The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-03
City Council Will Remove Parley's
Canyon Evils.
REPUBLICAN PARTISANS
OPPOSED TO IMPROVEMENT OF
WATER SYSTEM,
Unless Done By the Republican
Board of Public Works-Engineer
Kelsey Given Charge of Water
Main Extensions-Membe Favor
Work For Salt Lakers.

Measures looking to the publication
of the water supply from Parieys can
yon and to prevent the further pollu-
ton of the stream were adopted by the
city council last evening. Pending the
contamination of plans that will result
in the city's ownership, by condemna-
| ton proceedings or otherwise, of all the
! ranches in the canyon and the conse-
| quent absolute control of the stream by
the municipality, an appropriation OF
$500 was voted last evening for imme-
diately cleaning out the creek and to
prevent the inflow of communicating
matter from the barnyards up the can
yon.
The report of the committee on water
works, which was submitted two weeks
ago, detailing the deplorable condition
of the canyon and recommending sew
eral methods of providing both tempo
rary and permanent relief from the be-
fouling agencies, was taken up for con-
Sideration.
An important amendment, proposed
by Buckle and accepted, was to the eff
feet that the watermaster be directed to
instruct Deputy Naylor to exercise the
rights conferred by statute to prevent
any polluting matter getting into the
stream.
Callister thought it would be better to
wait until the proposed new ordinance
to punish befoulers of the water is en-
acted. but on the explanation that it
would soon be necessary to turn Par
leys water into the pipe system he
withdrew his objection.
On Howe's suggestion the ordinance
will be drawn so the control of Parley's
creek will be within the jurisdiction of
the waterworks department and the
health commissioner.
Engineering Supervision.
The modified report of the committee
on waterworks relating to supervision
of the improvements to be made to the
pipe distribution system, action on
which has been pending a couple of
weeks, was taken up and adopted over
the opposition of the three Republican
members.
The committee recommended that the
superintendent of waterworkS be au-
thorized to ask for bids for the neces-
sary materials to be used in the i'm
provementS reporting the same to the
council, and that the superintendent
proceed at once to make the improve
ments according to the city engineers
plans and specifications. The commit
be given supervision of the work and
the right to inspect the materials, tc
the end that his plans may be carried
out.
Buckle moved to substitute the board
of public works for the superintendent
of waterworks, but only himself and
Diehl and Robertson favored the prop
osition. His motion to defer action on
the committees report till after the
termination of the injunction suit COM
menced by Messrs. Nelden, Walker and
Dolly to restrain the superintendent
from having the work done by day
labor, instead of by contract under the
board of public works, met the same
fate.
On motion to adopt the committees
recommendation, Buckle voted in the
negative, because he believed the work
would be Illegally done if the superin-
tendent cid it by days work, and Cal
lister voted in the affirmative, for the
reason he believed the method advised
by the committee is according to law.
Before the injunction was commenced
Diehl was for the report but now he
was aSainst it.
Fernstrom believed the work would
not cost any more by day labor than
by letting it out to contractors, who
would import hobo iaDorers and force
Salt Lake workmen TO walk the streets
hunting employment
Howe ana Patrick oorcurred in Fern
strom's sentiments and maintained
the work should he done by resident
taxpayers and pen of families.
Robertson declared his belief that the
Committees report involved an illegal
proposition. He directed Fernstrom's
attention To- the fact that the board has
power to incorporate in contracts a re-
quirement &c employ worthy home la
l,..,. for af.ts .l,1
Wallace pointed out that Superin-
teIcdent Game and Engineer Kelsey
are members of the board of public
works, and he stated his belief that
they could have the work done as we'll
and as cheaply at day labor as the full
board could do through contracts.
Reading from the ordinance defining
the duties of the waterworks superin-
tendent, Weller maintained that the
committees recommendations were
soundly based.
Barnes declared his opposition to con-
tract work and favored Salt Lake work
fer salt Lake workmen.
The committees modified report and
recommendations were then adopted,
only Diehl, Buckle and Robertson vot-
ing III the negative.
Data Wanted From the Engineer.
The following resolution. offered by
Councilman Romney, was adopted
without opposition:
Whereas, The city engineer in his
communication submitted Jan. 31st.
1892 stated that he expected to have
been able to submit a report in the
matter of information as to increase
of water supply by February 1st, 1899,
il the council had not stopped the work,
but through such action the work had
been delayed two weeks, and the re-
port would consequently be delayed
that much longer and
Whereas. More than two months have
passed and now elapsed since the date
the report was promised, and the work
is not yet completed, and
Whereas. 1t appears from the re-
cords of the auditors Office that the
amount appropriated for such surveys
has been more than expended, S5,543.9i
having been consumed up to April 1st,
1899: therefore be it
Resolved, That the city engineer be
instructed TO furnish the council next
Tuesday night a report showing in de-
tail how much has been expended and
an itemized statement of said expendi-
ture, together with a report as to when
said work will be completed, and the