Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-03-14
B. w. RITTER.
w. C. CHAPMAN.
w. p. VALE.

Mr.. Kirkpatrick, the other mem.
Der of the committee, is out of the
city, but the facts had been gone over
before he left, and he will sign the
report upon returning.
Upon motion being made and second.
ed to receive the report, there was
considerable discussion. Mr.. Ritter
sad the present system was unsatis
factory and that a gravity system
would be cheaper, and especially for
a larger town, He believed first.
class water supply would attract peo.
Pile to the city and not tend to drive
them away. He had not had the
time to go into the details and cost of
thc new system and while 1t would
have been preferable If the council
had submitted definite proposition,
at the same time, he believed the
members Of the council were honestly
disposed to give the city a better and
cheaper supply. and for one was will,
ing to trust the disposition to that
| body. He said the city officials
should have the hearty and active
co operation of the board of trade and
the citizens of the city. The safety
| of reservoir on the mesa and the ad
vantage of such reservoir over one on
the Florida should be studiod He
favored reservoir at the head of
the stream In order that continuous
| stream of pure water would be emp,
tied into the mesa reservoir daily,
Mr.. Ritter went over the legal ques.
tons as far as given consideration
and believed the city was on the right
track. He reviewed the present con
| dition of the water works and the dire
calamity that would overtake the city
should the pumps break and the sup
ply be cut off for few days.
Alderman Sloan was present and
reviewed the different schemes to Sc
cure water-Junction creek, Cascade
and Vallecito. Junction creek is out
of the question. owing to the lack OF
supply. He explained the result of an
! examination of the Cascade proposi.
ton which would cost at least half
million dollars, also the taking of wa
ter from Pine river or Vallecto He
stated that Pine river was four feet
lower than the Florida at the divide
via Spring gulch. and 1t would neces
state going into the canon of the Val.
lecjto to secure water on gravity
system. and the cost would be enor-
nous. He believed the Florida was
the only feasible proposition, and that
sufficient water can be secured by
ronpt rIctipp raseryoirc mr. hv p,,r,hos
ing water rights. He said the council
was not committed to any plan--sim.
ply the cheapest and best method OF
obtaining water. and that experienced
engineers would go over the ground
before anything was done In the prem
ises. II Florida water is secured, Il
Will be necessary to tap the river a
short distance above the Cash ranch.
The Harper report was only basis
to work on. The reservoir system
is the last report, and while the coun-
ell will see to 1t that not an unneces-
sary dollar would be expended at the
same time he did not believe there
should be any specified limit below
the amount proposed, that If new
SyotNh 20 "e'oi'h ~ bhOuih bS SuD-
stantial and constructed In way that
will not cause expense in future. In
fact it should be right. He further
stated that sugar beet factory would
require as much water daily as is con-
sumed by the city of Durango and
that the supply could not be secured
by the present system; and further.
more. that the water used in sugar
manufacture had to be OF the purest
and that Animas river water would
not do; that with the increased ton
mage Of San Juan county mills and
Silverton sewage now being dumped
into the river, the water when II be-
came low, late In the summer, would
be much worse than heretofore.
Il, II. Rose said the more he stud
led the question the more he believ-
ed the Florida scheme practical, and
he was IN favor OF a change. although
there should be some DEFINITE plan out