Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-30
THE ENGINEER
ON BONDISSU
City Engineer Gives his Reasons Why
Taxpayers Should Support Grav-
ity System Plan.
Mr.. Wasmansdorff Says His Estimate
is Ample and Guarantees It Will
Cover Cost.

The following article on the pro-
posed bond issue to cover the cost of
changing the present waterworks sys-
lem into gravity system has been
prepared by City Engineer Wasman-
dorff with a view of throwing some
light on points not we'll understood.
anc to answer some of the objections
made by Taxpayer" in his commun-
ition that appeared in the last issue
of the Argus:
Having been requested to define
the reasons why the council of the
City of Lewistown saw fit to unani-
mously adopt the report upon the
gravity system, reasons other than
the ones mentioned in the report, |
beg the Indulgence of the taxpayers.
Before entering into these questions,
1t seems wise to analyse the valuable
communication by "A Taxpayer" He
says in part, Under the proposed
system the same water would be used,
a hard lime water" etc. Is it the
same water? EmphaticaIIy no. 1t is
mixture of this pure spring water
with the drainage of the Spring creek
watershed and 18 miles of East Fork
and all of its tributaries, making in
all about 80 miles of territory upon
which dead animals may accumulate.
living animals and human beings may
Sc journ and sickness may be an oc-
casional visitor. Quite difference be-
tween this and clear spring water.
"Taxpayer' asks Has an analysis
been made showing the present water
to be detrimental to tine health of
the consumer" No analysis has been
made and granting that the creek is
as pure as the spring, for the sake of
argument, does Taxpayer" mean to
say that it will be as pure tomorrow or
must we wait until the water has be-
come contaminated and has taught
us a sorrowful lesson before we again
clamor for the gravity system?
will give brew outline of a typhoid
fever epidemic in the town of Ply
mouth Pa. one of many similar cases
because this town resembles in a way
our own little city. There they went
a long distance into the hills for a
pure supply of water from stream
OF swiftly flowing water" A typhoid
fever epidemic broke out in March '84
causing 1000 cases and over 100
deaths. The epidemic was studied on
the spot by competent engineers and
physicians. 1t was found that all the
houses with city water were affected
ana all of the houses with wells were
imune until secondary infection took
place. (This is no argument in favor
of filthy wells, but an argument for
better city water) In Jan. "a four
men took typhoid in the city of Phil
adelphia. Three were detained and
the fourth escaped by the aid of his
friends into the hills where ne receiv-
ed the care of trained nurse. His
bowel movements were thrown out
on the SHOWS of hillside without be-
ing disinfected. There they lay until
q spring thaw and warm rain wash
them into beautiful swiftly running
stream of mountain water" and the
city of Plymouth mourned over 100
deaths as a result. The financial as.
pect of this is at hand
Ioss of wages for those who
recovered ................$3 $3O, 1000
Care of the sick. ....... 67O1O.17
Yearly earnings Of those who
died 18,419.52
Total costs .$115, ,429. SO
This was the city's expense bill.
not to mention the bereaved families.
LewistOwn is indeed fortunate with
its large watershed in being healthy
fe with providence too long or We
may need new cemetery long be-
fore we neeed a new school house
Taxpayer" says there are stringent
laws protecting a stream against pol
luton and an example made of one
or two Offenders"etc. People in glass
houses must not throw stones. Lewis
town is the worst offender on the
stream when it comes to dumping
filth into ii.
Taxpayer" "says recall the repu-
tatiOn of the cities which have be-
come engulfed in debt" The council
is in accord with him there and did
rot like to assume the increased in
dehtedness, but after deliberation,
chose the lesser of the two evils and
chose to scare investors away by an
increased bonded indebtedness whit
ont an increase in taxes, rather than
make him shun the country altogeth er
because We have a high death rate
and the record of an epidemic or two
to blacken the escutcheon of our beaut-
iful little city.
Taxpayer" makes an unfavorable
comparison that seems entirely un-
fair to me. He compares the operating