The record-union., 1899-06-21

Filter manufacturers Know perIecRly
well what it will cost to supply the city.
They have supplied others; they have
had Sacramento in mind for long
time; they are prepared to say what
the ost.wisf be, approximately at least.
The north fork Sf the American River
people know precisely what it will cost
us to adopt their plans, It ~ their bus
mess to know. and they do know. Bus
mess concerns Of that order do not
need year, or MANY months to make
estimates. As rule they do not make
public proposition until they know
pretty closely what the cost will De.
The cost Of wells on the east side is
known The Chamber of Commerce is
in full possession of the well-sinking
cost. The capacity Of the wells is rea-
sonably weH known: the cost of pump
ing works and in leading pipe lines IS
easily ascertafnable.
When the three series of data are
obtained, let them be published and dis
cussed freely and with an eye single to
the highest, best good of the inhaba-
tants of this city. In a week or two
thereafter let the proper authority set
tie upon one of the plans and put it be-
fore the people for ballot expression OF
their. opinion concerning 1t. Let that
proposition be submitted along with the
propositions for new and ample water
mains and the High School building
and such other Improvement proposition
as the Trustees and Mayor may deem
necessary and wise to be submitted.
/ Now this process need not take .
great length of time. It Is wholly un-
necessary to postpone until next spring
before acting and thus lose another
year. A very few weeks will suffice, II
diligence and sincerity on the part OF
the officials are manifest. to lay before
the board the probable cost of supply
ing the city with clear. pure water from
each of the sources named. One plan
can then be selected and submitted, as
we have said.
Whatever is done should be done now.
There will never come a better, time to
make a beginning. We need clear, pure
water. We need larger and better and
more water mains. We need a new
High School structure These are inn
perative needs. We believe that the
people will vote all three of them, if
one of the three is q clear. good water
proposition.
But they object and protest against
water being left out Of the submission
proposition Of course a majority might
be secured for new water mains with
the old contaminated water source, but
we do not think so. But submit a clear,
pure water proposition along with the
others and the new mains will be or
dered by the sovereign people by an
overwhelming majority. So, too, with
regard to the High School building.
Marry it to the other two and all three
will prevail Divorce itsfrom them, and
no assurance can be given that any one
of the plans will receive the necessary
large vote required under the law.
AS We have already said, all this need
deavor. frank, open and sincere desire
be manifest to give the people chance
to vote on what they want, and there
will be such response from the people
the other hand let the Trustees refuse
to submit to the people what they wish
to pass upon and compel them to vote
upon a partial system Of public i'm.
all will be defeated.
The reason for this statement we have
no hesitation whatever in giving, since
the truth can always bear the light.
The defeat will come because the inclu-
sion of a $4,000 pump in the estimates
of the original proposition to be sub
mitted, the inclusion of reference to
wingdams and the exclusion Of even
cost of official inquiry into a clear wa
ter supply, leads the people to believe
that if they vote for the pumps and the
wingdams they will never be given op
portunity to pass upon the proposition
to. secure clear water supply. That
is the Judgment of the public mind. It
is the natural and logical conclusion
reached by public opinion Whether it
is a just Judgment cuts no figure in
the case-it exists.
Under the situation as it now is, with
the propositions of Trustee Tebbets be-
fore the board, and we believe with that
board favoring it. we think that Mayor
Land will give the necessary approval.
and let the people decide. His personal
views do not run counter to any Of the
proposed public improvements. He de-
sires as early a decision concerning
them as can be reached His experience
as a business man teaches him that it
is never too early to prepare for that
which must be had. To plan we'll ahead
makes performance adj the easier when
one determines upon action.
The objections that appeared to him
weighty short time ago to early SUBJ
mission are removed by the proposition
to submit matters to the people in a
form that will assure successful carry
ing out of the needed betterments. Un-
der the new plan there will be no maxi
ing two bites at one cherry no waiting
until the next year to find out officially
what must be- ascertained officially
some time. The sooner the better for
all knowledge