Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-31
TaE ELECTION
10 Decide the Question of Water Works
Resulted In lo1 For and ID
Aoainst.

10 Decide the Question of Water Works
Resulted IN lo1 For and Ia
Against.
The question voted upon reads /:
"Shall the contract for water works, EN-
tered into on May 9th, 1902. for the town
OF Custer, South Dakota be ratified and
the mourning OF the Indebtedness there
for be authorized"
The election to decide this question
was held in Custer City on the Goth day
Of May, 1902, and resulted In a vote for
the water works of l01 and II against.
The vote was about as we expected, but
been in our opinion. or course as is
we'll known we have been st~renuously
in favor OF a system Of water works for
Custer for many years, and while the
contest was on We did that We could to
forward the movement. But the cleo
ton is over, and it is not necessary or
! desirable that any ~uufriendliuess should
grow out Of the result. We want TO be
right, exactly right in these matters, and
We realize that the opposition is entitled
to due respect. In the heat OF debate
some OF those who were in favor Of wa
ter have called the others hard headed
and non.progressive," and those who
were opposed have said that our present
city council were a clique and a gang
who we're determined 10 blow in" the
men who owned more property than
they, and pay more taxes. All this
should be recalled. There is no occa-
sion for any hard feeling. The men
who have opposed this measure are
among our best citizens, who have a
right to their opinion, and the proper
place to express it is at the polls. They
have done so and there the matter
should end.
Since the election We have conversed
with some Of the opposition and we find
that il was not 80 much that they oppos-
ed water works but they lacked conf
dence in the men who had the matter in
charge. But we asked, '%'supposing that
you elected the men you wanted, do you
presume that they would have favored
water works and pushed it to the front? :"
"No," they said, "they did not think that
they would, but they would be men who
would better represent the heaviest tax
payers of the community" Then" we
said, these men who haye been elected
deserve credit for inaugurating a meas.
ure which the community at large con.
slider a good thing, and which would
have been defeated if the men of your
choice had wonW
We think it is better as 1t is. Our
council have started out well and we
think they will continue in well doing
The time has come when we must do
something to show that we are alive
Progress or perish" seems to be the law
that governs all humanity, and the his
tory OF all nations attest its truth. We
must not be like the old lady who want,
ed the captain to stop the steam boat be,
cause her boy had dropped his apple
oyer board. When the Central Pacific
railroad was loosing money, the direc
tors had a meeting TO see wherein they
could retrencn and save expense, anC
many suggestions we're made along tina
line, When Mr.. Huntington arose ant
said, gentlemen, the time has come
when in my opinion the best economy
calls for the expenditure of money, an(
plenty Of it," lie showed that the roat
was languishing for want Of branches
and feeders. His argument finally pre-
vailed, the improvements were made
and the road became q brilliant success
We look to see Custer take quite a ste
in advance this year, and there are man!
things that justify the hope that is in us
Among these are the fact that we hav'
been blest with q bountiful supply o
rain, which almost assures an excellen
crop for our ranchmen and plenty o
grass for the cattle on our ranges. Blu
more than all is the fact that our mines
improve with Development and thei
merits are being recognized. This W
predict will obtain more and more as tn
season advances, and the time is not ia
distant when Custer will take her plac
among the grand centers Of mining G
the precious metals in the Black Hills
But after all it is the people Of a tow
who make a town, and natural advanta
ges and native resources count for littl
If the people of the town lack the enter
prise to make use Of these advantages.
In regard to the water works it ma
not be amiss for US to admonish the cit
council to leave 40 stone unturned t
make a success of this undertaking, q
there are those who will scrutinize thei
action closely and have predicted thu
they lacked the capacity TO carry
through to a successful issue. Let us b
reconciled, let all factional feeling cease
let each and all lend a helping hand I
upbuild the town, and Custer phoeni
like from her ashes will "rise and shine.
Proceeding for Divorce.
Two weeks aoo tine CHRONICLE met