The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-05
His Arrangement of the watermaster
Pals On Unappreciative Ears.
EVERY PROTEST IS LOST
CONTRACT FOR JOINT USE OF
DITCH RATIFIED.
Proposition to Compel the Railroads
to Erect yiaducts at Crossings
Favored, But characterization
of Sidewalks, Water Supply and
control Fruitful Themes.

That City Engineer Kelsey is an ef-
ficient and painstaking official of the
municipality cannot be questioned, but
there are times when his labors come
10 naught because a majority of the
members CT the city council do not
agree with him as TO methods and pol
icies. at last evenings session of the
council the engineer was particularly
unfortunate in having his protests
overruled and his recommendations dis
regarded. The engineers troubles cen-
tered around the subject relating to the
city renewing the contract with the
Pleasant View Irrigation company for
the joint use of its ditch, which par
allels the Parley's conduit across the
southeast bench.
THE ENGINEERS STRUCTURES.
The first important topic to claim
The councils attention from Engineer
Kelsey was the following communica-
ton:
Regarding the letter from the city
watermaster presented at the meeting OF
the city council on March 81. Which was
allegea TO be an answer TO my reports
calling attention to certain matters IN
connection with the city's water.interests,
/ beg leave to report that the city engl-
neerS have repeatedly called Afternoon 10
the lack of records of. water rights and
the neglect of the watermaster, upon
whom the duty Of looking after these
matters and Keeping the records is de-
VolVed by ordinance, and it has had no
effect. ! became convinced that the only
way to have these matters corrected was
to publicly call attention TO them ana TO
the method of conducting the business of
that department. l have no desire to enter
into controversy over this subject, but as
the misstatements in has communication
may have some weight in the matter of
approving the Pleasant View ditch con-
tract. the city's interests require that
your attention should be called to them
and 10 his lack of knowledge regarding
the canal.
In the communication referred to, the
-wateTmaster, in an eYasive and quibblins
manner, practically admits that the re
ports are correct. He admits that the
canal is in bad condition, but claims that
1t was in good condition in August A
committee appointed by the owners Of
the ditch submitted a report in Septem-
Der. showing that the canal was in bad
condition, fumes rotten, canal over
grown with weeds. brush, etc. How could
the canal get in bad condition IN one
month? He claims that the report of the
cost of maintenance is exaggerated, and
then admits that it Will cost $1,000 a year
to maintain the canal. lie says that no
washouts occurred during his administra-
ton but he does not say that they did
not occur as reported. lie says that he IS
not aware that any wafer has been stolen
from the canal 1t was not claimed that
he was aware of it. or that he knew any
thing about the canal. he says he did
not lose the contract but does not deny
that Il is missing, is reported. He says
chat, by an agreement between the super
intendent OF WaterWOrkS and himself, the
canal was closed last summer and all of
the water turned into the conduit This
Is not true. according 10 his own tesu-
Inony in the Dudler case. The canal was
not closed until abandoned by order Of
the city council.
He admits that there are no records of
water rights nor measurements in his
office, as required by ordinance, but after
more than One-half of his term has eX-
pired) says that he intends to secure these
records. Last year was an exceptionally
dry year, and measurements should have
heen made to determine the minimum
flow of the streams and the division of
the water.
He says that the city engineer is labor
ing under a misapDrehension as to the
object of maintaining the canal (rhe
Pleasant Nitw ditch, and says that 'One
of the main objects is to provide an outlet
: FOR the. immense amou2t of surplus water
which rushes down Parley's creek at GER
tain seasons Of the year" This is the
most surprising statement of ALL to come
from q man who is at the head of the
irrigation department of this city and is
supposed to know something about such
matters. The canal will not carry 2 per
cent of the volume of water flowing in
RaTley's creek during high water, and
tAis amount. =. diverted into the canal,
would make no practical difference in the
size of the stream.
He admits that the deputies who testi-
llfa against the. CITY were eInpIOAeu III
his department and that one of them is
employed there now, but says that he is
unable to see wherein the testimony was
damaging to the city. They cOntradicted
the evidence Of the eX-WatermaSter and
many other city witnesses on important
points. The evidence of men who. while
IN the citY's employ. neglected their duty,
and then testified that they did so, should
not have much weight: but ii is not TO
the citys interests 10 employ such men.
No reference was made in his commune
cation to the most important matter TO
which attention was called-the pollution
Of water in Parley's canyon. The water
master has a deputy who is employed 10
guard this stream
The Pleasant View ditch contract pre-
Gented by the committee contains q clause
which provides that 1.-The amount of sur
plus water TO which the said first party
shall be entitled to be determined BY the
court. as heretofore There is no law
providing for the determination of water
rights in such manner. This clause re-
fers TO an old law which has been re-
pealed.
IN addition to the reasons given in for
ner reports why the city should not take
aack the Parley's creek canal, ii was
agreed. in consideration OF the right of
way for the conduit across the United
States reservation. that when the canal
was abandoned The city would fill up that
part OF il located on the reservation As
the city officially abandoned this canal
LIST year. il is now obligated TO MI il up.
II the members OF the city council
doubt the correctness of my reports [
ask that they investigate these matters
for themselves. Very respectfully
F. c. KELSEY, City Engineer.
IT STIRRED THEM UP.