Cañon City record., 1906-11-29

One of the most largely attended
meetings in the recent history of the
Canon City Merchants Association
was held Monday night, at which the
several questions of Importance to the
public were taken up for considera-
ton, among them being the purifica-
ton OF the Arkansas river and new
water supply for the people of this
community.
Messrs. Wallace Schoolfield, d. H.
Craig, t. C. Bode and V. C. Davenport
of Salida, representing the Chamber
of Commerce of that city, were pres
ent and addressed the association in
the interest of the movement TO re-
store the Arkansas river to its orig
inal condition, SO far as the purity OF
its water is concerned.
Each of the gentlemen named ex-
pressed the opinion that the Arkansas
river could be made one of the most
attractive streams in the state If the
matter of its publication is taken up
| IL DS luS PCopiS ikAooe NiiS SSeAs
oncerned in the subject
A primary and fundamental step to-
wards the attainment of this end is to
stop by legal process the operations
Granite, some twenty miles this side
of Leadville, which. during the greater
part of the year, destroys the purity
of the water of the Arkansas river by
washing into it vast quantities of veg
etabie and mineral matter, rendering
1t unwholesome for drinking. and do
mestic purposes.
There are, according to the Salida
gentlemen, no insurmountable DIM
culties in the way of stopping the
placer workings at Granite, which,
more than anything else. will con-
tribute to making the Arkansas river
habitable to trout and other game fish.
"The Arkansas river can be made
as attractive to the disciples of Isaak
Walton as the Gunnison," said Mr..
Schoolfield, "and more than 100000
people living in the valley through
which it flows are vitality interested
n the movement to prevent the pol
luton of it's waters"
The Salida representatives stated
motives in endeavoring TO bring about
an Improvement in the condition of
the river water.
"Salida," said Mr.. Davenport, gets
its supply of water for drinking and
domestic purposes from mountain
sources and is not dependent upon
the river in this respect
A muddy stream, it was contended.
detracted from the appearance OF the
towns through which it flowed, and 1t
was a reproach to the cities of the
Arkansas valley that they should per
nit the pollution of q river which was
in many respects one of the most at
tractive and picturesque in the coun-
try.
/ IF we can by cooperation prevent
the placer companies and the smelters
from washing their NTH and dirt into
the river by injunction, or by some
other form of legal proceeding" de-
clared Mr. Bode, I'VE can by the same
means secure the enactment of laws
by the Legislature that will keep it
clean"
! The purpose of the committees visit
lere was to arouse a public sentiment
the matter and to secure if possible
he support of the Merchants Asso-
citation in presenting the question TO
the people of Florence, Pueblo, and
,ther valley towns which have not
yet taken an active part In the move
ment.
| Although realizing the wisdom OF
doing something to stop the pollution
of the river by the agencies named,
the association decided to take nc
action in the matter until its January
meeting.
The question of supply of noun
tain water for Canon City was also
considered at length. Mayor Coulter
made an exhaustive statement of the
plans and ambitions of the city to
procure n supply of pure mountain
water from Cottonwood creek. He
presented many startling facts and
figures to show the feasibility of the
plan outlined by photographer Hiram
Phillips to bring the water here from
that source, and pointed out that II
was entirely within the power of the
people to undertake the enterprise and
l~,rrv a. 4. onr~aouf,,s tarrulu faop