The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-30
THE WATER PROBLEM.


w lille THE BEST AUTHORITIES
" in the city agree as to the desir-
ability Of the proposed increase in the
water supply, Mr.. John T. Docly pre-
soits "a objection ir the form Of a
minority committee report for the
Commercial club. 1Ir Dooly bases his
objection or the ground that the city
would not secure title in fee simple to
the water ana that the contract would
give the farmers an unreasonable and
arbitrary advantage.
Mr.. Dolly. It will be remembered.
was the father and chief sponsor of a
water supply plan which took S25O, 600
of the city's money and gave it very
little If any additional water although
1he prospectus made very liberal
promises of a greatly increased water
supply. 1t Will be noted, also, that
Mr.. Dooly offers no alternative plan
whereby salt Lake eau secure more
water, nor has any such plan been sug-
geeted by critics OF the only scheme
under consideration.
1t is possible some features Of the
present plan may prove undesirable.
and if that is the case. they can easily
be eliminated from the general propo-
sition. It is also true that the city
would be situated much better if it
could get an absolute title instead of
fass
other water supplies. Unfortunately.
salt Lake has stood still and watched
those water rights grow more valuable
year by year until now the owners Wal
not sell outright at any price within
reach, and they are in position to die
tate terms of exchange in a measure.
Mr.. DOoly is disingenuous, however.
when he leaves the impression, as he
does. that the city would not get any
return for a large part Of the $3.50. 900
which the new plan contemplates as ex-
penditure. 1t would get all the water
il contracts for so long as it maintains
its part Ofgthe contract to supply the
farmers in return with water from
Utah lake. which Salt Lake owns.
There is no more reason why the city
should fail in its part of the contract
than there would be for failure in a
private undertaking of tie same sort.
To secure pure water in copious supply
is certainly worth any reasonable sum
that insight. he expended: and unless
Salt Lake City is TO be a municipal
failure the water viii have to be Sc
cured soon from some source.
AIr. Doremus. the state engineer. is
I commonly supposed 10 be good author
/ ity OF water supply as related to the
4 city; and he says without reserve that
h BE sees .no reason why the city could
n not fulfill its part Of the proposed con
tract anG secure all the benefits Of an
increased supply Of portable water suf-
ficient TO meet the demands OF the city.
Franklin :. Richards. who is another
4 good authority on irrigation subjects
thinks The plan offers a desirable solu-
tion Of the water problem. The Conn
mereial club committee. the mayor, the
d city engineer. and the city council have
4 concurred in the BELIEF that this is the
only practicahle settlement of a aues-
n sion that must be settled soon or be
deferred 10 some. future day when any
water right that can be had must be
4 more valuable than it is now, and
q much more difficult to secure.
The Herald believes that some parts
Q. the mayors plan may prove I'M
practicable because Of legal compiled
sions. and that these particular por-
:icas az tire plan win not be executed.
For instance. the title to the Spring
creek water seems 20 be in question
ana the value OF the OLD paper min
risat may pe 3ehatable. Where there
Is any question. che rights should not
be acquired OF paid for. on the other
band, every inch OF the water that can
be acquired by exchange viii be an
enormous addition to the city's assets.
¬ to be measured IN dollars and cents.
salt Lake is not in position To name
its own terms. but it has been offered
sn exchange OF water on what seems
to be the best terms possible. il re-
s nains for the voters to say whether
water on such terms is better than no
water at ali.