The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-01
ooDEN's WATER COMMISSION.

Under the heading, Ogden Does
Not Want the Water Commission" >"
the Salt Lake Tribune, In its issue OF
Sunday. says:
The interests Of Ogden citizens are
bound up to q certain extent In the
proposed bill now before the legisla-
ture. which provides for q water COM
mission to manage the newly acquired
waterworks system In that bustling
city. Tho waterworks system Of Og-
den has been q feature which has oc-
cupied moro space In the mind Of the
Ogden citizen for the past twenty
years than many more weighty ques-
tion. It has made and unmade par
ties, politicians and plans. 1t has been
the bugbear of the public-spirited citf-
zen. and the salvation OF the ward.
heeler, and each year as 1t came
in found more troubles awaiting 1t
in the way OF the water wagon than
all the other business which the city
handled. City councilmen were elect
ed one year on 'purchase-thc-water-
system" platform, and the next year
defeated upon the Same platform. Like
the prohibitionists, water! water"
was the CRY. until finally they got 1t
into their system, purchased the sys-
tenn for the city. and now don't know
what to do with 1t.
Several bond elections were held
and numerous and divers sums were
appropriated by the city authorities.
before the waterworks we're secured
TO the people-the flrst effort at mu-
nicipal ownership for the city at the
junction.
Now they have the waterworks sys-
tenn. and they also have In the city
council very severe attack Of com
missionitis." Every city has troubles
Of this kind, but after few attacks
they become immune. Not so Ogden.
The fire and police commissions went
the way Of the useless years ago, be-
cause they were expensive, oumber-
some. replete with red tape. and d.
vided responsibilities which should
have rested upon the shoulders Of the
elected representatives of the people
the city council Experience was
a teacher in that case. but It has been
so long ago that 1t is almost forgotten.
Some of the Ogden citizens remem-
Der the experience, however. and they
also remember experiences Of other
cities-cities where commissions over
looked the faot that they were In any
way responsible to anyone but the
political representatives who named
them for the position.
These people are making a quiet
fight against the commission Idea.
They have been insisting that the
council and water committee. together
with the mayor. should have under
their hats sufficient gray matter to
handle the waterworks property They
have also been looking UP Salt Lakes
history In the waterworks line, and
they find that Salt Lake has no wa
ter commission. It has no high-priced
water officials. 1t handles all It's water
system business through the regular
channels
Salt Lake pays its superintendent
of waterworks $1,000 per year Why
should Ogden spend any more than
that? Ogden's water system Is one
fourth as large as Salt Lakes, and
should cost less for maintenance in
every department" said an Ogdenite.
"and don't forget, either. that we in
Ogden have recently raised the treas
urer's salary to $1,000 per annum, SO
that he may devote his whole time
to the office. In Salt Lake the water
collections are made through the city
treasurer's office, and the expense Of
separate office, such as Ogden has.
Is unnecessary. ogden people who
have studied the matter are opposed
to the bill now in the legislature. AMI
1t really should not pass.
THE fact is, and you can say 30
safely. the people are red hot against
IT. They look upon 1t as a rank job.
simply proposition to let somebody
get their hands into the treasury.
What would like to know" said
the Ogden man, us why Ogden coun-
cilmen have 30 much business to at
tend TO that they can not handle tho
water system properly. and on an eco
nomical basis, without a commission.
when Salt Lake councilmen can do so
without any trouble whatever"