The record-union., 1899-06-21
HOPE AT LAST FOR CITY BET
TERMENTS.

Il 1ruStSeS Will place DeI0re the people
for expression Of will by them. such
a proposition in regard to a water sup
ply. sufficient and efficient water mains
and a new High School building, as
will receive their approval and set in
motion the means to speedy arrival at
completion Of these needed public i'm
provements.
The Record Union has from the
outset been in favor of all these and
OF other municipal improvements. 1t
has thrown no obstacle in the way of
securing them. But it has objected to
such partial submission as would ex-
clude the most vital Of all propositions
now in the public mind. It's conten-
tion has been and is that the people
are ready to vote and prepared to ex-
press a decided opinion upon the water
supply question. as soon as definite
proposition is submitted. But the
forms of the propositions as made UP
heretofore have excluded all plans for
securing a plentiful supply Of clear.
pure water @
1t win be conceded by business men
that II q factory concern, or an indus
trial corporation proposing to erect
large works. asked for data, facts and
a solid basis: for action relative to pro-
curing water for the proposed works,
such private enterprise would have de-
tailed specifications, elaborate esti-
mates and working plans with bids be-
fore them inside of month as to the
cost and practicability of water filter
system; the approximate cost and prac.
ticability of bringing the water from a
fork Of the American River; the cost
and practicability of taking water from
q driven Well system east of the city.
In each case such an enterprise by pri-
vate capital would early have the de-
tailed facts before it upon which to
pass judgment and come to adoption.
The Record Union" has occupied just
this position, that what private enter
prise can do, the city can accomplish;
what corporate interest can ascertain
as to physical facts the city can OBJ
tain.
Therefore it was unfair, unjust and
uneeonomic to omit from the PROPOSE
tions for public Improvements one con-
cerning pure, clear water from either Of
the three sources proposed. When the
estimate Of cost in each case is so cas-
lily ascertainable.
Under the proposal Of Trustee Tebbets
the city can act as the private indi-
yidual could and would do. This
will enable all these public improve
ments to be under way within a very
few months.
Mr.. Tebbets has shown that his study
and contemplation of the subject have
resulted in the way to the desired end
being opened up to his understanding
Clearly he is awake to the necessities
of the city, and equally clearly he has
found the way to harmonize conflicting
views as to methods, and to speedily
reach conclusion and set in motion all
the machinery to secure the desired and
necessary improvements.
His proposition is the first real, prac-
ticab BILE move that has been made in an
official way in the right direction. That
is to say, he proposes method by
which we can find out what each of the
three main water propositions will cost.
Under his proposition there will be no
excuse hereafter for any one Yiead-
ing want Of Information, or lack of in
teligence upon the question in hand.
The introduction. even experiment
ally. Of clear pure water from the sub
terrenean supply on the east for the
upper or east half OF the city would be
q great gain. !. So convinced are we OF
the wisdom Of testing that source, that
we are perfectly confident the people
of all parts of the city will demand the
extension Of the beneficence to them
also. df 1t is ever adopted.
AT first inclined to think that it would
be well to make double experiment
of wells and of filters. We perceive many
difficulties in the way, and it may not
be practicable with a complete system
of mains. Hence it is far better to
secure the estimates Of cost of each OF
the three new systems proposed. the fl
ter, the American River and the east
side sources These estimates being
had, one Of the three plans can be set
tied upon as economy and wisdom shall
direct, and a vote of the people taken,
That Trustee Tebbets wants some
thing done is a great deal. We as
sume that his colleagues on the board
also want something done, are weary
of postponements and are convinced
that Sacramento is seriously suffering
under them The people have there
fore made very great advance, for when
judgment fixes upon something def
mite and proposes to lay basis for
action, accomplishment is not very far
distant
The very best plan therefore to ad-
vance rapidly all these public improve
ments- and no influence is more de-
slrous OF their speedy accomplishment
than the Record Union would be for
the city Trustees to secure at once, and
Il can be done by the city as easily az
- private industry. plans and estt.