The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-02

Writes a Strong Letter on the Salt
Lake Problem.
BACKS UP ADMINISTRATION
POINTS OUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE CITY.

n COLONEL EDWIN +. HOLMES has
not lost his interest in the Salt
Lake water problem although alb
sent from the city. He writes letter
TO the manager of The Herald that is
published herewith because of the good
suggestions it contains. Colonel Holmes
has been vitality interested in the So
luton Of the water problem for years.
He was president of the Commercial
club when that organization undertook
the Big Cottonwood project. He could
have had the Republican nomination
for mayor this year had he said the
word. 1t is clear from his letter that
his sympathies are largely with the
present city administration in the war
fare now on. OF course, the colonel
was not in a position 10 know when he
wrote that investigation of the Liberty
park project had been undertaken.
Here is the letter, dated Chicago, Sept.
rs, 1905:
Letter of Colonel Holmes.
only a few days ago / read a very
interesting and satisfactory editorial
in The Herald concerning the support
that should be given Mayor Morris in
his endeaVors to give the city better
most heartily agree. Get what out
side water you can, set it as cheap as
possible; but get it. Get it by pur-
chase, get it by exchange, get il by
condemnation proceeding any way
only get it.
Why do you know there have been
times in the past, there may have been
time this summer, there may be such
a time again next year, when, ii you
had all the flow from Big and Little
CottOnWoOds, Mill creek, Emigration
and City creek you had not enough
water for city of 100 600 Inhabitants.
Now, there never will be d time when
you can get it all, or nearly all be
cause your power of exchange from
Utah lake is greatly lessened by the
failure OF the government TO take up
that work in the reclamation service
THE city's one-fifth interest in that
development has greatly changed
the situation, as it is the 500 second
feet pumping process has given the
Utah lake a foot or more lower level
than one year ago. So 1 say, bay all
the water rights obtainable that can
be diverted for the use of the civ in
exchange for Mill creek, Big and Little
GottOnWOods. the Gordon springs OF
any other water that We can use.
Must Save Flood Waters.
Eventually you must reservoir tho
flood waters, for in no other way can
you tide over that period between the
middle of July and the middle of Sep
TENDER. when the natural flow is the
smallest and the City's need is greatest
-Four hundred gallons per capita is not
too much during that period, especially
If we calculate upon a great deal of
manufacturing, which is the life of the
city.
denver uses that amount and where
water is metered, each party pay for
just what water is used and the user
pays three 10 four times the
rate charged in Salt Lake City. Denver
and Colorado Springs are about the
only cities that compare with ours i'm
dryness of climate, amount OF sunshine
and the greater need for AN abundant
supply of water.
The fault is not with the city adj
miniStrauiOn that il does too much but
that it does too little in this regard
and if you could see your way to en-
dOrse the Liberty park proposition. 10
be taken hold Of by the city, it would
seem to me the thing 10 do, and poiiti-
cally il would be the strongest card
your party could have. for the measure
would be immensely popular, for an
other season of short water is surely
coming.
1T does not need prophet nor the
son of a prophet TO prove this. even
with an unusual precipitation this
winter, the ground being SO dried out
will absorb more, and the city is grow
ing-will continue to grow. No one
man, no dozen men, no hundred men
can prevent il, 1t can be held I'm check
for time but not for long with those
great natural resources, practically uH-
developed as yet
Utah Must Furnish the Ore.
The world must have your base
metals as well as your precious ones
Lake Superior country is preparing TO
move 10000, geo tons Of iron ore next
year. The supply cannot long hold out
at this rate and where else but in Titan
is there another such deposit?
What does all this have 10 do with
the artesian well proposition? In my.
estimation, it has very much 10 do with
1t, because should we have another
season of short water supply. by reason
OF light rainfall and n further uucer-
tainty of the Cottonwood conduit not
being completed in time, then this sum
mer's scarcity must be again repeated
10 the great Encouragement Of all in
terests. 1t were not so important per
haps were one sure that conduit would
be completed in time but would it be
safe TO put the pressure on that con-
duit Immediately upon completion? It
is doubtful If any engineer would
think so. Excuse me if / have written
too much or too strongly. but my IN