The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-04
1T IS NOT PRACTICABLE
Too Expensive for Missoula te
Own q Water Plant.
REPORT TO THE COUNCIL
The Rates Are Said to Be Lower al
Present In Missoula Than Any
Other City IN the State OF
Montana.

evening. at which were present Mayor
Webster and Aldermen Owens, Mix.
Gibson. Keim. Hersog. Broadbent M
Mcbride. Absent. Greenough. Con-
siderable business of a routine nature
was transacted. the principal business
of which was the reading of the re-
ports Of the respective officials and the
allowance and regular expense and sal
airy bills for the month a~ggregating
about $3.50.
The feature of the proceedings was
the reading Of the report OF the special
committee appointed last spring to In
vestigate into the feasibility and prac-
ticability Of purchasing the water and
electric light plants for the benefit OF
the city. The report Is a voluminous
affair and enters literally into all the
details of the respective propositions.
Accompanying IL are comparative
statements showing the prices charged
for water and light at Anaconda. Butte.
Helena. Spokane. Great Falls and
Deer Lodge. all of which show the rates
to be far In excess of those charged In
this city for similar commodities. The
TtDOTt IL tlkntu ny AlutTfltn oNtuS
and Mix of the committee. Alderman
B~roadbent declining to sign the report.
though he did not present a minority
report, the gentleman combining him
self to a simple oral objection to the
committees findings. Relieved of legal
verbiage. the report In substance Is as
follows:
We. the undersigned. your commit
tee having been appointed by the hon-
orable mayor to Investigate and re-
port o N the ACCESSIBILITY n feasibility
of M city owning Its W water and
electric light plants. would respectfully
report and submit the following. to-
wit:
That after our appointment as such
committee. We instituted an investiga-
ton TO determine the feasibility of the
city owning Its own water plant, and
our inquiry developed the fact hat tho
only water that could be made avail
able for supplying the city was the
W er from the R~attlesnake creek. and
tina OF this water for a considerable
period OF each year. the appropriation
OF the waters by the Missoula Water
company ake the entire howaee Of
the creek. This water Is used by the
said Missoula Water company and IL
Is necessary to its water plant. from
which In supplied the city of Missoula
and Its inhabitants. the water being
used by the city for fire. domestic and
other purposes. and any attempt to
appropriate any part OF this water
would involve the purchase of the en-
tire plant and system of the Missoula
company. With reference to the propo-
sition of obtaining water from any
other source. we find. on inquiry. that
the waters of the Big Blackfoot river
could not be made available for the
double reason. first. they are all APP
propriated by the Big Blackfoot Mill
ing company in and about their log
ging n milling operations, and i'm adj
dition the waters by such use are. to
some extent. polluted and filled with
debris so as to render them unfit for
domestic use, and, second, the very
great expense of conveying the water
to the city and laying mains and later
ais would be so great as to suggest tina
II could not be successfully undertaken
by the city. To take the water from
Lolo or the Bitter Root rivers into the
city could not be done by gravity, as
the city of Missoula Is so near the same
elevation as the mouth of the Lolo or
the Bitter Root and IL would be neces-
sary to go 80 far up the Lolo or Bitter
Root to get sufficient elevation as
would practically render II beyond the
power of the city to undertake to de-
velop n water plant or system from
either source by this method and To
attempt to bring water into the city
by the pumping process would not be
contemplated for n minute by any one
having any knowledge of the situation.
SO that your committee In of the opin-
on and respectfully submit that in
their judgment an attempt on the part
OF the city OF Missoula to establish an
independent water plant would not be
feasible. and we so report.
In this connection your committed
has collected a number of rates chary-
ed I'm several cities in Montana and
herewith submit same as exhibit
marked exhibit A. From n compari-
son of Missoula rates as given I'm the
exhibit with rates charged by other cit.
lee. Il will be observed that the city OF
Missoula n the inhabitants are sup
piled with water at less cost than any
other place. whether plant Is owned ty
the city or by private parties or cor.
porations, and at the same time tn,
people OF Missoula have greOter liberty
In the use OF water. In fact. there Is N,
limitation, which YOU committee con,
siders a very great advantage INC on
perhaps the city could not extend L,
consumers of water were IL to acquir,
and own it's own water plant. rha'
the investment would necessarily be -
large and the responsibility d~evolvinl
upon the city to meet ~semi-annual in
tereet and payment on bonds would
make the cost of water TO boil city ant
private individuals very much In excess
OF what IL Is at present. Your com
mittee Is therefore impressed and sub
init herewith as their report. that "A
this time II would vol be advisable 10
the city Of Missoula to undertake Z,
own Its own water plant.
Your committee was further direct
ed TO investigate and report as to thu
advisability and feasibility of the cit,
owning its W electric light plant. am
herewith on this proposition. submit
as their report and recommendation
the following:
The Missoula Light and Power com
pany has now established their poxe
plant OF Big Blackfoot river at Bon
ner. Mont, and are manufacturing
electricity by water power. Your com
mittee is not advised OF any location
in the vicinity OF Missoula where waite
power could be developed sufficient Z
generate electricity to meet the lie
mand OF the city OF N~issoula. excep
at a very great outlay Of money. IN
volving the expenditure of many thou
49, l-aA "a