Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-14
Council Votes to Find Out Where
1t Stands in Reservoir
Site.
BLACK SEES A FLIM-FLAM
f'crnstrom Says IL Was n Cold Deal
To Swindlc the City-IIad an
Opinion but Disrcgardcd II.

After listening to a detailed report
by f. S. Richards and Ogden Hiles
special attorneys on water rights. IN
regard TO the city's interest in three
lakes in the south fork of Big Cotton
wood the members of the city council
experienced a sad awakening last
night. The reservoir sites purchased
from j. NJ. Thomas and Harry Cole, in
January. 1905, arc invalid, ii is declared
and the $1,000 paid for them secured
nothing of value. Despite this the
coUncilmen after two hours discussion
decided by vote of to to authorize
the expenditure OF moro money to sec
how the game was worked An effort
will be made to show cause why tho
government ought not to cancel the
cIty's rights to these lakes as reser-
yolr sites.
When the report was read, which
Was made by the special attorneys. and
the city's rights declared to be invalid.
It caused a variety of expostulations,
and confessions.
I'VE have been flim-flammed," de-
clared Councilman Black, who spent an
entire day on horseback in a driving
snowstorm viewing the magnificent
reservoir sites which the city "pur-
1T was cold deal. made simply to
swindle Salt Lake City" interjected
Councilman Fernstrom, who said that
he knew 1t all the time.
This is all news to me-" chirpcd
Councilman Wood. who is the father
in-Iaw OF Harry Cole. who sold" the
sites to the city.
Il don't think that we can afford to
spend any more money pursuing this
ghost" was Councilman Halls COM
ment
II We have got a shadow of a title
VIC ought to fight for it," quoth Coun-
Gilman Hodgson.
File all the reports and let it go at
Chat" was Councilman Holley's contri-
button to the shattered dream.
What the other councilmen thought
about the deal in reservoir sites was
not expressed in words, emphattcally.
Councilmen Ferry. Rcedall. Raybould
md O'Donnell were contented with ask
ing a few questions of Mr.. Richards
who explained the city's position
thoroughly. Councilman murdoch took
no active part in the discussion, but
voted not TO spend any moro mney for
fnrther investigation into the city's
rights.
THE RECORDS.
AS near as the records in the case show
Thomas and Cole had no rights from
the government for reservoir sites be-
cause they had no water to make use
of them. Their rights they purchased
from AnSon, Barnes and Dyke whose
filings were apparently OF no value.
Brown & Sanford hold the water rights
which would make these lakes valuable
for reservoirs. Accordingly, the gov
eminent will not give reservoir sites TO
applicants who do not have water
rights To convert them into use
In prov up on these reservoir sites
the government requires that the water
rights shall also be mentioned. 1t is
apparent that Brown & Sanford, the at
torEeys think, are probably making ap-
plicatioD for these lakes as reservoir
sitcs and that they have filed petition
asking the department of the interior
TO cancel Salt Lake City's claims to the
lakes as reservoirs because the munich
pnlity has no use for them without wa
ter rights.
Mr.. Richards report of the facts IN
the case and the law regarding the
manner in which applications are made
was given by him in detail. He de-
clared that he thought that the council
committee which had the purchase In
charge understood that water rights
had to be acquired TO make these reser-
voir sites profitable and that they were
only purchasing the claims of some par
Ties who had got In ahead OF tho city
and whose rights were only limited II
not invalid.
AN OLD OPINION.
Judge Hiles declared that he told the