La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1906-03-03

Burns s Mcdonnell, the hydrzullc
and sanitary engineers. in their re-
port on the proposed improvements
10 our water works plant. said:
If the state of Colorado had
authority through its health officials
70 condemn the present. supply. Il
would have been condemned some
time ago When il Is considered
that the health Of the community
depends 50 much upon its public
water supply. We feel that il i more
good fortune than anything else that
your city has not had an epidemic.
due to the pollution Of the water
supply. and while We do not wish to
make the situation APPEAR alarming.
yet we do feel that immediate steps
should be taken to secure a new
source of supply far enough up
stream to avoid the contamination
and drainage that now enters the
river from the property adjoining
the river bank where refuse is con-
stantly being washed along the bank.
where a pollution Of the present sup
ply cannot help but follow"
IL is apparant To anyone who has
made an investigation of present
conditions that more modern water
works plant is an absolute necessity,
both as 10 economy in cost of oper-
alton and the necessity Of better fire
protection. but a. 10 increased vol
ume Of water as well IL is impos-
siDle 10 conceive of a single reason
able objection that any property
owner who l. Interested in the future
Of La Junta can make To the pro-
posed bond issue. The water plant
has always been self-sustaining. and
will continue To be- 50 even after the
proposed improvements are made.
The engineers declare that the cost
of operating the plant. after the i'm
provements are made. will not eN-
coed one-third of the present cost,
and this saving alone will be suffi-
cient to pay off the bond issue with
in the allotted period Of fifteen years.
Burns & Donnell. the engineers esti-
mate the total cost of installing the
new plant. at s47 .2o7. At special
meeting of the city council. held
yesterday morning. the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
Resolved. that the city council
Of the city of La Junta hereby
pledges itself To the taxpayers and
citizens Of the city Of La Junta, that
in the event the contemplated i'm
provements of and additions to the
water system of said city are au-
thorized by the taxpayers Of said
city. at a special election to be held
March 6. 1906. they will not issue
bonds Of said city therefor. in ex-
cess of the sum of $4,000"
Some of our prominent citizens"
have declared that they were op-
posed to to writing a blank check in
favor of the city council. giving it
power to expend whatever sum
deemed necessary i'm establishing the
new water plant. In order TO enlist
the confidence of property owners
the members of the city council de-
cided to pass the foregoing resolu-
ton So there is not the least possible
show for a hold up" or private
graft.
The contract entered into by the
mayor and city council with William
+. Sweet & Co.. bond buyers Of
Denver, is as follows:
To the Honorable Mayor and City
Council. La Junta. Colorado.
GENTLEMEN: For your $50. .00o
legally issued five per cent water
bonds. dated April /. 1906. due in
l0-l5 years. interest payable semi
annually at the office of the city
treasurer of La Junta. Colo. or at
the Banking House of Kountze
Bros. in the City of New York. at
the option of the holder. we will pay
you par and Si5 premium, delivery
to be made as required by engineers
estimate.
This bid is made with the under
standing that We are to have the
favorable legal opinion of Mr.. James
II. Pershing. of Denver. on this
issue. prior to our taking up and
paying for the bonds. Said bonds