Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-21
MOVE TO PROTECT
C|7YS WATERSHEDS
Mayor Morris SrnnrtS Letters
To Council and Suggests
Needed Legislation.
HOLIDAY ASKS FOR STATEMENT
Wants to Know How Much Bond Mon
cy Is still Unexpcnded--Rcsult
OF Recent Election.

At the meeting Of the city council
last evening Mayor Morris submitted
the communication received from Secy.
of the Interior Wilson and Acting
Forester Overton w Price in regard TO
the assistance to be given the city In
protecting its watersheds by the Gre
alton OF forest reserves in Big and Lit
tie Cottonwood canyons. Both officials
state that they viii render every assist
anCe possible to protect the watersheds.
Mayor Morris in his communication TO
the council suggests that memorial
be addressed to the next Legislature
asking that the jurisdiction OF the city
over its water sources be extended TO
20 miles from the intake instead or ~
miles, as at present The mayors com
municaton to the council follows:
LETTER FROM MAYOR.
"Qentlemen-ln response to our pro-
test filed with the government at
Washington against the approval OF
any applications Of private parties for
reservoir sites within the salt Lake
forest reserve, have received letters
from the secretary OF agriculture,
whose jurisdiction extends over the
matter. and from the f0resterpromising
that their department will aid In every
way possible to protect the water sup
ply OF our city.
Acting under Instructions from the
department, the forest ranger has sub
mitted an application of J. NJ. Thomas
for the privilege OF occupying for 10
years one-quarter OF an acre of ground
above Silver lake. at the head of the
fHg,ss s,sa a A. "a
cation will undoubtedly be followed by
many others of similar nature. IL
opens up the general question as to the
attitude Of the city In this matter.
The neighborhood OF Silver lake has
become a popular refuge for our citl-
gems during the hot summer months,
and many cottages have already been
built there, some on patented lands
and some on lands under the control OF
The department Of agriculture. To at
tempt to keep these people out altogeth-
er does not seem necessary at this
time, II proper sanitary regulations can
be enforced. | recommend, therefore,
that we withhold any protest against
granting such applications, provided
the occupancy permits are for short
periods Of time only and are subject
10 such restrictions as may exist or
may UtItAlktl w DIutItl Ny any uu-
thorlty vested with power TO enforce
sanltay regulations on the watersheds
of streams supplying the city with wa
ter.
II recommend that the council me-
moriaize the next state Legislature TO
amend the present statutes so as to eX-
tend the jurisdiction OF this city over all
streams or sources from which the city
water supply is obtained. TO a limit Of
go miles above the point of diversion
instead Of 10 miles as at present, Re-
specially.
RICHARD p. MORRIS,
Mayor"
The letter of the secretary Of agri-
culture follows
FROM SECY. WILSON
Hon. Richard p. Morris, Mayor Salt
Lake City, Utah. Sir. have the honor
to acknowledge receipt, by reference
from the secretary of the interior OF
your letter of Sept. 10 to him. presenting
the resolution OF the city council Of
Salt Lake City protesting against the
approval of any application for reser-
voir sites in the Salt Lake forest re-
serve
Your statements as to the impor-
lance of protecting the water supply OF
Salt Lake City are fully appreciated,
Your letter has been referred to the
forester for his information, so that the
forest service may closely scrutinize any
application that may be made for
water rights or other claims that may
arise within the forest reserve.
81 wish TO assure you that this de-
partment will aid in evsry way posi- 70
tn
supply OF your city. Very respectfully,
JAMES WILSON, Secy'
The communication from the acting
forester follows:
FROM FORESTER PRICE.
Hon. Richard p. Morris, Mayor. SAT-
Lake city. Utah. Dear Sir. Your let
ter of Sept. 10 has been received. The
Jurisdiction over reservoir sites within
forest reserves, except for municipal
or mining purposes and for the pur-
poses of the milling and reduction of
ores IS now within the department of
agriculture. and all applications which
fall under the excepted cases are re-
ferred to the forest service for inyesti-
CATION and report. Since the primary
object in the creation of the Salt Lake
forest reserve was TO conserve the wa
ter supply of the valley and city ~
Salt Lake you may rest assured that
no applications Of this sort Will b.
granted before n full investigation Is
made on the ground by an officer OF the
forest reserve. In order that the forest
service may be IN possession OF full in
formation in regard to the city's water
supply for the purposes of regulating
grazing and the granting or refusing
occupancy applications, I would suggest
that you direct the city engineer 'u
prepare me a map showing the location
OF an the streams, reservoirs and spring
from which the water Of Salt Lake Is
now obtained, or viii be obtained In tu-
turc. Upon receipt Of the map we can
then make the administration serve
more directly the primary object fot
| which the reserve was created, tn
proper protection of the watershed
| Very truly yours,
"OVERTON w. PRICE,
Acting Forester
The communications were referred ID
| the special water committee for con-
| sideration.
STATEMENT WANTED.
vTohJoy nresanfad a resolution "A gk