The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1891-09-19
ALL OF ONE MIND.
The Papers Of the Coast Universally
Execrate the Present Water
System.

Supplementary to the opinions of halt 6
dozen newspapers heretofore reprinted by
US, we annex the following, of the same
tenor:
AIbina Courier: The false notions OF
economy of The Dalles authorities on the
water supply question cost that city an
but they will doubtless remember it.
Hood River Glacier: The wise man profits
by the experience of others, and there is
no reason why communities should not do
the same. Our sister city has been visited
by conhagratlon that destroyed nearly a
million dollars worth of property, the loss
being occasioned-in part, at least-by in
adequate water supplies aud deficient
means of fighting fire. We should profit
! by that example.
Dallas Observer: The fire at The Dalles
| destroyed million dollars worth of prop
| erty. Two years ago the writer was called
| a crank on fire matters, because, while in
that city, he advocated an additional fire
| engine. to be placed in the East End
where the fire started. This would have
cost probably $4,000, and would have
checked this conhagration, and saved some
of the handsomest residences, churches and
business houses in the northwest. When
any town is niggardly about furnishing
proper appliances for fighting fire, it is
very unwise, to say the least.
Roseburg Ptaindealer. One of The
Dalles papers said on Tuesday, just previ-
GUS to the big fire: "The water has been of
SO little force during the past two days
that 1t would not turn our Potter press or
even our Peerless jobber. OF all processes
of reasoning, the logic of events Is the most
indisputable, and what we have told our
citizens for the past four years is being
proved true every day. The only way to
procure good water supply for The Dalles
is by the pumping system, and that is be-
coming more evident as time advances"
The Dalles didn't pump and large part of
the city is now in ashes. a good strong
head of water and plenty of it is what
every town should have if it expects to es-
cape fire.
La GIande Gazette: A few years ago,
when The Dalles had about one-fourth of
its present population, the town was pro-
vlded with a water supply by private
company from what Is known as Mill creek.
At the time this system was constructed,
ample water was afforded for the limited
needs of the town. Bat The Dalles con-
tinued to grow and expand in commercial
Importance. and better supply of water
was needed. In the meantime two factions
sprang into existence, and the spirit of an.
tagonism thus engendered worked the us
ual amount of injury to all matters Of pub |
lie importance. When the water supply
problem came up the factionists were ON
deck in full force. 1t was finally agreed,
however, that the water system should be |
owned and operated by the city. Two |
plans presented themselves One of pump |
ing water from the exhaustess stores of the |
Columbia river, the other to buy out and |
enlarge the old system, The latter plan |
finally prevailed, and the old company, in |
cluding a number Of capitalists of Portland, |
received S65, 900 for the plant. The main |
cause of the recent disastrous conhagration |
at The Dalles, resulting in the loss Of |
million dollars worth of property and two
human liyes, was due to the lack of a sufi- |
cient water supply. The history of the |
water question in The Dalles is in so many
respects similar to that of La Grande, that
1t should be presented for the careful and
candid consideration of every resident. |
The Dalles water system is now finished,
with the exception of lining the reservoir,
for which sealed bids were recently adver-
tised. But at the critical moment the
water supply was not sufficient to check
the course of the fire, and the people who
have been wheedled about and through the
phantom of "vested rights" and the machi-
nations of private interests, have been
compelled to pay more than an adequate
water system would cost, could do nothing
but watch their property go up in smoke.
Not only this loss of property, but the sac.
riice of two human lives, is the result of
of public interests to private
greed and personal jealousies. This seems
like hard recital of facts, but it is in the
main correct.