Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-09
CITY GETS STUNG
BY RESERVOIR BEE.
Bought Three Lakes to Which the
Sellers Held No
Title.
COUNCILMAN WOOD is BUSY
Files Resolution for Council Prcscntn-
tion Seeking 10 Have Protest
Filed I'm Land Office.

After paying $4,000 for three lakes
as Reservoir sites at the head of Big
Cottonwood canyon. the American"
administration was rudely aroused to
the fact today that the city has no
rights at all In these lakes and that
the officials had squandered some
more of the taxpayers money. The
United States government mas bgun
an action In the land office TO can
Gel the rights OF Percy j. Anson,
Henry Barns, and w a. Dykes. who
made the application for reservoir
sites. Before they had secured these
rights. 1t appears that they sold them
to J. NJ. Thomas and H. d. Cole. who
in turn sold them to the american"
administration
Councilman Lorin ]. Wood. father
in-law of H. b. Cole from whom the
city brought the rights" in these
lakes. Will Introduce a resolution in
the city council tonight asking that
the city attorney be requested to file
a protest in THE land office to the
action brought by the government. 1t
Is probable that some OF the members
of the council who are not "Ameri-
cans" will ask to have an investiga-
ton of the affair and what connec-
tion there is, II any. between Coun-
the sale of these alleged rights to
the city. The sale was made In jan
uary 1905 and at that time there Was
some question as to the title that Cole
and Thomas had.
In contesting this case, it would pro-
badly cost several hundred dollars
which the taxpayers would have to
meet, to settle the claims of Thomas
and Cole, the son-in-law OF Council
man Wood.
IN FOREST RESERVE.
The "American"par bought these
rights in Big Cottonwood and made
political capital out OF it. The ad-
ministration declared that IT was buy
ing these rights at bargin price
for the future when the city would
outgrow its present water supply. The
memb bers of the council were furnish
ed with horses to make the trip to the
head of the canyon and were wined
and dined at the Hotel Brighton at
the Brighton resort. The reports do
not show that at any time the city
officers looked up the title of Thomas
or Cole or the original applicants for
these reservoir sites. These lakes are
Lake Blanche. Lake Lillian and Lake
Florence, and Is said lie In a forest
reserve.
From all Appearances the records do
not show that salt Lake mas any
claims to these lakes as reservoir sites
The department of the interior In
formed Cole, it is understood, that an
action had been begun by the govern
ment to cancel the alleged claim that
he and Thomas held. Cole informed
his father-in-law, Councilman Wood,
who Will submit a resolution to the
council tonight to have a protest filed
of the city against the can
collation. of these rights
The members of the minority In the
council are aroused over the situation
and will demand an investigation snto
the matters pertaining TO the purchase
Of these lakes as reservoir sites. Some
OF the American" members of the
council who were associated In this
deal will probably attempt to have 1t
sent to the committee which recon-
mended the purchase of the lakes as
sites and allow the members
to make report on the matter Tho
first intimation that the city had no
title In these lakes as reservoir sites
was given by Mr. Wood when he drew
his resolution and filed 1t with City
Recorder j. B. Moreton to be presented
10 the council tonight.