The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-26

can be more than one answer to this
question by the citizens and taxpayers
or this city? There certainly ought not
to be and there will not be. The neces-
sity for the city's owning its own water
system is more apparent now than
! ever. The city council, within the last
year, has introduced improvements on
Fourth avenue, north, that will ever
| commend the present council to the
good will of this city. Nothing can so
beautify our city as such work as is
being done in boulevarding the ave-
! nueS. There is a necessity in doing
TINS work for larger quantity of water
that the trees may be properly taken
care OF. They ought to be under the
management of the city so that uni
form attention may be given them.
1 The city needs water for these trees,
/ and will need it more and more every
year The city needs water for the
/ parks, and as things are now, if the
/ president of the water company see fit,
/ he can prevent the use of water for
! TINS purpose unless extra amounts are
/ paid. Why, then, leave the boulevard
! ing of the city in the hands of one who
has never manifested any great friend
ship for the city? The trees in our city
are the things that go to make the city
attractive and homeiike, and every per-
son who has any home instincts
loves to see growing upon the
streets and avenues thrifty shade trees
Nothing can add more to the value of
property and nothing can make a city a
city Of homes quicker than attention 10
our streets and avenues in beautifying
them with trees
what we want is abundance of water
not measured by the bucketful but if
need be. continuous stream of water
flowing through all the avenues, and we
want 1t at low price. Water Is one of
the things that nature intended to be as
free to mankind as the air we breathe
Then why should the city pay tribute
to monopoly that controls the water
system of the city? There should be no
profit made in supplying people with
water 1T Is matter of public benefit
and should be owned and controlled by
the municipality 1t makes no difference
what the public press may say. If the
present city council desire to have the
endorsement of the people who put them
in office they shall at once submit the
question to the people, Shall the city
put in water plant2 BY 50 doing they
viii be following the pledges they made
to the people at the last city election.
The city can duplicate this plant for
100000 This viii mean that that
amount will be distributed among the
laboring people of this city in the next
six months This will be a blessing to
the people; ii will be money spent for
labor at home, and it will mean that
every poor family in the city, as well as
tIe Iltlly VIII nave an ABUNDANT SuDDIY
OF good, wholesome, fresh water
Let the city council create a water
board whose duty it shall be to look
after the water system the same as our |
park system is now managed, and let |
the waters flow freely and abundantly |
all over the city. Let every front and |
back yard of every lot in the city be |
made green spot by trees and flowers |
and shrubs. There will come Il benefit |
TO the city that no pen or tongue can |
fully describe. How cheerful it Will be |
TO know that the only cost of water will |
be what it will cost To run the plant and |
mat no one is making a profit out of il.
There is not place in the city but that
would be enhanced in value tenfold by
the city owning its own water system.
There is no doubt but that the city
would have to pay the hydrant rentals
for the balance Of the time of the orig
inal contract, but that time is half gone,
and the extra $l43, 900 offered to- Phelps
over and above what ii would cost to
duplicate the plant would pay the rem
tails. And If Mr.. Phelps desires to enter
into competition with the city he has a
perfect right to do SO. If he should do
so the result would be that he could not
with the city, because the city
Is not DESTROYS of making a profit out
Of this investment
Much has been said by Mr. Phelps
few friends about the unfairness of re-
the public's attention to the similarity
Phelps position and the old
Bell Telephone system. AS long as there
was but one system its management
was arrogant and dictatorial and con-
suited its own pleasure and charged a
good big price for the use of the
phones. but when local capital and To-
eal enterprise started "A new telephone.
then the old Bell Telephone was very
lbedient TO its patrons wishes The pub
ic is getting better service now from
he new telephone system for $40 than il
got from the old telephone system for
$50. What is true OF the telephone sys-
EN- is likewise true of the water sys-
EN-. More water would be used the
public would be better satisfied and the
'ity would be doing the very thing
which ii must eventually do in order to
D. city of great Importance
Now is the opportune moment for he
'lty 10 become the owner of its water |
ystem. Such plant constructed in
his city would stimulate foreign and
ocal capital To make Investments and =
would be the best evidence of n desire
If the citizens to make this a city of
irst Importance.
The time has come when franchises !
II this kind must be owned bv uunici-
,alitieS. If We delay longer we win enly
matters Every hour that !
he ownership of the water system by l
he city is postponed every hour il will
'ust us more money. and IL in the course
II a few Years. which is most likely.
his city should have a population If
1000 inhabitants, the present water
ystem would cost us tenfoid more than
would now.
Il think do not mistake public senti-
nent when say that 20 per cent. of the
aNpayers OF this city are in favor of the
by the city of its own water
ystem. And 50 per cent. are in favor
+ the city putting in an independent
liant OF its own. and | say keep up the
citation until the city council shall fol-
DIV the course that ii ought IL ana s,,n-
nit the question To the people. Shall
re issue bonds for the construction Of