The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-03-02
4 $20,000.00
IMPROVEMENT
Water and Electric Light Systems
Begun. To Complete June lst.

Work began on the system OF
-.+.r works for Kennewick began
Monday morning. Wood & coch-
r.u, the grantees, lay the intake
nine and commence the reservoir.
~. contract. for laying the mains
3 !; and the installation of light plant
J. entire are let to Olympia and Spok-
one firms. To everyone in Kenne-
wick this is joyful news.
Pure water and in abundance is
necessity to the health of a COM
muni,y. TO secure it is the water
nroblem every city must solve with
Greater or less success. Especially
urqent for solution is this problem
h. semi-arid section. To ne
qlect the question may bring on a
fever epidemic such as has been ex-
'perienced in the older irrigated dis
tricts Of the Yakima valley and at
Sunnyside where the situation be-
came so serious that the state board
Of health was compelled to take
charge aud use extreme measures
to restore normal healthtul condi-
tions.
The citizens and business men of
Keunewick were keenly alive to
the gravity of the problem. During
the heated term of the summer of
1905 citizens were saying to each
other. "This town can't 60 another
summer without city water.
- The great advantage of our loca-
ton ON the Columbia river was gen.
orally recognized. An abundant
supply of pure, cold water from
this magnificent stream furnishes
anatural water supply the finest in
the world, running near at hand.
Our problem is simply one of ap-
propriating natures gift and dis
tributing it through pipes to the
town. No heavy expense for wells
nor anxiety on account of made
quate supply. Ritzville paid out
over $4,000 for the wells for her
water system and other towns have
incurred like expense under the
similar circumstances.
Responsive to the popular opinion
the council composed of Mayor
Edw. Sheppard, and Councilmen
d. A. Bier, Hanson, Johnson,
King and Moore took up the ques.
lion in thoroughgoing way.
various plans were discussed. In
the tall Messrs. Wood & Cochran
made their first proposals to the
council and their attorney 1. N.
Smith Of Lewiston made the orig
mai draft for a franchise. After
many notifications and much dis
euss'on an equitable basis was
reached. At especial meeting of
Tue council on December II, 1905
Tue franchise was granted and after
publication in the Courier in the
issue OF January S, Ieo6, it became
operative. Actual construction
l, mas now begun within the 60 dav
! limit set by that document.
:. ue nr't undertaking is the put
ens In and anchoring of the intake
p'pe' This consists of a ,o-incb
"0n pipe extending out into the
ua'n Channel ofthe Columbia river
SN point at the northwest corner
:" 'ne town corporation. This tube
'ensnaped at the end and cover
ca with fine mesh screen. The
!" a'e' oeing at low stage makes this
'nost favorable time to do this
20. Q! the work. County Survey
VA: W "A: L. Smith with his party are
~, .A'ns the preliminary surveys,
ue distance from the intake aper-
'e 10 the pumping pit is 27o feet.
0u 'n's point the water will be
. .s'seo to the reservoir or stand pipe
=. A< whence it will course through
co. various mains by gravity pres
su'e to the different divisions. Two
a a half miles of lines of main.