The daily sentinel., 1906-07-31
JUST A LAST WORD.

that which wisdom suggests, forget
ting your minor differences, and put
ting aside your infirmities of distrust,
and sacrificing upon the altar of our
city's good all hate, envy, spite and
anger, that all, in the days to come,
may be of good cheer and leave a
goodly heritage for those who come
afterwards. This city is sorely in
need of new water supply. upon
this proposition all are agreed. Our
Chamber of Commerce, composed of
solid citizens. representing the pro-
gressive spirit of the times, recogniz-
ed this, and, rightly divining that the
public had confidence in its wisdom,
and faith in its efforts to build a city
and supply it with the conveniences
and necessities, went to the city coun-
ell and requested that body to in
vestigate the feasibility and cost of
securing a mountain water system.
The council did so, and has placed
before the public the data obtained.
and now submits to the qualified vot
ers the question as to whether or not
we shall have mountain water. The
information was obtained in COM
mon sense business way, and its COR
rectness is vouched for by men of
known intelligence and integrity.
The Chamber of Commerce was will
ing to trust them, else it would not
have made them its agents; the peo-
pie have expressed confidence in
them, else they would not have been
elected to the positions they hold.
They report that with an investment
of 100000 for the city, they can OBJ
tain good mountain water and plenty
of 1t, and agree to undertake the con-
struction of the system, using dill
gence, economy and faithfulness in
the work, If the city elects to make
the investment.
These men are as competent and
honest as We may elect for twenty
years to come.
The city is amply able to pay the
100000 and no better Investment
can be made, If the returns are what
is promised
We have fifteen years in which to
pay the bonds, and in the meantime
the city will grow, and the securing
of mountain water will give ipcreas-
ed impetus to its growth, and as 1t
grows, the debt will be the easier
paid.
The health of the city as seen by
physicians, who study these matters.
demands this Improvement The
business interests of the city and the
valley measured by the experience of
Otnti tltltS anu loN
uated, will be benefited materially
by this Improvement.
The use of the water in the Gun
nison river for irrigation purposes in
Montrose county will in the nera fu-
ture compel this city to secure its
water from some other source, ana
as the past is the best prophet of the
future, we may readily conclude that
a change can be made now. voluntar-
lily, cheaper than two or three years
from now, practically under compul-
sion.
Weighing all these conditions, and
giving due credit to the claims of
those who see matters in a different
light. the Sentinel believes the wisest
course is to provide al once for noun
tain water. In advocating this propo-
sition, we have no other object or in
centive than the betterment of the
city. Our interests are identical with
that of other men who have made
their homes here, and who have the
laudible desire to see Grand juno
tion a city of $4,000, with all of the
surroundings that go to make a pro-
gressive citizenship, happy homes,
peaceful and contented lives. Nature
has richly endowed this valley, Civ
ing us the material in land and sky
and climate, and placing within our
reach pure water, bidding us to util
ize all for the purposes of life, and
1t behooves us to take advantage of
her blessings.
We boast of our climate and our
boast Is founded in reason and exper-
fence. We boast of our orchards,
and their productivensss justifies our
pride. We boast of our soils produc-
ing everything in plentitude and per-
fection that fits the seasons and our
boasts are plain statments of facts.
We boast of our splendid irrigation
s. stem and tell of its possibilities for
growth In extent, and the solid founa-
alton upon which 1t is laid, and the
vast volume of water flowing haro-by
ard the thousands of acres yet ur-
touched by the plcngh-share, and our
boast is but the enumeration of the
provisions nature has made.
We Least OF ori Religious, soc'a,.
and educational blessings, inspire and
luItet. schools ani Libraries confirm
our claims.
We boast OF a commanding sltul-
ton that must ma.ss us the largest
and hest city between Denver aac
Salt Lake.
But whoever heard of Grand
Junction citizen, ..'e or fema'e.
young or old. sad or gay, sober of
drunk, at home or abroad boast of the
most important ingredient that enters
into iife-water. Th!s is our W AK
point, our only weak point; this is
our stumbling block. our only stumb-
ling blorL this Is the skeleton in Tic
closet. our only sEelston. The tine
Is ripe for remedy Ing this defect, aud
the opportunity is et hand.
Good pure mOrntain water won Ill
not only bring o;ters here, but II
would solve the pIs Lem of a perma-
nent home for Ll1f who are hsce:
the man who knows he will stay. is
the man who makes permanent i'm
provements, takes on interest in af-
fairs and becomes a booster.
Most big cities spend millions for
their water systems. and no effort is
spared to get the purest and the best.
Where health and life depend upon
pure water. a few dollars should not
stand in the way.