Semi-weekly herald., 1909-11-25
WATER
QUESTION
Citizen's Committee Do
Not Find Conditions
Bad As Reported

special session to receive the report
OF the joint committee appointed to
go over the city pipe line. Shortly
after 1880 the meeting was called TO
order by the mayor All alderman
responded to roll call with the ex-
ception of Aldermen Graden, who Is
out OF the city. The reading of min.
utes was omitted and the next order OF
business taken up.
Petitions were read from tine fol,
lowing: San Juan Transfer company,
for express license; NJ Bushnell for
theater; John Morelock. for second
hand license-all being renewals On
motion the said petitions we're grant
ed.
Chairman Cummins of the sewerage
committee recommended that the bill
of T. L. Lotus amounting 10 $37, o.
account of extra work on storm sewer
be paid.
Under fire and water. the matter of
rebate of b. y. Freeman was laid over
I'LL next meeting. A communication to
the effect that water pipes were In
danger of freezing on account of street
grading process on Third avenue and
Fourteenth street was reported and
matter referred to the committee and
city attorney for further investigation
Alderman Smith reported that the
stone coping of the Colorado State
bank was in dangerous condition and
moved that the building committee
examine the same. Carried.
Under communications an invitation
from the board of directors of the
Durango public library was read, ask.
ing the council to attend and assist at
a reception held at the library on the
evening of Nov. %, the seventy-second
anniversary of the birth of Andrew
Carnegie. in honor of the founder A
motion to -ace2pt the invitation was
---,@rfTed unanimously.
~ A communication from City Attor.
ney Ellis called the attention OF the
council to the law which provides that
the city is entitled to certain por-
tion of the poll tax, which the county
commissioners have hitherto not turn
ed over. This sum may only be ap-
piled to the improvement of cities and
roads, and belongs to the street and
alley fund. II was moved and carried
that the street and alley committee
and the city attorney be instructed to
wait upon the commissioners and ask
ferred TO its credit.
City Clerk Wilson then read a com
munication from City Engineer Wig
ellsworth, appointing Roy F. Good
man as deputy city engineer. A com
munlcation from city attorney in re,
spect to reservoir sites was also read
Both of the above were laid over till
next regular meeting
A letter from Representative Ed
ward T. Taylor was then read. In
this Mr.. Taylor spoke Of the prece.
dent the United States has establish
cd of donating tracts of government
patented land suitable in location and
o'her particulars for public parks and
playground for young and old, to the
cities and towns. These vary in size
from forty acres to two or three sec
iions Mr.. Taylor reminded the coun
ell that. following the general policy
of the nation, the government is Civ.
ing an opportunity to provide for fu-
ture needs. and offered to introduce a
oil III congress at the coming ses-
sion II the council would take the
necessary steps leading TO such pro.
cedure He added further that there
would be no expense attached, outside
of possibly. the minimum charge of
$125 per acre which the government
might require, but an effort would be
made to obtain the land gratuitously
and in any case. the tract would be
secured to the city in perpetuity. In
case there was no government land
near tUDuSu VI Oluci WlSt ioi
such a purpose, or II for any other
reason the city did not care to take
the matter up, there was no harm
done. but he would urge the city to
give the subject careful consideration
Mr.. Taylor gave suggestions as TO the
necessary requirements. and In closing
urged early attention.
Alderman Dudley moved that the
mayor appoint special committee to
look up suitable and available sites
and report the same to the council as
soon as possible. In support OF his
motion Alderman Dudley said that the
matter under consideration should be
attended to without delay. The mo
tion was carried and Mayor Goodman
said he would appoint the committee
later.
Alderman Morelock suggested that
steps should be taken to inform the
congressman and senators In respect
10 the reservoir sites the city may
acquire, since the session Of congress