Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-16

Of water. Under the present system
the small users (who are the maJori-
~ must suffer until the large users
have their abundance
II would seem 70 me that justice de-
mands that all should stand equal be-
fore the law; the large water user
should pay as much per 1000 gallons
as the lesser user, / do not believe
the city has the right to barter our
water supply to the highest bidder to
the injury Of the majority OF the peo-
pie. / sincerely trust that the council
will abate this unjust sliding scale OF
water meter rates.
In connection with this meter system
| also desire to call the attention of
the council TO the manner of assessing
some Of the larger users. The assess
ment rolls OF the waterworks depart
ment show some OF the assessments to
be almost identical In amount for
every month In the year, and, going q
little farther IL will be noticed that one
Of the very largest users pays the very
same amount month after month,
while the assessment roll in TINS par
ticular case fails to show a single
reading number cubic feet or number
gallons consumed. The reason for
such an existing condition does not APP
pear, nor can | imagine why such
methods have been allowed 10 go I'M
needed in the past. / shall have to In
sist that these meters be correctly read
In the future, the correct assessment
made and money collected from all
consumers regardless of the amount OF
water consumed,
IRRIGATION AND REALTY,
The report Of the land and water
commissioner shows the expense OF
maintaining the department for the
year 1903 was sl2,360.5 IS, with receipts
from the sale Of hay from city lands
81, 200 62, and receipts from rent OF IT.
rigation water 1854 %, making the to-
tai receipts of his department Sl,49O 81.
A barn. shop and storage yard for the
convenience Of the department were
erected at Tenth South street
A real estate record showing the de-
tailed information regarding all the
real estate owned by the city was pre-
pared and compiled. A value was
placed upon all the city's real property
by the commissioner and shown to be
Real estate exclusive OF Improvements,
reserved for public purposes, $685.
SSS. 03; real estate held as private
property and available for sale, $685.
However, It would appear from an ex-
animation of the various lands, under
the above heading, that the actual
amount Of available real estate for sale
is but s5l,9S7.52. the balance, II not
now In actual use, being held for pub
lie purposes
CITY'S WATER,
The commissioner deals exhaustive
w. with the question of the Citys water
supply and the various propositions
which have been made from time to
time looking TO an increase thereof. He
considers the best sources OF relief to
be the purchase Of water rights In Big
Cottonwood canyon creek, one-half OF
which stream, the commissioner says.
Is equal to double the quantity now
obtained by the city from all sources.
He does not look with favor upon the
idea of exchanging Jordan river water
flowing through the Jordan & Salt
Lake City canal, for Big Cottonwood
water, as the city's experience with
the exchange, under the contract for
the exchange Of the water OF Parley's
canyon has, he claims, proven very
unsatisfactory, owing to the unreason-
able demands of the farmers and the
difference In the nature of the water of
The canyon stream and that Of Jordan
river He argues In favor Of the direct
purchase of the water rights from the
farmers.
This appears to me TO be too expen-
sive Il solution Of the problem Of In
creasing our water supply to admit OF
adoption by the city. am OF the opin-
ion that when the question Of furnish
ing water from Utah lake, now under
consideration by the national govern
ment has once been determined upon
permanent basis there VIII be no
doubt as to the ability OF the city to
obtain sufficient water through the
Jordan x Salt Lake City canal TO ad-
nit OF the exchange with the Big Cot
tonwood farmers for their water to be
used In the city mains, The difficulties
which have arisen with the primary
owners Of Parley's creek water are due
possibly TO the loose terms OF the con-
tract under which the exchange OF wa
ter was operated. ! believe that a con-
tract could be drawn the terms OF
which would be equitable and prove
entirely satisfactory both to the city
and to the Big Cottonwood farmers
as soon as the supply from Utah lake
becomes permanently established,
COMMISSIONERS RECoMMENDA-
TlONS.
The commissioner foresces only con-
tlnued litigation from the construction
OF the contract now In force under
which Jordan river water is exchanged
by the city FOR the water Of Parley's
creek He recommends that the city
secure from the farmers clear title to
tha Votar nf tho gaid crook and pivo