The Greeley tribune., 1905-03-30
TALK
LEAGUE GIVES
SOME PERTINENT FACTS
A Communication That Should
Be Read by Every Prog
ressive Gre eley
Citizen

A Communication to the public
from the Municipal League of Gree
ley:
The Municipal League of Greeley,
a nonpartisan organization whose
sole reason for existence Is to study
in an impartial way all questions of
local interest, and to promote those
public projects which are for the
good Of the whole community, wish
to urge upon all voters of Greeley the
following considerations in regard to
the water question:
In the first place it has been
argued by opponents of the issuing Of
bonds for water. that the tax on the
bonds would increase the present tax
alton. This position is wholly un-
tenable. The expense of running
the present pumping station (which
would Of course be discontinued)
would almost pay the interest on the
bonds; and the full supply of soft
water would so increase the use of
water that the small difference be-
tween present expenses and interest
on the bonds would be much more
than balanced.
1t has been further urged that by
establishing the new water system
the present Investment for water
would be lost-thrown away. This
also is mistake. OF the 100000,
more or less, now invested in our
water works (of which some s65, 600 Is
covered by bonds) all but about
Sl5, 900 is invested in mains, ETC.,
that will be used in the new system;
and the only possible loss would be
between the present value of the
pumping outfit and what it could be
sold for-if the city considers it wise
to sell loss of not one tenth of
the present investment.
In this connection, it is we'll to
remember that if mountain water is
not secured now, it will cost much
more in the near future and exten-
sive enlargement of the present plant
will have to be made at an expense
of from $50, 600 $4,000. This will
be an immediate expense, and an ex-
pense tor temporary improvement;
while the bond issue will cause ex-
pense only as the money is used, and
this expense will be for permanent
Improvements.
1t has been suggested that by
direct pressure system we are likely
to have muddy water; and one of our
neighboring towns is cited with some
plausibility to prove the point. 1t
should be noticed, however, that con-
ditions are peculiar in that town
owing to the number of mines above
its present intake, and to the fact
that the intake is only temporary
and is to be moved. There is a sys-
TEN that makes muddy water in the
pipes almost impossible, and such a
system is contemplated for Greeley.
But there are more dangerous
things than mud in water; and to
just such danger we are peculiarly
liable under our present water sys-
TEN. The chemicals dumped into
the Cache la Poudre only short
distance above the intake of our
present supply. during the short run
lao,
all the fish in the stream. The
amount of this poison will soon be
greatly increased by the increased
business of the factories at Windsor
and Fort Collins: and while the
water is safe enough for the present,
it is the opinion Of some who have
looked into the case, that it is only
a matter of short time until the
gravel through which our present
supply filters will be saturated with
poison and our whole present plant
have to be given over.
But whether the supply be con-
taminated or not, 1t Is only short
time until we shall have to get water
elsewhere. Enterprises are contin-
ually being turned away from us on
account of our water. Good resi-
dents that We might have constantly,
leave us for places with better water.
And finally, we cant go on indeti-
nitely increasing the expense Of our
present pumping arrangement. We
must, have soft water before long,
later We shall have to pay more