Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-17
A MoMENroUs OCCASION,

"A MOMENIOtS OCCASION,
There is no more important work
IN which the welfare OF Utah IL in
Nolyed than that In which Messrs a.
j. Doremus and r. $. Richards are
now engaged, associated with the pre-
lmlnary surveys by government OH
cials for the unlfeation OF the water
interests OF our citizens in this and adj
jacent districts Of this State,
The feasibility Of the projects COM
pretended in the great scheme for
permanent water supply in this region
has been established. Tho surveys
and explorations necessary to put the
details In formal shape for final rec
pgnlton and adoption are IN progress
ana all that is needed on the part of
the people to be Immediately benefited
by the measures proposed Is to get into
line and place themselves In position
for direct negotiations with the ma
tiona government
The particulars are being explained
by the gentlemen named who are thor
Oughy familiar with the entire subject
both from a practical and legal stand
point, and the only block IN the way
that we know OF Is lcthnrgy, or apathy,
On the part Of the very individuals and
companies for whose permanent pros-
pedty tho whole plan has been devised.
or course, incidentally the state and
therefore the public, viii he benefited,
But the principal and direct results
win come 10 the watcr-uHers on lands
TO be irrigated Most Of them appear
80 be alive aud awake TO the import
Hnce Of the steps now 10 be taken, but
there arc others, who lag behind ana
they need proddng little
There rs so much sclfshncss In hu-
man nature and 80 great tack Of
confidence that most people are doubt
ful Of the motives that actuate their
fellows who appear TO be dislntcrested.
They are suspected Of secret self-iu-
ttrest when they are working FOR the
public welfare, and folks who pride
themselves on their own cunning, often
show suspicion when It IL entirely un-
called for and unjust
In the first place the government
while expecting TO be reimbursed in
time for it's outlay IN the extensive
works to be accomplished, docs not
look for any profits for a. but is adj
yRncing the means for the reclamation
of arid and sem-ard lands by the fur
nishlng or increase OF the water sup
ply II is for grand public benefit.
In the second place the gentlemen who
are locally laboriug to bring the bone
iiclaries and the government into a
legal negotiable status, and acting un-
der the laws Of the state and of COM
gross, have no personal on private pur-
pose IN view and are striving to adj
vance the interests OF Utah and es-
pecially of the people In the districts
TO be watorod By the means they have
devised, These points should be kept
IN view and there should be no mis-
take or dubiety concerning them
Much has been said concerning the
Utah lake part OF the project. and the
strawberry valley reservoir ms a means
Of supply Neither is a new proposition,
Rat It has been question how Utah
lake can be Itself supplied with sur
icient water to render II adequate for
the supplies expected from II in this
county And when the strawberry
reservoir and the manner Of It's con-
yeyRncc down 70 the lake have been
mentioned, the question has been, where
Is the water to come from to render
that q sufficient source FOR the purpose
indicated
The solution of both problems, which
are hui parts of the general plan and
al will have TO be included In the COM
plete proposition, lies In the measure
designed to convey, through the noun.
tains, the surplus waters OF the Du-
chesne rlyer, 10 make the strawberry
valley reservoir OF sufficient aud
permanent dimensions. ana thus urn-
Ssh volume Of water for the Utah
lake and the lands 10 be supplied be.
tween the two points.
That scheme has been worked out
clearly and Is part Of the detailed and
technical undertaking Of the govern.
ment engineers employed, tits most
encouraging feature Of the southern
part Of the immense enterprise while
the northern part to bring In streams
from Bear Lake and The Bear and
Baokfoot rivers, Is no less admirable
and praseworhy. In none Of These
projects win the rights OF persons OF
companies be Invaded There win bc
no stealing Of water or diversion OF
ignoring OF prior claims, There need