Gilpin observer., 1907-06-20
CENTRAL CITY
COUNCIL MEETS

All the aldermen were present and in
the absence of Mayor Davies, Alder
man Gilman acted as mayor pro tenn.
Messrs. Harry Kane, Louis Rach-
ofsky and others interested in the ball
team appeared before the council and
asked that the grand stand in the city
park be extended to the sidewalk on
Spring street to increase its seating
capacity, and that other improvements
be made in the structure SO that the
ball games could be witnessed with less
fear to the spectators of the stand col
lapsing. A strong talk was made for
these improvements and after a little
discussion the city dads concluded that
the grand stand in it's present state was
not credit to the city and agreed to
place it in the proper condition. Bids
were asked for the carpenter work and
were submitted at the meeting of the
board held Friday evening. Only two
bids were submitted-G Glanville &
Peeck's and Almond Thompson's. The
contract for the work was let to Clan
vile and Peck for $375.00, with in
structions to commence the extension of
the grand stand at once.
After the reading of the minutes of
the previous meeting, which were ap-
proved, the reports of the clerk, water
collector and water commissioner were
submitted. Water commissioner john
son had prepared his report in writing
and the statements he made regarding
certain of the city's possessions in the
way of pipe lines, reservoirs and other
matters pertaining to the water system,
caused the aldermen to open their eyes
in wonderment. 1t was apparent that
what he had discovered on investigat-
ing the system, the reservoirs and pipe
lines had been neglected shamefully
during the past administrations.
In his report Thursday evening Mr..
johnson said that at the last regular
meeting he had expressed the belief to
the board that the reservoir on Eureka
street had not been cleaned for several
years and that the same was in leaky
condition; as council granted him the
permission to proceed and use his dis
cretion in the matter, he had drained
the reservoir and found the same in a
most filthy condition. To use the ex-
act language of the water commission
er, it was "a typhoid-breeding pool and
how the citizens escaped some epidemic
from this source was something re-
markable. He said he found the
cement facing of the reservoir cracked
in many places and repaired over 240
feet of these cracks; he found one
crack in the bottom of the reservoir
about so feet long and not wishing to
assume all the responsibility of this
seemingly serious matter, consulted
with the chairman and other members
of the water committee, also the mayor.
These after seeing the crack advised
that he follow the plans he had in mind
in making the repairs, and now, ac-
cording to Mr.. johnson, the reservoir
is not only clean but in condition not
to leak.
The commissioner vert on further to
state he had also discovered while max
ing some repairs on the Wilson pipe
line, that both the Wilson and flasher
lines were in a very serious condition
and he would advise that these be re-
laid with new pipe, not smaller than
six inches in diameter. He also adj
vised that this pipe line be pressure
line from point west of Mack's brew
cry to the lower Wilson ranch, and that
the small wooden reservoir in Wilson
stone building being in poor condition,
it should be replaced. Mr.. Johnson
said the main six-inch pipe line from
Pine street to Academy reservoir is in
a leaky condition and should be replaced
with six-inch cast iron pipe line. In
the remainder of his report the water
commissioner told of the other lines that
needed repairing badly, his report in
general conveying the impression that
the old council had made no pretense
whatever of having the water system
kept in good repair and properly looked
after.
Street Commissioner Launder made a
verbal report, claiming that the work
on the fume was not progressing as
rapidly as it should owing to the scar
city of lumber, the firm to whom the
contract was awarded being unable to
supply the timbers and plank as fast as
they were needed. He said owing to
the grave possibility of freshets wash
ing out what had been done on the
flume If the work was not pushed to
completion, it was advisable to get the
lumber wherever he could. Council or
dered that the lumber be purchased