The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-19
WATER QUESTIONS.
le Editor of The Herald.

To the Editor of The Herald:
Will YOU kindly answer the following
queries relative to our water supply:
l notice in tOday's issue of The Herald.
that the water supply is failing very rap
idly. In driving up Parley's canyon l
was surprised to find the large irrigating
ditch, used by the Summer Resort COM
pany and LairdS, running, as usual. with
plenty of water. Upon inquiry / was in
formed that some conditions were at
tached to the Laird land purchase which
his honor. the mayor, and the finance
committee must settle before the final
transfer is made to the city. OF course,
Laird Will not give up his water until he
has the money. Why this delay? Surely
the mayor would not leave any unfinished
business to go as far as Colorado to at
tend horse races2 While l concede that
"a little fun now and then is relished by
the best OF men, and his honor is hu-
man, why should he go away and attend
horse races when the city needs water,
and a few minutes of his time could give
us that relief? See the way our trees on
the bench are drying up for water, and
then wonder at my kick.
Again, | am told that the City-that is.
the mayor and Robertson of the finance
commttee-were hanging tout with the
summer resort people because the latter
want $4,000 for their land and water,
which has cost them $1,000, and the city
expects to freeze them out for $4,000.
If, as has been stated by certain city
daily in the ditch used by these two par
ties, or half of that amount. then by all
means let US have the water and not
parley for the sake of a few dollars when
our property is in danger of fire; our
health. on account of poor sprinkling, and
our trees and lawns dying.
Could the fire department have saved
the Utah Mattress company with more
water? If so, that one loss would have
about paid for the above property and
water. 1 am reminded of the. stand you
took on the recent bond deal, and also
OF certain Hannaite chairman, who
urged me TO support the bonds and as
sured me that all arrangements were
made and Big Cottonwood would be flow
ing through the city in sixty days; the
Parley's water, all secured, in ten days;
the Thirteenth East reservoir COMPLETED
by Aug. l. and Pat Morans new pipes
laid by Sept. l and crowded TO their full
capacity with pure Water-and no snakes
in them either, if the bonds were a go.
How much of the above has been done?
Has the city acquired any land and wa
ter in Parley's since the bond election?
AS l had to do my chairman's bidding in
order to hold my job, was | justified in
thus voting?
If some Of the money paid the many
straw bosses was diverted would ii not
secure Parleys water? Perhaps COndie
could get along with. only one poll tax
collector as did Seldom and MullOy, and
not have one boss and two men collecting
tax Would one superintendent of street
work as has been the custom? Can't
Hines do with a few less bosses and men,
and not work JOdey Eldredge overtime a
the rate of $50 month, either?
If the board of public works used
little starch, such as Mr.. Kahn sells,
would their backs he sitter and allow
one inspector on the reservoir and not
paw for three or fOur2
Could Kelsey do without an assistant
city engineer. an office abolished years
ago and not since created by ordinance?
Could our park keeper feed his horse-a
biCycle-fOr less than SIS a month. sum
allowed him for horse feed. something he
doesn't keep? l might mention others.
but this will do for today. or Reiser won't
lay those pay rolls where l can see them
again.
Don't you think little retrenchment
would save us enough money to a least
secure us the million or two gallons of
water owned by private parties UP Par
ley's canyon?
Yours.
REPUBLICAN CITY EMPLOYEE