Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-03-07
THE WATER BONDS.


The Herald is uneGuivocably in ia
vor OF voting bonds for new water
system. We would favor the prop
osition even at a small additional ex-
penBe, but when new system can
be put In and the interest on the
bonds paid. lot alone n saving. then
We are doubly In favor Of n change.
II Is needless to devote space to
tell of the water Mt present provided
our citizens. II has been thoroughly
analyzed and the only wonder is that
our people have stood It SO long
Each year adds filth and disease to
the stream. We have only had n
sample of mineral pollution. II Is
estimated that there VIII be 1000 tons
OF mineral go through the mills OF
San Juan county daily before the end
Of the simmer, as against u high wa.
ter mark Of 500 last year The ar
scnic and other poisonous substances
contained In the mineral must ncces-
sarliy inf,se itself into the water
As far as tho Hermosa. the
river bed is lined with min.
cral sediment from the mills. and
the wnter In the fall OF the year In q
blush green, Then we have the
scepage from irrigation OF the Upper
Animas. The water Ia taken out.
run over the land. md then finds Its
way back to the river with all the
nth OF the barnyard. Up 10 this
time we have stood this pollution he
cause compelled To. and going ON the
theory that II was stilI better than
water furnished eastern cities.
Again, II ia recognized that water
obtained by pumping ~ expensive.
Durango has found this out and has
paid dearly for the knowledge. It
Inns cost M much for boilers pumps
tar works were constructed as q gray
ity system viii cost, That the ex,
pcnse Of the future viii not be less,
but rather Increased, all must admit
70 procrastinatc In this matter sim.
ply means greater expense and obsta
clcs later on II change is ever
to be made. the sooner the better.
The question OF change has been
ngitatcd for the past ten years: long
tGloFt int nulluHh UttHIlt ttWtf
for SiIverton and the mincs, and we
have heretofore found but few people
who favored going on without new
system. A year ago the council ap-
propriated $1,000 for the purpose oi
investigation. II WIS found that
junction creek did not flow sufficient
water In some months to water the
ffItV far "a luy fIh.. lnpnflfIa
,sition was found very expensive with
doubt about the quantity. and last
summer the Hermoan run dry, aud
when II is high water II ia OF yell
Iowish character owing to the Clay
banks along the stream Then at
tention was given to the Florida. 1t
was found that outside OF one or two
months the river flowed nm abundance
Of water and OF the purcst character.
cient quantity can be stored To carry
the city over the dry scason or any
protracted drouth.
While II IN intended to procure GER
tain water rights. IN case the Florida
In accepted, the reservoir Is for the
purpose OF storing water for summer
use. The reservoirs VIII be filled
when the river is high---whcn the wa
ter is pure.
Az yet no definite plan has been
agreed upon aud not n member OF the
council is committed to any stream
or system They only want the best.
Each one OF the aldermen recognizes
che true situation. involving the hes;
interests OF the city. and have sub
mitted bonding proposition. IL ig
not believed that II will require over
100000 to construct the new system
and procure the necessary rights, but
to guard against contingencies Il was
decided to place the figure large
enough, Hpd the fire and water com
mittee, In their report, published in
another column. place the cost OF the
new gravity system Mt sl25.oo0.
The Herald trusts the taxpayers
Will cut out this report and investl-
gate 1t on their own account. That
certain expenditures must be made
annually to keep the present pumping
system going cannot be denied. and
outside of the metering item referred
o In the committees report. the cx-
pense will undoubtedly reach the
sums estimated. And then improve
ments and additional expense for re-
pairs and keeping boilers and pumps
going. will reach a good figure, every
year thereafter.
BY putting on the inevitable Duran
go only gets deeper In the mire and
The Herald is confident the taxpayers
will so decide when election day rolls
nrOund