The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-26

ARGUE OVER A
NEW RESERVOIR
Citizens Discuss the Parley's
Canyon Plans.
MEET WITH C0UNclLMEN
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OVER
THE BEST METHOD.

evening, when the subject viii be dis
cussed at further length. Among those
present at the meeting were Colonel
William Nelson. Joseph A. Silver. vice
president of the Commercial club; |
State Engineer A. +. DOremus, City
Engineer L. @. Kelsey, Fisher Harris, I
secretary of the Commercial club
George c. Lambert. j. NJ Thomas, W. I
w. Ritter DR.. 5. 3. Young, Angus III.
Cannon and John Smell.
The discussions took place before the /
council as a committee of the whole,
with Councilman j. J. Thomas in the
chair When the committee rose It
reported progress and asked permits
sion to sit again next Thursday even
ing. at which time other citizens viii
be given an opportunity to appear and
express their ideas upon the future
water question Of Salt Lake City
Two Plans Proposed.
There are two propositions before the
CITY council as regards the cOnstruc-
ton of a reservoir in Parley's canyon.
one is to raise the money by a bond
issue, as proposed by a resolution in
trOduced by Councilman A J. Davis,
and the other is to build IL by piece
meal the funds to be raised by a spe-
Cial mill tax levy. and use a portion
OF the surplus funds from the water
works department each year until the
receptacle is completed. which, it is
estimated, viii take bout three years
The discussion was opened by COun-
Gilman FernstrOm. who explained the
finance committee report favOring the
mill tax levy and the usage of the
watervorks department surplus funds.
He was followed by Councilman Sharp,
who said he was in favor of the bond
ing proposition. He thought it unwise
TO use the surplus of the waterwOrks
department. for any such purpose, as
the money could be put to a better use
GOV extending and enlarging the pres
ent water mains of the city. AS Salt
Lake grows the mains will have to be
extended and enlarged. and if the sur
plus is used for other purposes there
VIII not be the money in the depart
ment for that very important work.
Silver Opposes Bonds.
Mr.. Silver was opposed to the issu-
ance Of bonds He said that but little
work can be done upon the reservoir
this year, and that If any large sum
should be voted by the people it would
simply lie idle in the banks for months
to come before it could be used, and
the interest on it would be a needless
taxation upon the people. He said that
work could be begun this year with
out bonds. and that if next year it was
found necessary or advisable to issue
bonds. they could be voted then.
In answer TO a number Of questions
put to him by Mr. Ritter. City En-
&llEEE Kelsey SdlQ LndL II VIII LclA-
One-half of the proposed cost of the
reservoir TO put in the foundation and
build twenty feet Of the dam. When
asked how much a Steel-faced dam
would cost. he said it would be about
S235 000 making the cost for the first
twenty feet of the dam approximately
S117.500 That much of the dam would
conserve only about 4 per cent Of the
estimated 1O00. 000. 900 gallons capacity
of the reservoir
Nelson For Single Job.
Colonel Nelson was opposed to the
letting Of the contract for the reser-
vOir by piecemeaL He thought II
would be economy to let all the steel
work at once, and then put il in place
a. rapidly as possible. The same should
be done as regards the stone and con-
crete work, he said.
At that iuncture Chairman Thomas
put Councilman Nigus in the chair and
made an extended speech on his plan
for an enlarged WaJerwOrkS system,
which has been reported in these col
umuS before. He was followed Dy MI
Ritter. who was the first of the speakers
L. digress from the real object OF the
meeting His remarks were directed
largely to the trouble that the city
would have in floating any bonds az
this time. He said the market is
flooded with undigested securities
"a hich are considered gilt-edge-
State Engineer DOremuS attacked
the purity of Parley's canyon water
for domestic purposes. While he did
not say il was not mt FOR culinary pur-
poses. he was not so certain that it
IS as pure as some other which might
be procured By the city. For that
reason ne was not as heartily i'm favor
OF a reservoir i'm thar canyon as some
or those present he thought the mat
ter as to the purity OF the stream
shcald be looked into before any fur
Their steDs were taken towards build
Ing the dam.
The advise bility of sinking wells to
the north of the city and ascertalnlnS
how much water flows under salt l-a6s
CITY that might be used for drinking
PURPOSES was touched upon by Mr.
Smell. He reviewed the subject which
has been exploited thoroughly by the
Commercial club. and abandoned by
that body as not feasible owing to the
great cost the project involves
Says Water Is Pure.
DR.. young took issue with state En-
erfneer DOremus as regards the purity
of the Parley's canyon water he
said it is pure and good for every do
nestle purpose. He opposed the
Y0ungberg site and advocated the res
ervofr being constructed half a mile
higher I'D the stream. The point he
had in mind was between gradually
Slopiug hills. which would prevent
flood waters carrying with them down
the precipitous mountain sides at the
proposed site, thus bringing into the
reservoir filth and impurities from the
ground above. The site he had in mimi
would permit Of the sides Of the reser-
vOfr being parked and made a beauty
SPOT for the citizens Of salt Lake.
President Cannon thought the
Youngberg site an ideal one and ad-
vanced the statement that a reservoir
constructed there would hold ten times
the amount of water a reservoir built
mon the Young site would The ar
er1nents were brought TO a close by
ar. Lambert. who favored the pushing
of the work upon the reservoir. He
said Il would give the city better
s1lpplv and thereby afford more ade-
ouate fire protection and force down
rhe Insurance rates. For more reasons
than one ne favored the plan Of con-
structing the reservoir without the
issuance Of bonds