The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-10
WATER SCARE IS OvER
The Reservoir Is Now Filling Or
Rapidly.
NO DANGER OF SHORTAGE
Proposed by the City Authorities to Have
IN on,cial Investigation Made OF
the Real Sources of Butte's
Water supply.

Butte's water scare is apparently
over for this spring. Mr.. Carroll. su-
p~erintendent of the water company.
states that the reservoir is now filling
up rapidly and there is no longer any
danger of a shortage. Every morning
since il was apprehended that 1t might
be necessary TO urn Silver Bow creek
water into the mains. some from
the health Office has driven down TO
the pump station to see whether or not
this was being done. 1t was found not
to be necessary after all.
The mayor had not given his consent
to the water TO turn In the
silver Bow water. and IL is said that
he would not have given his consent.
Instead. he intended to have water FOR
the mines. smelters and for all manu-
featuring purposes shut of. letting
what water could be furnished be used
for domestic purposes solely. He did
not think the people should be de-
prfved of water fit to drink even though
otherwise the mines and shelters might
have to shut dow meanwhile. Fortu-
nately. however. IL was not necessary
either to deprive the people OF water
or the mines, although the mining COM
panies were limited in the amount fur-
nished them.
II is now proposed by the city au-
tborities TO have an official and thor
ough Investigation Of the sources or
Butte's water supply. There has never
been an official investigation or the real
sources. The aldermen n city ofn-
Gals are accustomed To go up to the
reservoir every summer. but that can
scarcely be called an official investiga-
ton OF the water sources. for the rea-
son that the sources are a
good many miles up the noun
tains from the reservoir. IL Is
certainly of the utmost Importance
10 the people of Butte to know whether
their water supply is adequate or not,
and certainly after the scare OF the
past 10 days there is ground for sus-
picion that Butte may actually be left
without water some time. But for the
water pumped up from the fiat there
would have been far from suf1cient
water for Bvtte's use during the win
ter. Mr.. Carroll is confident h a
never again will the water be so low
as to reach the danger limit. but Mr..
CAROLS Judgment on water Ii notori-
ously unreliable. although good on
other things. and for that reason the
official examination Is proposed up into
the highlands above the reservoir.
The mayor intends. as soon as the
water is flowing freely once more, To
have the fumes from the mountains
carried around the reservoir and
brought direct to the city. as was lone
a year ago. BY this method Butte last
summer had the best water IL ha
ever had. The same method can be
pursued this summer. and thus Butte
can be furnished with water direct
from the mountains. instead of having
IL contaminated by first passing
through The reservoir. During the
spring freshets there will be enough
water TO supply the city and I'LL W
the reservoir as well.
Mr.. Carroll intends to construct a
settling basin a mile and "A half In
length at the upper end of the reser-
voir. This will enable the company
10 store more water than IL has done
in any previous year. and IL Is claimed
that the water will be better than evei
before.