected with
the street railway enterprise and not
water supply.
Mr.. Frank Leonard, of the firm of RAY
q Leonard, civil engineers, is in the city for
ktn - ~AnS~ a..
ures as to Helena's contract with the water
company. Messrs. Ray d Leonard have
charge of the engineering work of the pro-
posed new water company at Butte, which
Is headed by Boston capitalists. Mr.. Leon
ard states that Butte is sorely in need of
water supply. The Silver Bow company
The quality of the water, too, he said, is
dangerous to health, and he attributes in
large measure the increased number of
deaths from typhoid to this cause. The
old company has spent great deal of
money this year in improving its plant but
Mr.. Leonard says that Butte is growing too
limited supply at its command can fulfill
the requirements.
1--WE propose" said Mr.. Leonard, to ''ex-
pend $2.OO0.OOO in putting in our water
plant. The great firm Of water works build
ers, Moffett, Hodgens q Clark, of Syracuse,
New York, will do the work. Through the
agency Of Mr.. A. ]. Coram, of the Butte &
been doated and the necessary funda are
ready. The water supply is the canal from
Jerry creek, 10 miles from Butte near the
divide of the range, and few miles below
Feeley'e station, on the Utah & Northern
road. The water will be carried through a
thirty-inoh main and over 100, 600 feet of
pipe will be required in the work. which
will cost about $12 foot. We expect to
supply 10,OOO, goo gallons of water daily.
The company has a franchise, having D 1r-
chased that of the Hydraulic Mining com
oany for 100000. This company has the
right to lay water pipes in Butte"
On Monday evening Engineer Ray will
Butte. The new company wants contract
% supply the city with water. The sum of
ZOO per year is named as the amount
asked for giving water for fire purposes.
The Anaconda Standard has evidenced
luminosity toward the new company and
he Butte Miner. though we'll satisfied thaa
he Silver Bow Water company, of which
Hon. W. A. Clark is principal owner. is
veil able to give good service, is not antag-
,nizinR the new company, though it will
insist on reasonable contract, if any is
made.
Mr.. Woolston expressed his views in Butte
o the Miner, and they were similar to what
WOIkln0
he interests of his company. "The cities.''
aid he, "should stay by the old companies,
which have spent money literally expert
nenting for their benefit. The COMPANIES
10 not always strike it right at first, and
What they lose thus is their own loss not the
cities, they just pay the rent agreed on. I
Was with Mr.. Clark last spring when he was
east and know that he purchased the finest
plant procurable for the works here. which
would be a credit to any city. Understand
that / am completely in ignorance of the
merits of the proposition now unde I iiscns-
,lon here and am entirely free from bias in
he matter. I simply maintain that cities
ike Helena and Butte are too young and
nave too many improvements demanding
lttention to invest in waterworks Giants Of
heir own and should welcome capitaIists
Who are willing to invest money in such
projects for Them"
The Anaconda company about two weeks
lgo began an important enterprise in CON
aection with water supply, and the OBJ
'louded in mystery. They have beonn tbs
work of boring tunnel through the ,nonn
ain from the Woodville end Of Elf ParL
or the purpose of turning the waters ~
Nez Perce creek into Butte. This work III
INVOLVE large expenditure of money an..
THAT the company wants water for ia not
known. though 1t has been said that thau
intend to have 1t to protect their raammotR
inning plant. Some people are inclined To
ne Delief that 1T ia the forerunner NJ
lnotnef opposition water companv for
suite: II 10 for no other purpose, however.
nan 10 protect mining property from fira II
9 a msritorious project. The late Are in
ne Anaconda mine was lesson.