The daily sentinel., 1906-06-27
UP TO THE PEOPLE.

fore the people of this city. the ques-
uion of building new mountain
water system. A call has been made
for an election to vote 100000
worth of bonds to bring mountain
water to this city by gravity and
supply water that has been sought
by the people for so many years.
In the call no designated source of
supply has been mentioned but 1t is
generally understood that it will be
from Hannah Creek, as this source of
supply has been selected upon by the
committee of council. after very lab
orous Investigation, as to the emount
of water available.
There is some slight objection
to going to Hannah creek for
water, others urging that to go
to Mesa creek to secure water
would be the preferable source of
supply. But there was certain to
be a difference of opinion in this
matter and the members of coun-
Gil determined that the commit
tee which had been appointed by
the mayor and confirmed by them,
had made exhaustive investigation
upon the matter and were better
informed than those who senti-
mentally believed that some other
source of supply was better.
The great objection to Mesa creek,
was the amount of water and the cost
of securing what there was avail
able. To have made the attempt to
have secured Mesa creek water
would have made barren one-half of
the farms of the Plateau country and
the cost would have been simply out
of the question.
In the call for the election, as
has been stated, no final place Is
designated. As was stated by AL
derman O'Boyle at last nights
meeting, had the source of supply
been named In the call for the elec
tion to vote bonds. no other place
but that one could have been Sc.
lected. The bonds would have been
voted for one specified place and
the law would have compelled the
city to expend the money secured
from the sale of these bonds in GO
ing to that one place. If 1t is de-
veloped later and can be proven to
the satisfaction of council that some
other place is better source of
supply, ii will be found that the
council will not be arbitrary in
the matter.
For years and years the cry in this
city has been for a mountain water
system, which will give an adequate
supply of pure mountain water to
this city for domestic and well as
all purposes. In successive stages
the proposition has been fought and
from time to time abandoned. The
present council has labored earnestly
and at the request of the Chamber
of Commerce and a general demand
from the taxpayers, have afforded
means of determining whether they
desire mountain water.
So far as the Sentinel is concerned
1t is for the mountain water propo-
sltion. 1t has not concerned itself
particularly from whence the water
| should come or the source of supply.
having had faith in the committee to
furnish that information from their
investigations.
most exhaustive inquiry has
been made In the matter and we have
simple faith In the report that II Is
made entirely in an unbiased and un-
prejudiced manner and for the best
interests of the whole people. What
ever the result of the vote by the
people on this question, will be sat
isfactory. II the people do not want
the mountain water system, all they
have to do is to say so. But We know
this, that when that decision Is made.
so far as this council is concerned II
VIII pe hhai. II tney 10 not ueSlre TO
vote the bonds stated in the call, then
the question will be dropped for some
other council to struggle with and
perhaps finally determine.
Whatever is done, there will be
found some who will say that there
is not. enough water at one place
and more than enough at another
or that this is a more available
source of supply than the one Sc
lected
If council should decide to secure
the water from Mesa creek there
would have been just as many obiec-
tion to obtaining water from that
source of supply. so that council de-
cided to stand by the report of its
special committee. that has given 50
much time and unselfish work to the
matter of affording a mountain water
system.
1t has taken nearly six months to
accomplish the work that has been
done by council. There is a large
amount of data In hand for the gGii-
ance CT the city, in making the con-
tract for the construction of tho
works. We believe that If the mo-.
PIE fthis city really want mountain
water and gravity system of water
works that now is the opportune timc
for them to secure It.
1t is more than possible that the
cost will not reach 100000. The
council will advertice for bids for
construction If the bonds are vot-
ed. a reliable engineer who will.
follow the work from its very in
ception viii be employed and ade-
quate plans and specifications will
be prepared and every safeguard
thrown around the construction of
the system, so that when complet-
ed. IL undertaken, the city will
have waterworks system furn-
ishing the people pure mountain
water, of which they will be proud
and about which they will have no
regrets.
1t is the Judgment of the writer
that the system can be built for con.
siderably less that the present rough
estimate. The bidding will be open
to all corners and so far as is within
the power of the mayor and the mem
bers of the council no favorites will
be played and every safeguard will
be thrown aroung the award of the
contract, so that the citizens will cot