Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-31
City and Farmers in Sharp Dis
pute in ParIey's Canyon.
WHAT DIFFERENCES ARE.
Farmers Went 20 Canyon 10 Turn
Flow Their Way and Found That
City Had Anticipated Them

The controversy between the city and
the farmers over the exchange Of city
canal water for Parey's creek water
reached a very serious aspect late yes
Jerday afternoon, and it was thought
Tor time that the delegation Of farm
ors would forcibly divert the water
from Parley's conduit and turn It down
The stream, The contention has been
that the city has not furnished the
farmers With the quantity Of water
agreed upon from the canal in exchange
for their Parley's creek water which
the farmers own By prior approprla-
tlon.
In the agreement Of exchange II Is
provided that whenever the city fails
10 live up 10 It's contract and fails to
supply the farmers their proportion OF
water, after II hours notice they can
retake the Parey's creek water With
out any action at law whatever.
owing to a strong breeze from the
north yesterday the outflow from Ctah
lake into the Jordan river failed TO
bring a normal flow OF water into the
city canal Seeing that II would be
impossible to furnish the farmers WIN
a sufficient quantity OF water from the
canal, Land and Water Commissioner
Fisher says he sought to remedy the
deficit by having water turned down
from the canyon reservoir. Early in
The morning a third OF the flow of Par
ley's creek was, he says, turned down
60 supply the farmers. This, he says,
was found insufficient and, at ii o'clock.
he declares, half Of the stream was
turned down. At o'clock in the az
ternoon the entire stream was turned
down 80 as to soak up the
bed of the channel In order
TO make q smaller stream seryiceable
.ater on
A delegation of farmers, among
whom were John Gabbott, l.. s Clark,
Martin Christopherson Oscar Van
Colt, Amos Gabbott. John Howells,
Oliver Newell Cyrus Whitaker n man
named Corbin, and many others went
TO the tankman at 4 o'clock In the ar
ternoon and Informed him that he must
not turn the Parley's creek water back
into the city mains or they would have
him arrested for water stealing. They
had brought planks with which TO close
the gate into the conduit reservoir and
turn the flow down the stream but
finding their work had been anticipated
they had no use for them.
After some elaboration, the majority
OF the delegation returned home leav-
ing mon on guard.
While the controversy was wOing on,
Tankman Brown telephoned to Super
intendent OF Waterworks Hines, who
In turn communicated with the mayol
AZ a result Police Captain Burbidge
Detectives Chase and Gillespie, Officers
Carey end Roberts, and Supt Hines
were sent TO the scene OF action in the
patrol wagon. Upon arriving at The
scene the farmers We're ordered of.
They left without any show Of violence
and two. thirds Of the stream was
turned back into the conduit In all
probability an injunction WIN be asked
for by the farmers TO prevent the city
from interfering with the flow Of water
down the creek.
COUNCIL TAKES ACTION.
At the session Of the council last |
evening the situation was discussed
thoroughly and resolution, prepared |
10y CITY Atty. Nye and introduced by |
Vigus, was PISSED without dissent The !
resolution defines the situation 70 date !
and outlines the city's action Tor the fll-
ture. II follows In full
Whereas, Complaints have been made
by the primary owners or water rights |
in Parley's canyon creek that Salt Lake |
city is not fulfilling It's contract for the |
exchange of the waters Of such creek;
and,
Whereas Such primary owners are
claiming the waters Of certain springs
in the bed OF Parey's Canyon creek be.
low the city's intake which waters are
the property OF Salt Lake City, and.
Whereas, Salt Lake city has. thus far
this season. furnished water for irriga-
ton purposes out Of IT'S WaterworKs
system and pipes 10 certain Of the prl-
mary owners In Parleys creek living
within the corporate limits Of Salt Lake
City, because Of scarcity Of water in
the Jordan canal, and,
Whereas, Such primary owners have
received water sufficient for their needs
but are sim complaining. and
Whereas, II seems most advisable 10
determine absolutely the amount of wa
ter furnished to primary owners by salt
Lake City so that there may b. no
question about said citys compliance
with its contract; now, therefore. be II
Resolved. That the city engineer be
md he Is hereby authorized and in
structed to proceed forthwith 40 re-
move the citys weir In the bed Of Par
ley's creek near Twelfth South street
and Just east OF Eleventh East street
and TO reset and place the same I'm the
bed Of Parley's creek west Of the point
where the Jordan and salt Lake canal
crosses said creek. and at point 10 be
designated by the land and water COM
missioner;
Resolved, further That the land and
water commissioner be and he Is here.
by Instructed from and after the adop.
ton OF this resolution 90 treasure ana
count the waters Of said springs. the
property Of SAT- Lake Cilv IN allotting
water TO the primary owners under tho
contract for the exchange Of waters.
ana TO give 10 the said primary owners
rom said springs and from the Jordan
and Salt Lake canal sufficient water To
meet their demands. up to the limit OF
wafer hllOlltl WIN NilQtE inc terms of ]
said contract always counting the
spring water, and never giving that IN
Excess. and II the flow OF waters from
he springs and In the Jordan and Salt
lake canal shall al any time prove in
sufficient to supply such waters. the
and and water commissioner is further
authorized 10 request Of the superinter. |
lent OF waterworks, and such superin-
endent Is hereby authorized and ln-
'tructed to furnish from the main !
stream In Parley's canyon sufficient
water TO make good any such lnsufici. !
incy, he Il further
Resolved. That from and after the
passage Of this resolution no water for
irrigation purposes shall be furnished
through the city water mains 10 anv /
'wner Of a primary right In Parley's
'anyon. and that any person found yio-
ating the ordinance OF this city In TO-
ipect TO taking water from the city
mains be vigorously prosecuted: and be
{ further
Resolved That the mayor and all 9th.
H.. q C.H i