The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-16

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curing a water supply which in years
to come will be Invaluable. 1t may be
/ obtained just now at small expense
considering its worth That depends
! upon the plan adopted If the views
Of some advocates of increased water
supply should be adopted and carried
linto execution, the expense would be
very great and such as the people 81
this city are entirely unable to bear.
just at present the water supply may
be deemed sufficient It is perhaps for
present uses. But experience has
shown US that there are periods OF
dro,Ith and that the loss from it in a
single season is something immense
1t is also certain that as the population
of this city increases, its water needs
viii increase proportionately And it
may be further stated as an undoubted
fact that with the larger demand for
water will come higher prices for the
means to secure it These are some Of
the reasons why Immediate considera-
ton, IL not instant action is neces-
sary.
The water in Parley's canyon has
been partly secured. But the sources
of supply Of the stream that flows
through it are higher UP than the city S
claims. and there are private water
owners along its banks The lands
comprising the water shed from which
that stream is fed should be in possess
sion of the city, in ordeT to secure an
ample and pure supply.
Northeast of Hardy's station IS a
large area owned partly by the gov
eminent and partly by the Union Pa
cifc Railroad company. 1t forms a
very important watershed. 1t has been
proposed to buy out the alternate Sec
tions from the railroad and endeavor
10 obtain q. grant to the city for the
government sections. Also to obtain
fun right and title to the whole
canyon.
That would involve very great ex-
pense, and though the railroad COM
pany will sell the lands for $1.15 per
acre and allow ten years for the pay
ment, it would come to more than the
city can venture to become responsible
for and indeed more than is absolutely
necessary to expend for the purpose.
A thorough survey of the region from
which the supply comes shows that
Mountain Greek, which flows through
the area here briefly described, and
Lambs Canyon creek which comes into
the main stream from a southerly di-
rection, are what the city needs to
control They form a pure water sup
ply. Travel, camping. settlers drainage.
sheep in transit and other causes, have
fouled the stream below in Parley's
canyon. These creeks are clear and
pure. They. branch off in either direc-
ton above Hardy's station or Noun
tain Dell as it is named.
To secure title and right to those
streams, if the government sections
can be obtained as a grant direct, or
State of Utah, only about eight rail-
road sections or a little less would be
required along Mountain creek. and
one and a half sections on Lambs
Canyon creek. This would cost the city
about $1,000 with ten years. to pay it in.
That water shed would thus be con-
trolled by the city.
Connected with the proposition to
buy those sections and secure the gov
eminent sections, is a, project to pipe
the canyon up to the point of supply
thus furnished. This would give to the
city splendid flow of pure water, IN
contaminated by any kind of fouling.
Sheep might then be driven up Parley's
canyon as before, and do no harm to
the city. There would be no need to
buy up other places along the stream.
For the present the piping could be
dispensed with. AS soon as the city is
financially able that could be attended
to-
Sheep are now permitted to be
driven along Emigration canyon which
is in control of the city. That would
be poor policy if the scheme herein set
forth should be consummated. Make
all the shepherds in transit go up
Parley's instead of Emigration canyon
and thus both water supplies would be
kept clean and pure.
The area of the water sheds from
which this city receives supplies are as
follows, as furnished to us by Captain
Willard Young the city engineer: City
Creek, HIPS acres; Dry Canyon, 1910
acres; Red Butte, $3.50 acres; Emigra-
ton, 1920 acres; Parley's, 26, 53S acres.
1t is probable that if the city does not
secure the eight sections or Whereabouts
in tn vicinity of Mountain Creek.
which heads up near the Big Noun
tain, sheep men may combine to obtain
some Of them for grazing and water
purposes. That would be a calamity to
the city. 1t is expected that by the
aid of Delegate Rawlins. the govern
ment sections will be obtained for the
city without cost. The railroad peo-
pie, Of course, would like to dispose of
all the odd sections there to the city.
But all that the city actually needs are
those sections to which we have re-
ferred
1t seems to US that this important
matter ought to be closely scrutinized
and some decision reached without
further delay. 1t is one of those op-
portunities which when once lost can
not be fully regained. Pure water Is
one of the necessities to civilized ex-
istence. Salt Lake city ought to have
an abundant supply at almost any
cost This chance should not be
thrown away.