The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-09-03
1t Is Time to Act.

1t Is Time to Act.
Silence and inaction are no longer
reasonable nor possible. The time
has arrived for the people of Tacoma
to take steps to put an end to the
curse entailed upon them by the
waterwOrks deal of 1898, when the
worthless Glover creek system was
palmed off upon them for the pre-
posterous sum of $1,4S0,000!
propose to re-tell the story of
that crime for the benefit of
the thousands of new residents of
Tacoma, who know nothing about it,
and then to show what horrible con-
ditions have resulted therefrom and
have been handed down through a
long period of years to the present
time, when the Glover creek water
is more contaminated then ever be-
fore and is absolutely unfit for hui
man beings to drink.
In order to show the people just
what kind of water they are drink
ing and using in their homes, /
will be compelled to tell many
things which may turn delicate
stOmachs and probably cause gem
eral feeling of nausea. but nothing
short of a strong jar will cause some
persons to bestir themselves and join
in the imperative demand for pure
water without further delay.
Only Sensible Policy.
THE TINES WILL PROPOSE
THAT THE $1,48O, 900 CLOVER
CREEK SYSTEM. WITH IT'S pol
SONOUS WATER AND SMALL AND
INSUFFICIENT SERVICE PIPES.
BE THROWN TO THE DOGS, THE
FACT GRNILY ADMITTED THAT
THE CITY HAD BEEN FLIM-FLAM-
MED OUT OF A VAST SUM OF
MONEY. AND THEN THAT MEANS
BE PROVIDED QUICKLY FOR AN
ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF PURE
WATER, THE CITY TO OWN THE
NEW WATER SYSTEM AND NOT
BE BIGHOLDEN TO ANY PRIVATE
COMPANY.
The Times will reveal as a pre-
liminary step today the horrible con-
ditiOns along Glover creek which Gre
ate the necessity for immediate ac-
tion and in successive issues next
week it will tell how the city can
get its own waterworks system and
pure water, even though it has
reached its limit of bonded indebt-
edness.
What I Saw on Glover Creek.
In order that the facts might be
put in the most exact form possible
l spent two days of this week along
Glover creek, carrying a camera, in
vestigating the creek foot by foot,
for a distance of three miles above
the city's fiume, photographing the
disgusting scenes and objects which
/ witnessed, and jotting down in a
note book the discoveries which |
made.
The pictures taken and herewith
reproduced in photogravures, contain
revelations which need no comments
to bring out the facts. Horses and
COWS wading in Glover creek, geese
swimming in it, pigstys, COW barns,
etc, on its banks, have been por-
trayed by the unerring lens and are
brought to the public eye.
Last Wednesday afternoon ! saw
Glover creek for the first time.
/ was prepared to encounter some
unpleasant sights, but the realities
far surpassed my expectations. Be-
from the city's fiume I had passed
from state of astonishment into
one of amazement and indignation
that such conditions were permitted
to exist, and that the people Of Ta-
coma, including myself. were being
made to drink such filthy water
A $25O,OOO Wooden Sned.
The point where / began my inves-
LEGATIONS is where the city takes
the water from Glover creek. At
this place l discovered an old tum-
bledown shed, with a slanting roof,
shown in the accompanying picture,
in which the so-called gravel filter
is located This shed is perhaps
fifty feet in length and is almost
ready to fall from rottenness and
decay. do not know bow much =
was scheduled at by Mr.. G. B. Wright
when he sold his waterworks to the
city for $1,480,000, but in view Of
the fact that it was the only head
works building transferred with the
hume, l presume that it was valued