The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-09-02
THE WATER QUESTION.
Sane Suggestion for an Adequate Sup.
ply Presented BY judge Goodwin.

Mr.. Brown, out near Liberty park,
sank a little we'll four hundred feet
deep. Since then his only trouble has
been to control the water. 1t supplies
| his house, seems all the time deter
mined to knock off his roof, supplies his
premises and runs to waste a perpet-
ual large stream. To establish a pump
ing and air COMPRISING plant at the
citys wells above Liberty park and to
lay mains to the reservoir at the head
of First South street ought not to con-
sumo more than ninety days time and
cost perhaps $150000. But a pump with
| tower to supply one-third of the city
could be eSta blished for $50, 900. 1t
should be the first duty of the council
to order the installation of that plant.
1t might be the salvation of the city
when the extreme cold weather of
December comes on, and all the
streams are low. The city barely es-
capped a water famine last December.
There are engineers who believe that
the flow there can be increased to 80
100000 gallons, but even suppose it
only amounts to 100000, that would
take away all apprehension of a water
shortage, and that would be a source
Of supply that would not be diminished
by the heat of summer or the ex-
hauStion of the snow in the noun
tains. Neither would it be affected by
the extreme cold of the early winter
And no damage suits would follow.
The pumping there would cost no more
than at Utah lake. 1t is a perfectly
practical and sensible way of insuring
the city an abundance of pure water
summer and winter. It would not in
the least be in the way of bringing in
the Cottonwood water rather it would
greatly lessen the risks of that enter
prise, as it would save much pumping
from Utah lake and reduce the graft
of the farmers, who are expecting four
gallons of Utah lake water for every
gallon of Cottonwood turned toward
this city But in the meantime that
water from Liberty park and from the
canal should be made to sprinkle all
the upper half of the city. 1t could be
arranged at slight expense. At pres
ent the grotesque spectacle is presented
of city gasping under a water fam
Inc while Il, 000000 gallons are running
to waste through the streets every day.
1t shows that criminal Carelessness has
been the rule for years, and it surely
is time to utilize the blessings that are
here for the asking.
There is another matter that should
be seen to. That is whether or not
new great reservoir can be established
IN City Creek canyon to impouTd the
food waters of that stream and double
its effectiveness through the three dry
months. That water is likewise city
property: an increa sc in its flow will
all be to the benefit of the city; if the
volume can be doubled, no honest
farmers can claim their right to APP
propriate a large proportion of it and
to sue the city for damages if it falls
off in the dry season.
The pitiable fact remains that there
would have been no water famine if
the citv had proceeded to wisely hus-
band the supply which passes through
the city daily.
Now that the city attorney has de-
cided that the money received from the
bonds may be used to obtain water
from any source, the Liberty park
wells should be thoroughly tested. On
one of those wells Nh Hines ran a big
pump q long time without reducing the
flow in the least. In the belief of many
engineers the supply that can be
obtained there will exceed the flow of
City Creek, Parley's Creek and Emil
grafton canyon combined, enough by
itself to supply 2 city of this size.
Whatever amount can be obtained is
better than to pump it from Utah lake.
1t is pure water. it is right here within
the city. it belongs to the city; it is not
affected by the cold Winter-it is the
atrangest thing in the world that it
was not made to reinforce the city's
water supply years ago-Goodwin'
Weekly.