The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-23

Guiding the cost OF the new dlStrlDuj-
ing mains.
The cheapest plan proposed by En-
gineer Weile would cost about 1892,
900. The next cheapest would cost
SOS. 900 and the plan which he most
strongly advocates would cost 1927,
600.
These figures will be somewhat
startling to taxpayers who year ago
last June overwhelmingly voted down
a prODOsitiOn to eXpend one-hundred
thousand dollars for gravity system
from Thomas springs and who We're
told a few months ago by men in all
thority that the probable cost of a
gravity system would not exceed that
amount.
Many we'll posted men will ques-
ton the accuracy Of Mr.. Weile's judg-
ment in condemning the Thomas
springs proposition after an investi-
cation that could not have been very
thorough owing to the little time given
to it and the manner in which it was
conducted. If Mr.. Weile is right
about the lack of abundant water on
the Thomas ranch the old Walla Wal
la Nhter Company was badly buncoed
by an expert engineer upon whose
recommendation it paid ten thousand
dollars for all the subterranean water
on the ranch, and other hydraulic en-
gineers of considerable reputation
have given a credulous public great
deal of misinformatiOn regarding the
capacity of the Thomas springs and
of the Green Rifle springs.
In June. 1893. William Kiersted, of
Kansas City, Missouri, hydraulic en-
gineer of high reputation, after an ex-
haustive investigation made a report
to the council in which he expressed
the conviction that an adequate water
supply could be developed from the
springs on the Green Rifle place.
half a mile above the Thomas place
His estimate Of the probable cost Of
an Independent water system prOv1d-
cd for a capacity Of three million gal
Ions every twenty-four hours. Ac-
cording to Engineer Weile the con-
sumption per capita should not ex-
coed $50 gallons a day and popula-
ton of twelve thousand people woulu
require only 100000 gallons.
Mr.. Weile says that the develop
ment work done by Worley on the
Thomas ranch was not done in
scientific manner and that much more
water could have been developed by
sinking the pipe deeper and following
the natural slope Of Mill creek. En-
gineer Miller. who planned Walla
Walla's excellent sewer system, eX-
pressed similar views not long ago,
declaring that Worleys work was all
wrong
In view Of these statements the
council should not be too hasty in
abandoning the Thomas springs prop
osition. which cost the city ten thou
sand dollars as the' assignee of the
old water company and over twelve
thousand dollars more for develop
ment purposes.
Engineer Weile suggests plan for
making use of the water developed
or that may be developed at Thomas
springs in connection with pumping
n1ants at the present sereryOirs.
Many cities make use Of standpipes
for securing a gravity system and It
is just possible that Walla Walla
might find this plan cheaper than any
of Mr.. Weile's plans.
The council should bear in mind
that the present Indebtedness of the
city for water and sewer bonds and
municipal bonds is about s3S0000. To
this should be added a school district
Indebtedness of about $175,000, max
ing a total burden of $3.50 900 that the
taxpayers of this city must carry,
Indebtedness. The city has already
reached the limit Of its Indebtedness
on its present. valuation and the only
way to raise money for building
gravity system IS 10 issue more DOldS
based upon the earning capacity of
the water system. L IS doubtful
whether the E~ste~, ~ cary even
the lowest amount g:~ec :" Engineer
Weile 2s the probable cost of a Mill
creek water system-about $4,000.
The Statesman agrees with those
who contend that the water question
is urgent and must be settled soon in
some way. but for all that the council
should be sure it is right before II
goes ahead.