The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-10-09
muNlelPAl- wATeR fAclllTlEs

There are many nays Of gathering
water, but they are not available 10
all cities. We may have trouble
in buying pumps and building mains
fast enough 10 keep step with the
citys march OF progress bn. there =
water plenty in the Grand liver
and always will be-
OF course there is water in the
Grand river and there will always be.
insofar as man can judge. That is
why that famed steamer. The City Of
Muskogee" is at the wharf az Fl.
tsibson. wal ing for water enough at
Muskogee for 1t to get back home
But tue city of Guthrie denies there
Is lack Of water here; denies there
has been drouth in the imperial
county of Logan. The city water OF
Guthrie is pure; It is sufficient 10 sup
ply a city Of 100000 inhabitsnts-
sufficient to supply the whole state.
Steamers run here all the year. In
the dryest time of the summer the sir
en- whisiie of the boats from the Cot
tonwood out TO the Cimarron river
were heard hourly by the people ol
Guthrie. With a filtration plant that
makes the stream water pure. me hun
dreds o. billions Of gallons from a
natural stream are ever at hand Tor
the sleat capital city Of Oklahoma.
Then this same Times-Demoerat, IN
the wild exuherance OF joy because
the Grand river flows 365 days each
year, but a few DAYS since criticizine
The Leader because il used wire
story no. complimentary to Oklaho-
ma City, says:
oklahoma Ciiy today, in common
with many other big towns OF the
state, is anxiously looking for a new
water supply. The big packing pack
ing plant which meant SO much to that
town, has abandoned the place eli
tirely, il is reliably reported, for the
simple reason here is not enough Wa,
ter to supply packing industry.
This being true. Oklahoma City, We
are sorry TO know, Is placed under
fearful handicap for mrther growth.
To be a city there must be a water
supply, and the one on which our
friends on the West side have depend
ed. has. under this severe test, fail
ed No new water supply has been
found: no reserve reservoirs located
The big, hustling, progressive town
has run up against natures impass-
able bar,ie- TO it's ambitions And in
this dilemma 1t Is far from being
alone
But Muskogee suffers no such
handicap. The Grand river flows on
mighty stream, big enough to sup
ply water to a quarter OF a million
people. Fed by everlasting springs
way up in The ozark range that flow
millions and millions of gallons Of
clear, cold spring water every day,
the Grand river is not effected by
drouth, and Muskogee's water supply
is secure for all time. The Grand
river flows a greater volume OF wa
ter the year around than any other
stream in the state, excepting, OF
course. the Arkansas river below the
mouth Of the Grand.
"There Is wates enough in the
Grand river for all the packing hous
es Oklahoma will ever need, or have,
there Is water enough for all the fac
tories and people that city Of 1000
0o0 will ever consume. And right
here and now It Is stated TO he world
that Muskogee is looking for all these
things and has the proper foundation
on which to build them"
or course The Le2de- desires TO
answer only as 10 the states capital
ely. II there be shortage Of water
In many Of the other cities, 1t Is not
matter of general knowledge. Ger
tain it is that Guthrie has an abund-
ance: certain also that the b0astful
/ Times-Democra made one error IN
judgment--if all these blessings are
solely the property of that city, fed
as II was for twenty years by Gov
ernment patronage is 1t not strange
that L, second In population, should
" eighth In employment OF skilled la
Dor?
- 1t not strange that every time
I there Is high water the widely adj.
vertised city 'in the oil and gas field
gets It's gas mains cut off and the
people lett without light or heat?
Outside OF Tulsa and Sapulpa none
of the states larger CT les has com
j plained OF inadequate water supply.
In The case of Tulsa and Sapulpa, It
was because the municipalities had
not modernized the plants-there was
plenty Of water, but because of IN
atten ion the city authorities had moi
made the plants competent to filteT
the water for proper usage Those ell
rors have been remedIed, as all Ok
iahomans should be glad TO announce.
/ Muskogee is splendid city. II Is
dostined to have an hundred thousand
people within ten years. Il will not
gam an additional resident nor IN
crease It's property valuation dollai
f by It's press misrepresenting other cit
les of the state. A river with low
water guage OF six feet divides Guth-
rie in two parts The Santa Fe rail-
road and the city are agreed as to
an S150,O00 viaduet over that stream,
evidence that there is water In abund.
ance here A filtration plant, second
TO none In the Southwest has recen "
been completed and il wo-ks for the
good of all. the municipal water being
as pure as that falling from heaven.
Guthrie asks naught but fairness from
all cities It has made record as
the factory ci'y--it has more fac
tories with larger payrolls than any
other city OF the state. But Il trusts
all others will get more factories, pay
ing institutions. where honest labor
will be well paid for It's services. But
TO state there is only water in the
Grand river and no other Is TO say
that Tho watpr editor af the Times.
Democrat Is a stranger 20 bis subject