Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-05-26
A WATER Letter.
The First Citizen to Contribute
on the Water Question.

EDITOR GAZETTE:-By the
way Of correction, let me say
>that too manv false conclusions
have been publicly expressed in
the papers circulating in Cor
wallis. 1t has been said that the
water company was obstructing
the smooth progress of the water
mission, or words to that
eff. ct. Bat am in a position,
having been the attorney for that
company, to say this is absolute
ly wrong.
AS matter of fact, the water
company, SO far as know, will
welcome any intelligent move
ment, whether municipal or pri
vate, to introduce gravity sys-
tenn of mountain water in Cor
wallis, we'll knowing that its dis
tributing system in the city will
make it a matter of economy for
any water seller to own the pres
ent company's franchise and valu-
pipe system.
There has been more or less
said about the inadequacy of our
pipes, but in water system grid
ironing the town, there would be
very little of our pipe but what
would work into the distributing
system and serve for many wears.
And iron pipe costs money, you
know 1t is very easy for theoret-
ical or impractical persons to
make statements which the facts
might not justify in this matter,
but whenever the town is piped
I as it ought to be, you will find
these same pipes here now, used
in the system. l say that with
out hesitation, for it is matter of
economy, and whoever under
takes the matter is bound to con-
>>sult economy, especially as all
private investors, except the Cor
sallis water company, have con-
demned the long and expensive
pipe line from the mountains, as
impractical, owing to the great
cost and the small income.
No one, using his own money,
wants to furnish mountain water
to Corvallis without profit. My
personal judgment, whatever that
amounts to, is that the owner OF
a sixteen-mile pipe line from the
mountains to Corvallis, will find
it an expensive luxury. A luxury
for two reasons, the first of which
is that the Willamette water al
Corvallis is as pure and healthful
as any water. That is proved
every year in Corvallis, for the
reason that no case OF sickness
can be traced to Corvallis Viii
lamette water, and never ha:
been and never will be, either
The State Board of health ha.
approved of Willamette water a
healthful, at Corvallis. Will th.
Gazette or any one else venture
to say that this city is unhealthy
on account of the water furnish
ed by the Corvallis water com
pany, in the face of contrary fact
well known to the entire com
munity?
A gravity system has its ad
vantages, and I think every on
would like to see such a syster
here. 1t might be within tn
means of this community to OF
tain supply through the entir
year, at an elevation of $50 feet
oftwo hundred thousand gallons
and that is more than this tow
will need for long time, fror
springs within FIVE miles of towr
- There are several springs thu
high, within that distance, whic
n uIy season Will IuTn1S
probably that amount
water, and for eight months
the year a great deal more. II
water from these springs
artesian, and even more pure tha
that from Rock Creek, which f
a number of miles is subject
contamination of dead animal
decaying trees, foliage, etc., b
fore reaching an intake sixte,
or eighteen miles from Corva1li
and you must remember that
a small mountain stream, the i
take will catch every particle
nnnfa rr,inafinn That is To ca