The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-29
WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE mo"
TOMORROW.

Editor Evening statesman: Inc
voters of Wala Walla should weigh the
water question before voting. The
city must have water; we all agree on
this point; but the pest way of solving
the question is what the voter should
know.
Is the proposition now before the
people a safe one? We say no, for
many reasons. The first one is this:
The, city by taking the waters of Mill
creek and it's branches will dry up all
these streams for at least three months
of each year, just when that water is
needed for irrigation purposes, or at
least what little water is left will not
reach very far down the valley. There
are a great many families engaged in
gardening and fruitraising who will
have to abandon this great branch of
industry, which at the least calcula-
ton brings over three quarters of a
million dollars in the city each year.
The water which is a necessity for
this industry being taken away, the
majority of these families would have
to move to some other locality, natur-
ally resulting in the loss of trade for
the merchants.
The next serious disadvantage is
this: Land now worth $500 to $500
per acre would fall in value fully two
thirds and the damage suits which
would arise and which the city would
have to pay would at a conservative
estimate amount to at least half a
million dollars.
Let us now see whether there is not
some other means of getting water.
We are told the city spent $4,000
digging a few wells on the Harbert
place last year Why dig so to so feet
deep and then stop to repeat the same
thing a few yards farther? Why is it
the city cannot get at it In a business
way just as a private individual would
well water why not do like the Bla-
lock Fruit company? They made a
contract with a well-digger who was
equipped with the proper machinery
and the result was they spent $1,000
for an Artesian well with a steady
flow of $50 gallons per minute. We
believe that what was possible on the
Blalock farm would nave been equally
possible a few miles above the city
and the $4,000 spent in carrying lot
o: men back and forth would have
sufficed for the boring of 10 artesian
wells, giving the city a nice supply OF
water. OF course the number of wells
could be increased according to the
demand. But supposing we don't want
well water, let US have Mill creek
water. but let us get it in a sensible,
practical way, which will not involve
us in expensive damage suits. Let us
egg.
By purchasing a farm or two above
the city fine site could be obtained
for constructing an immense reservoir
whose waters obtained in spring would
carry us through the summer months;
thus not interfering with one of the
industries which has contributed in
great measure to make Walla Walla
city of commercial Importance.
Engineer Thompson says that pres
ent needs of the city are 6,O00,000 gall
Ions of water daily and we should pro-
vide for 100000. He also says: In
years to come the city of Walla Walla
will require practically all Of the run
of Mill creek watershed. He does not
say or intimate in his report that TAX
ing water sufficient for the city will
not appreciably reduce the flow near
the city.
Engineer Weile says that "the city
Of Walla Walla should secure the
rights to use not less than 5,OO0,0 900
6niOio liz eIAC SSA cam 1OI
water works purposes by purchasing
enough of the irrigation and power
rights heretofore acquired by other
parties" He also says that at division
of Mill creek and Yellow Hawk these
streams flow 2S,OO0,O00 gallons per
day. (This is below where the city
will take out water.)
This is planning a system that will
take out from one-fourth to one-half
of this 2S,0O0,OOO gallons
The theory is being advanced that
the city will not actually reduce the
flow near the city to any appreciate
extent, because they take it out where
the flow is twice as large. They will
take the water that is lost. The engi-
neers do not say so, but imply to the
contrary, and because the contrary is
true, whatever amount of water the
city takes out of Mill creek it will re-
duce the flow practically to that ex-
tent near the city.
Engineer Weile says that the prior