Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-19


The reports OF the waterworks commit
tee ON Councilman Robcrtson's resoid-
ton with respect 10 the pollution OF
Paricy's creek and the ccnsure OF
Matchmaker Seldom viii be taken up
Thursday night There are two re-
ports. The.Ya'Ori'y report is as fol-
DO NOT FAVOR cENsuRINo.
"your committee II unable to md
wherein Il IL the duty Of the water-
master TO prevent the pollution OF the
waters Of Paricy's creek ~ far rs the
city'H authority covered II or at All
Their les no law Of the State nor ofdi.
nance OF this city which makes v
either directly or Indirectly part 81
his duty to prevent the pollution Of the
clty'a source of water supply. or when
gives him authority to abntc nuiaanccs
Of an unnnnitary character In parloys
canyon. Your committee nndr thht TOT
number Of ycnrH past patfolnihn
has been employed by the Irrigation
department TO patrol paricy'a canyon
which has no doubt given foundhtoh
for the Idea that the Irrigation depart
mont WINS responsible for the sanitary
condition Of the canyon. The duties OF
this pntrolman. however. have never
been clearly defined. 10 far as we have
been able 10 learn. The watcrmaster
informs Us that he has never under
stood n 60 be part Of the patrolmanr
duties 60 prosecute tho residents Tor
Violation OF sanitary regulations.
AS 10 consuming the wntcrmast'r
for tho lack OF proper records Of water
rights. etc, your committee believes
that IN view ~ the fact that the nn-
acncc of these records " mainly INC
fault Of former watcrmnrtcrr and thhi
the present wntcrmnHter has Informed
the Council of his Intention TO COM
pletc his records at the earliest opppr.
tunity that II IL only Just and fair that
the Matchmaker be given reasonable
time In which to carry out his promises
and thnt u would be unwise TO ccnHufe
him on this account at present.
.'In Wow OF the foregoing We there
fore recommend that the resolution OF
ccnaurc be not passed"
Councilman Diehl. u IN understood.
will submit a minority report.
WENT UP PARLEy's CANYON.
The report Of the majority members
Of the watcrwofkn on what they saw
up puricy'a canyon last FRIDAY " set
forth In the following:
We found the creek in a very unsatla-
factory condition, the water very roily,
with ovcrgrowing brush hanging In the
water. cbrtructins the How and form.
dead leaves and other debris carried
down by .he swollen stream.
We found ns reported by the city En-
ginecr that many ~ the people living
on the creek. especially where the can
yon IL narrow. had located their stables,
corrain. outhouses within 100 feet Of the
creek. and In some places the corrnlH
opening directly 20 the creek. leaving
animals free 10 enter the stream ana
poiiutc the water. Many OF the corrnlH
bore evidence Of having been recently
cleaned by the removal OF the winters
accumulation OF manure onto the adj
Joining fields. some % the corfsila and
the promises generally were IN a very
unaanitnry condition, with no possible
drainage for the refuse, except toward
or directly into the creek. thus subject
Ina the water 10 such pollution aH TO
render II unnt for culinary purposes.
While this situation II lamcntable II
IL satisfactory 10 know that since the
melting snow and lee drained this nth
into the stream. none Of the water NJ
Parieys creek has been run Into the
wnter-workH system. n having bevn On.
tirely turned out over a month ago,
The system IN now supplied exclusive
~ from city creek aud Emigration.
white your committee End NJ difficult
" In pointing out the existing evils
connected with the iarley'a crcck wa
tor, they cannot 10 readily point out
It's remedy Tor the following reasons.
Many Of the ranchvrs settled on Par
iey'n creek before Salt Lake city ac-
qulfed any rights IN IL waters, These
people depend upon their horned stock,
horses. etc.. for their living. where
there n stock thefc must be manure
ard other iilih. To compel these people
20 remove their cOrrals. barns. 10 "a safe
distance from the creek. II Impractical
BILE. m II would take them M an In
accessible mountain. People cannot be
compelled 10 do what IL Impossible "
accomplishment. The only Feasible and
apparent remedy N 10 remove thu cause
by removing all settlers from the banks
~ tho creek, This can only be done by
the purchase or condemnation OF their
respective properties,
Clause 10 OF section 200 Of tho Revised
Statutes OF Utah gives ample authority
u the city to maintain the purity " to
waters. but II must be- done by the en-.
nctment OF ordinances and regulations.
Your committee Ia unable 10 point 10
any ordinance On the Subject There
fore no city officer has authority o. act
Ia the premises until a proper ordln-
nnce N enacted,
Your committee do not ind that any
special provision has been made look
Inv 10 the protection ~ tho waters Ia
parlry's creek from pollution, BY impos.
ing that duty upon any department "
the city government. The Wntermaster
has not been given nor has he attempt.
ed 10 exercise Jurisdiction other than
those given In the general Irrigation
laws, regulating the protection ~ water
rights ana the diversion ~ lrrigatinF
water to those entitled thereto,
While section i21i, REVISED Statutes OF
Utah, give ample protection against the
pollution Of water used In cities, towns
or villages Tor culinary purposes, II COM
fers no authority upon city officers TO
execute said laws, except they have the
power conferred upon them by ordin-
ance. state laws can be enforced by
State and county officers, hut city ofii-
GERS, unless especially authorized In
the act ~ TO do, cannot enforce State
laws. such laws when applicable 10
cities must be enforced by ordinance.
Section Of chapter 40 Of the revised
city ordinances makes provision for
protecting the waters OF city Creek
from being bofouled or polluted but no
such provision has been enacted In re-
lntion 10 the waters Of ParleyH creek
AN ORDINANCE WANTED.
In view Of the foregoing facts. your
committee recommend that the city at
iorney and the committee on municipal
laws be Instructed Ia draft an ordin-
ance providing for the care and protec-
ton from pollution Of all streams thf
waters of which are used for culinary
purposes IN this city. and placing said
streams under the control OF some de-
partment Of the city government
Your committee further recommend
hat Immediate ateDa he taken To eecurs