The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-08
MHERE CREDIT is DUE.

WHERE CREDIT is DUE.
Water has finally been turned into
the Big Cottonwood conduit and Salt
Lake now has an ample supply OF per-
fcctly pure water in its mains. Both in
amount and quality Of water this city
ern city, and there are few I'm the
whole country so fortunately situated.
To whom is credit due for the condi-
ton on which every good citizen mas a
right 90 congratulate himself?
The movement to acquire the Big
Cottonwood water rights began With
the Commercial club. though it had
been under discussion for years before
that organization began its campaign
Of education and agitation. Largely
because of this effort Mayor Richard
=. Morris and his administration were
enabled TO secure popular approval for
n bond issue providing funds for the
purchase OF water rights and FOR the
construction of the conduit which is
now an accomplished fact.
I'm the most important negotiations
for the water rights the city had 10
deal with the Utah Light & Railway
company, which owned important
rights and power sites. During these
negotiations the company offered ia
exchange its rights for ain extension OF
its franchises. with no cash compensa-
tiov, In tho coD.fdoro,fo,, r~,.o,,, ,l,o
beginning to the end of these negotia-
tions Mayor Morris and his associates
were Obstructed by the newly-formed
American" party; trey were accused
OF bartering away the city's most val
liable privileges for a song, although
the franchises did not expire for years
apd the company could not secure
funds for improvements without an ex-
tension OF time: they were assailed
libeled. accused by innuendo OF dishon-
eSty. Finally the negotiations were
completed and passed in the city coun-
eli in spite of this American" oppo-
sition, and the contract was let for the
construction of the conduit
Even then the opposition did not
cease. An american" partisan inst;-
tuted suit TO prevent the consunnla-
ton OF the project, and IL the suit had
been successful the whole arrange
ment would have been cancelled and
the city today would be without the
Big Cottonwood water, while the street
railway system would have remained
I'm it's former helpless and crippled con-
6ition.
During the city campaign OF 100;
American party speakers and news.
papers declared repeatedly that thc
Norris administration had acquired NJ
valid water rights and that there wa.
grave doubt whether any rights coulC
ever be acquired This peculiarly dis,
honest statement was repeated so otter
that even the Americans almost be-
Iieved It true, although the best law,
yers in the state had passed on tn,
legal questions involved and guaran
teed the validity OF the exchang,
titles.
The Americans" entered Office IL
the city with the water rights in thei
possession, with the contracts for con
duit construction let and all the prepa
rations completed for the successful
operation of the plan inflated and car
ried out by Mayor Morris and his ad
ministration. The Only additional &C
ton the Americans" have taken hai
been the donation OF $4,000 to Con
tractor p. J. Moran TOR plasterlng tn
conduit, an expense as unnecessary a.
It was questionable otherwise. Thi
and the completion OF the deal with tn
owners OF the Knudsen rights. whicl
was begun by Mayor Morris. is the sun
total Of the Thompson administration
part in the new water supply.
Yet. in spite of the record, tn
Americans" today swell with prid
over the fact that Big Cottonwood wa
ter is being supplied to Salt Lake City
and claim all the credit OF the achieve
ment Not a word now about the foil,
Of the agreement with the Utah Ligh
& Railway company; nothing about tn
dishonesty Of the councilmen who vote'
for that agreement: no suggestion a
70 law suit 10 prevent the .consum
nation OF such a dastardly outrage o.
the people as the acquisition of NOR