Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-08-13
TO BUY THE LAKES
SUGGESTION UNDER CONSIDERATION
TO PURCHASE CHICAGO LAKES
HIGHEST BODIES OF WATER IN U. S.
CRY COUNCIL CANNOT SUPPLY wATEH
ron poWIa on MILLING.


inaat an adjourped regular meeting. all
members being present excep, Alderman
Cons,ock The only business transacted
was the introduuctiou OF q new and cor
rect ordinance. prepared by Denver
attorneys The one published a few
weeks ago would not ''hold water. being
filled With Objectionable features, tina,
wenId inxalidzte the bond issue, and was
therefore killed.
A, this meeting of the city council, the
details Of the construction Of the improv.
neu,s to the present water system were
to be decided. these details practically
mean the building on an entirely new
system, all OF the additions made to the
system, and the thousands Of dollars al
ready spent b. the presen, council, have
been Of but only temporary benefit, and
may a. well be considered wasted entire
". No action WAS taken in regard to the
details and the council adjourned until
Monday evening. when it is believed that
the committees will have accomplished
something. or will be at least able to re-
port progress
The committee which was to confer
with the owner of the four-acre potato
patch at the mouth of DEVILS canon.
which 10 to be used as a storage reservoir
and headgs,e for the conduit line. and
upon which = dam 20 feet in heighth is
TO be erected at cost Of SIS. QUO. had not
ascertain ed what the owner would sell
the plot of ground to the city for. nor
was il de,e rrnined whether ]. J. Elliott re-
tained the water righ, through the tract
Of ground.
]. Sherwin, appeared before the
conncil, and stated that as q citizen and a
taxpayer. he desired to present to the
council for its consideration his idea as to
the storage of water, and suggested that
the city should purchase the Chicago lakes
and stated ,ha; he understood that the
lakes we're for sale and that the eastern
owners ~ere tired Of paying taxes. and
that the lakes covering $40 acres could
be purchased for less than Sto,ooo, pro-
yidins the sale was made to individuals,
without the owners OF the lake knowing
that the city desired the property. in the
latter event he stated that the price would
undoubtedly be raised. Mr.. Sherwiu
stated that engineers had estimated ths,
q dam ten feet in heighth could be erect
ed at cost not over s., ,ooo on the lower
lake which covers an area of ~ acres,
and that this would allow Of the storage
of $50 900 COO gallons Of food water.
which could be released at the time of
wear when il was needed. The purchase
of the Chicago lakes would forever settle
the question Of priority rights in the use
of water of Chicago creek, for the reason
,ha, the city would then be turning into
the creek more water than IL was using.
and /, would not be necessary to purchase
any Of the numerous water rights on the
creek, and in addition il would make
each water right more valuable. because
when the cold weather sets in more water
vi be released from the storage dam.
al allow all TO use the water on its way
down the creek. The middle Chicago
lake covers approximately II acres. and
Mr.. Sherwin stated that at any time
there should be shortage, the middle
lake could be tapped at depth Of 900 or
or 400 feet by driving q tunnel through
the comparatively narrow ledge scpsrat-
ing the two bodies Of water. During the
food water season the lake could again
be flied up by closing the outlet gate
The upper lake could be used in addition
to the others If il vas necessary At any
time.
Mr.. Sherwin's suggestion is q good one.
that is, the idea Of storage reservoir.
and the city council should act favorably
on the matter. 1t is questionable wheth-
er 40 acres OF mountain peaks would be
q GOOD investment for the city at q rate Of
over $50 per acre. and also whether it
would be practicable to build . dam a.
suggested at cost Of S. 600. There are
mapy acres of vacant land in the vicinity
of the lakes upon which . reservoir could
be built capable Of storing more water
than il contained in all OF the Chicago
lakes. If dam were to be built across
the lower end OF the lower lake, the cost
Of the transportation Of cement and other
supplies must be taken into consideration.
The lakes are almost inaccessible, and II
would be necessary to pack all supplies
some eight miles over a rough and narrow
trail. The building Of . wagon road u
entirely out of the question, as it would
COST not less than So. 900 1t the lowest
dble estimate.