The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-03
Butte Department.

hopeful of a more liberal supply and
/ think the quality will be better than
| last year. but IL will be by no means
good, unless immediate steps are taken
| To exclude from the reservoir the kind
OF water which is now entering IL.
on the 10th of April visited the re-
servoir and part of the Basin creek
drainage area and made a report of
my observations to his honor, Mayor
thompson; a brief summary of the re-
port is as follows:
The weir at the head of the reservoir
showed a volume of practically 3,0OO,-
600 gallons in "a hours. The water was
OF a dark yellowish color and carried
great deal of sand and vegetable
matter in suspension.
Black Tail creek was flowing about
l,OOO,OOO gallons of very dirty water of
dark brown color.
Basin creek, at the junction of the
Fish creek water, was clear, but con-
tained some vegetable matter, such as
black specks and what appeared to be
miniature roots.
Fish creek water. at the junction
with Basin creek, at noon, was per-
fectly clear, but contained a few par
tlcles OF vegetable matter
rlsn creek water, at the lower end
or the fiume, was clear and pure with a
faint odor of wood, barely perceptible.
Af1er oamning up the Hume for the
purpose or measurement of the volume
OF water. and letting 1t loose, / returned
to its junction with Basin creek and
found the water very roily and of a
dark brown color; this change in a few
hours was doubtless due to the erosion
or the banks of the earth channel be-
tween the junction and the end of the
wooden fiume, occasioned by the rush
OF water when the dam in the flume
was removed.
on the 9th of April 1 again visited
the reservoir and part of the aBsin
creek drainage area, but did not go to
the END OF the Fish creek fiume: on
that date the water at the head of the
reservoir showed a volume of 1900 900
gallons in "a hours The water was
very roily and of a dark, dirty color.
ana carried great quantity of sand
ana decaying vegetable matter, such as
rotten wood, particles of leaves, roots,
etc. The taste was unpleasant and IL
was altogether unfit for domestic use
In that state. The reservoir contained
about 4OOOO,000 gallons of water, the
greater part of which was of a light
brown, muddy color. / see no reason
to think that the quality of the Basin
creek water will improve until after
the spring freshets are over. The flood
water from Fish creek nume will
doubtless begin within Is days and
continue for about two months: this
large volume added to the usual flow
of Basin creek at this season will un-
make a larger stream than !
has ever flowed down the channel of
Basin creek; greater erosion of the |
banks, and the flooding of ground COW |
cred with decaying vegetable matter. |
which has not been flooded before, win |
follow. IL is therefore likely that there |
will be. no Improvement of the quality |
OF the water flowing into the reservoir |
for two or three months to come and |
the improvements in the quality of the |
supply so confidently expected from the |
introduction of the Fish creek water
will not be realized.
The question of the permanent i'm /
provement of the present supply is one
which do not care TO consider at this
time and could not do so intelligently |
without more statistics of quanlsity and
l take the liberty, how
ever of recommending the following
as temporary eXpedient which | |
think would produce good results with
4 small expenditure of money:
Build a flume from the present ter
minus of the Fish creek flume to the
reservoir, and so locate 1t that the
Basin creek water could be admitted |
INTO 1t at point some four miles
above the reservoir, where 1t is clear
and In FIT condition for storage; also
build fiume from the head of the res
ervoir around the same and over the
-op of the dam, so that the roily and
unfit water flowing after heavy rains
md from rapidly melting SHOWS could
De carried around the reservoir instead
IF into il.
I would also suggest that an earth
ma timber dam be constructed at or
lear the point where the Black Tail
water enters, for the purpose of Great
ng a small reservoir where the sand
Ind vegetable matter could settle and
he waters clear before going into the
main reservoir. l think the reservoir
should be emptied as soon as the rise in
fish creek begins and the bottom thor
'ughly cleaned of the accumulations
md settings of the last two years.
/ believe all the work have men
Toned could be done for from $4,000
o $4,000, possibly less, and all except
ng the construction of the settling res
'rvoir could be accomplished between
low and the 10th of June.
Unless some such plan as the above
5 adopted and executed quickly, we
'annot reasonably expect any improve
nent over the water now drawn from
he hydrants for two or three months
PAVING.
In compliance with the request of his
honor, the mayor. / present herewith
ome general remarks upon the subject
# street paving. with approximate es-
mates of the cost of paving suitable
or Park street. l would also refer you
o a report made by ex-Alderman ].
:. Dawson and myself. June IA. 1s93
fter a VISIT to several of the cities in
he Northwestern states. for the pur-
lose of looking up the subject of paw
Nd In. |