Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-10-28
NEW SCHEMES.
Sale Of the City WatsrEorSs
System RlmVred,
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN?
Clll2sns Become Alarmed and Recon-,
Asnd Injunction Proceedings.
FRANCHISE ron GAS WORKS.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
wendell Henson Applies to tho chg
Council Tor 10.

Tho citizens OF Salt Lake will
doub,lou be startled to learn that tho
largest and by far the most important
business deal-to them-cvur consum.
mated in tho history Of the city Is
quietly aud seriously talked Of.
II is no less a matter than tho dlsp).
sltion Of tho entire city walcrwotas
aysten 10 IA wealthy synidate Of cant.
ern and local capitalists.
Tho scheme has been contemplated
for some tins, and II reliance can 10
attached TO apparently authoritative
rumors II Ia now pretty well matutol.
The utmost secrecy Inns been main.
tained regarding 1t, but thors has also
been a gradual "leakagep gcing on
from aource, tina. were supposed 10 be
tightly scaled.
IL this present plan OF procedure is
followed as outlined for future action
the matter vii! como up before tho
City Council fof consideration at
date not far distant. What tho result
will DO can only bu guessed at, though
1t is said that majority OF tho council.
men will probably use tholr influence
IN carrying the doal through. IL 10
further said that tho argument will 10
made In favor VI the sale that the city
needs tho money and must get Il from
some source. improvemonts,i 1t IL said,
OF different kinds arc contemplated.
TO carry them ON "a good deal OF cash Ia
required. The bonding power OF the
municipality Ia nearly exhausted, most
OF the negotiable city property has been
sold, and the treasury's contents are
still very low.
This Is about the status OF affairH and
Taxpayers are becoming alarmed and
are asking each other what the end
Will be.
1t was learned last night from "a
prominent city official that represen.
tative OF the syndicate referred 10 had
made an informal offer Of 81, 200, 900 for
the wnterworks system.
A prominent and able attorney was
asked by NEWS representative today
as to whether or not tue city could
legally soil the system. He responded
luAN ~ lhI M hHt NoIhh proper NtIt
concerned he did not doubt but what
1t could. But the title to the water
WINS vested In the people and could
only be taken from them by fraudulent
procedure. The claim that the citizens
had forfeited their right TO the water
by allowing II to be diverted
from its original channels into
distributing system owned by
the city was very weak and would
not hold good In tho courts. The
water takers paid 30 much per
aunum for the use Of the mRius
Tor domestic ana other purposes
! and not for the water Itself. That be.
! longed TO them. lie knew Il could not
| be wrested from them. IL tho attempt
wis made the peoples recoarse and
duty would be TO promptly enJolu the
city and he had no doubt but VIVA. :ho
courts would decide In their favor. II
was desperate deal aud required.
heroic measures on the part Of all ci,l-
aens withvu. reference to political or
| other viows.
Further developments will DO await
cd and watched with tho most Intense
| Interest.
Il large number Of business men
| talked the matter over today and wsru
considerably alarmed, aud declared
that II the deal was forced 10 an isbus
they would use every Legitimate means
| to defeat II.