Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-18
CITY IN OPPOSITION.
It's Representatives Array Themselves
Against The New Water Bill.

Ii would appear from yesterday az
| ternoon's session Of the senate commit
tee on county and municipal corpora
| lions that the Commercial club has In
CURED the displeasure OF the city coun-
| ell. The means by which the club has
| dragged this solOnic dlsfay0r upon It's
head Is through the medium Of the wa
ter bin that has been introduced In the
Legislature under It's sponsorship. The
measure provides for the appointment
Of water commission to have abso-
Lutte control Of the water system Of the
city. The representatives Of the city
council who appeared before the com
mittee 10 point out the alleged lnequi-
ties Of the bill were, President Cot
trell councllmen #, S. Fernstrom. w.
Il. Vigus. \. Z. Black, city Auditor
Reiser and Councilman Thomas. Chair
man BamberFer presided over the ses-
sion, and when the remarks grew too
sweeping he peremptorilly held the
speaker down.
Councilman Fornstrom was given the
first opening. and he improved the OPP
portunity by denOuncing the measure
as a product OF the Commercial cluh."
and was framed IN the interest OF rich
men who were large water consumers.
lie objected also that the provisional
commission pending the election was TO
be appointed by the mayor without the
consent or confirmation OF the council,
and this he said, Is slap at the
council.
Chairman Bamberger Interrupted Mr..
Fernstrola to enjoin him TO Keep 10 the
bill and not introduce any side issues.
President Cottrell declared that Judge
Powers had been permitted to talk
without Interruption and he thought
Fernsirom was entitled TO the same
courtesy.
senator Bamberger replied hotly that
he did not propose 10 be dictated TO by
a member OF the city council or any
body else
City Auditor Reiser argued that the
bill would pass the control Of the wa
ter out Of the hands Of the people
that business men and large users OF
water belonged 10 the Commercial club:
thar ifs initiation fee was 80 high that
Il was practically prohihtye SO FAR as
the ordinary business man was con-
cerned, that the bill was framed for
the benefit Of the members OF the club.
Councilman Thomas objected TO the
bin because there was no provision In
II for the collection Of water taxes:
that the commission would soon take
the water system away from the city:
that the city council and the commits
sion both could not have control; that
the council would be required to levy a
tax TO make mp a deficit after the COM
mission had used up all the money, His
idea was to enlarge the board Of public
works
Charles Cottrell urged the same OPP
position as Mr. Fernstrom and Auditor
Relser He said the mayor. city engi-
neer and the waterwOrks committee OF
the city council were competent 20 han
die the water situation, IL they were
given the money. Any water system.
he said. should be under the control OF
the mayor and council.
Fisher $. Harris made the closing
He said the Commercial club
had stepped forward at the instance OF
the press and the people, and lbs OBJ
Ject was to get water. and Il proposed
60 get Il and anyone who was IN the
way would have TO step out OF the way.
lie said the bill was very much like
the law that has enabled Portland. Ore
gon, to build up D 100000 water sys-
TEN.