Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-03-21
The Water Bonds Proposition
A Good Thing in Many
Ways-Durango Must Have
Better Public Utilities.

absolutely none that will stand the
test OF reason.
The arguments In favor of the bond
issue Tor the purpose mentioned are
numerous. reasonable and convincing.
NO one can gainsay them. and IL Ia
dihicult for the average person to see
how any taxpayer who has the wei.
fare of the city and the enhancing of
the value OF his own property at
heart, can vote against the proposed
water bonds.
NO one VIII deny the crying need of
better water for Durango. Every.
BODY knows that the present supply is
wholly inadequate for the city's needs.
ana they know full well, too, that the
water which we are now compelled
to use Is UNIT for domestic purposes
and a menace to the health and lives
OF our citizens. large per cent Of
the unparalleled amount of sickness
In Durango the past year can Justly
he laid at the door of the water con.
sumed by our people, Such n record
ns Durango is making In the direction
OF being healthful place OF residence
IL not only keeping would be residents
away from the city, but II is driving
away those already here.
There are other potent arguments
aside from these why the water bonds
should be issued.
No instance can be pointed out
where any city In the country ever a.
tained prominence or attracted. in
any marked degree. the attention of
| people seeking business and resi-.
| dence location, without public i'm.
provcments, and the water supply IL
| always of the first consideration. In
order to attract people and men with
capital Durango must make move in
this direction. The securing OF
| good water system IL the very first
move of all progressive towns and
cities. All other improvements are
subordinate until this is accomplish.
| ed
The issue of the proposed water
bonds VIII add no burden to the tax
| payers OF the city. The construction
| OF the new water system will cost no
more than viii the maintenance Of
the present excuse for the next three
years. In fact, the bond issue will
be saving In the long run. and not
very long run at that.
! No one denies that our present wa
ter system Is wholly inadequate to
the needs of the city. The new sys-
tenn proposed would not only give us
superior quality of water. but 1t
| wonld furnish MS an abundant auan.
| uty as well. Today we have not the
| necessary water for flushing the gut.
ters OF the city. nor for watering the
shade trees and grass plots along our
thoroughfares. water cannot be had
Tor oeautifytng the cemetery: In case
of an extensive fire, our water supply
would assuredly be deficient: should
the machinery at the pumping station
give out, ms 1t liz liable to. for but one
| day, the city would experience wa
ter famine. What truly deplora-
BILE condition of affairs to contemplate.
| The establishment OF the proposed
new water system would do away with
all these drawbacks, and with many
many others not necessary to men,
ton.
The expenditure during the year of
! 100000 or 5000. as the case might
be. would give employment to large
number of men for at least five or
six months. These men would either
come from the outside or from the
ranks OF those now employed at 9TH
or work. and the city's population
would be swelled considerably. The
money expended in the construction
OF the new system would most OF 1t
be spent right here at home. thereby
bcnefting our businss men and vir
tunlly putting the money right back
into the pockets from which II came
The establishment of the new water
| system would greatly enhance the
value of real estate, and the taxpayer
would soon be reimbursed many times
| over for the amount OF his contribu-
ton to the new system. AS a bust
ness proposition, as a straight out
and out investment there can be i'm
agined none that will bring greater or
surer returns to the property holders
of this city than the one In question.
Columns OF sound arguments might
be written In favor of this subject.
Little space would be necessary for an
expression OF the logical objections
to IL.
There is one thing certain. II Du.
| range expects to prosper and keep
pace with other cities of her size in
the west. IL she expects people to 10.
cate here. she must make the neces-
sary public improvements for the ac-
complishment of these ends. We
have grand natural location and our
natural resources are unsurpassed.
| but nature Will not build our water
| system nor improve our city. When
1t comes to such matters as these,
their accomplishment cannot be shift
ed. 1t is up to our citizens.