The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-26
BIC MONUMENT
To AMERICANS
Improvement in Water System
Always Will Stand Out
Prominently.
GREAT WORK IS DONE
AT CRITICAL TIME
BIlnders of Morris Administra-
tion Corrected and Con-
duit Made Success.

One of the monuments to the Amer
lean party. which will always stand as
one of tho splendid pieces OF work OF
the party, was the improvement of the
water system of Salt Lake City, by
which the supply was largely augment
ell and the city freed from the water
famine which occurred every summer.
The greatest Improvement OF the wa
ter system was the construction of the
Big Cottonwood conduit and the pur'
chase of water rights necessary to
make the system perfect.
During the last few months OF the
Morris administration, which the Amer
lean party succeeded, the people had
voted bond issue of $l,OOO,O00 for
the bettermcnt of the water 'and sewer
systems Of the city. OF this amount,
$S50,000 was to be applied TO wafer
the remainder to sewers
When this fund became available. the
Morris administration began a reckless
disbursement, the idea prevailing III
that administration that the money was
intended for political use and not fnr
the benefit of the people. This nat
urally resulted in reckless expenditures,
buugling work and the construction
of a conduit which was begun without
making any provision for water to How
through the conduit.
The Morris administration, as snid
above. began the building of CON
duit to run from Big Cottonwood to
Parley's canyon reservoir. No perfect
plans for the construction had been
prepared, the work was hurried. the
object apparently being to squander the
money secured from the bond issue III
order TO intrench the Morris people In
Office. But they counted too quickly.
The people of Salt Lake City were not
to be fooled, and the result was that the
Morris administration was deposed and
the first American administration,
healed by Ezra Thompson as mayor,
was inGmctcd into office.
Progressives in Power.
The American party is progressive
party. Its administrations have been
business administrations. Plans for I'M.
pToyement were carefully prepared and
the Strengthening by the American may
or and council of the bungllng work OF
the Morris administration was begun
and later finished,
The American administration found
conduit started and partly constructed
which was like sieve, Had provision
been mnde for water to flow into 1t the
conduit was SO defective that it would
not hold wnter; and there was no title
TO any water.
The American administration put
business methods into effect. Steps were
at once taken to secure title to water
rights md this was pushed to compile.
tion. 1t required time and great deal
of hard work upon the part of the ad-
ministration. but it was successful.
In so far as the conduit, which had
been partly constructed. was concerned,
the work might as well not have been
done, for il all had to be done over. The
Morris administration made no provl-
sion for covering the conduit. 1t was
LA tl,4-4
number of places along the line of the
conduit where it was exposed to snow
slides and sliding boulders and linble
TO be wiped out Mt any time Then
there were places where it was carried
around points on the mountain where it
rested upon stills. In addition to this
it would not hold water.
Plans Are Changed.
The American administration, there
fore. necessarily had to change the
plans, and did so. The conduit was re-
constructed In several places. was built
upon the mountain side where it could
be covered and mnde permanent work.
Then it was plnstered its entire length
and when completed, with the spillway
which carries the water from the con-
duit into the Parley's canyon reser-
voir, it was u perfect piece of work, a
work that will last for all time and
WHICH bLauu9 lis monument TO luz
American administration, and entirely
covered and safe from snowslides or
boulders.
When the water was turned into the
intake in Big Cottonwood canyon from
the dam which had been constructed
across Big Cottonwood creek the city
of Salt Lake had absolute and perpet-
yal, right to the flow of water; This
had been secured after many difficulties
had been overcome and the water titles
perfected. The Knudson title to the
water was obtained for $4,000. This
however. not without q great deal of
negotiation to reduce the price from
100000 to $4,000. then to $4,000. In
addition to this there were many 9th
ers who claimed right and title to wa
ter from Big Cottonwood and in relin
gushing their rights they were given
25 per cent more water for irrigation
purposes than they gave tho city from
the creek. in other words, they re.
ceived FIVE gallons for every four given
the city.
Contracts Changed.
These farmers in the original con.
tracts made by the Morris administra
tion had the right to shut eoff the sup
ply from Big Cottonwood within twelve
hours after failure upon the part of the
city to deliver water TO them from the
canal. These contracts were changed
due to the work of the opposition mem
bcrs Of the city council who were OF
the American party, so as to extend tho
time to twenty-four hours. which mean.
that it will never be shut Off, because
any break in the Jordan canal from
where they are supplied could be re
paired in a short time.
Then, under the American admins
tratiUn. the old Jordan and Salt LAX
canal, the water for which is taken frou
Utah lake. has been enlarged and tn,
pumping station Mt the lake also bull
mp, until now this canal curries it,
maximum capacity. Reservoir rights +,
all the lakes in the Big Cottonwood dis
trict have been purchased and th
transfer recognized by the Unite,
Statee government
Other water rights which the cit,
owns have been greatly enlarged AM
improved under the American admins
tration. additional water rights hnv
been secured. until now, with prope
conservation, the supnply is sufIiccn
for city of 100000 population Sal
Lake CITY is supplied with the bes
md purest winter in the world and q
the minimum urice