The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-02


A history of the Investigations made
by the different committees, commls-
sions and engineers that have from
time TO time been appointed LOT tnat
purpose by the city copncl ana oF lhs
Commercial club. and the reports ana
recommendations made by these bodies
would fill a respectable volume anu
would show a diversity Of opinion as 10
the most practicable manner of sup
plying the city with water.
Partial History.
The construction of the first pipe sys'
tenn in 1885, with its supply from Clty
creek, The construction OF the jordan
and Salt Lake City canal from Ctah
lake. the exchange OF water from inns
source for almost the entire flow oil
Parlev's creek in 1888. the construction
of the Parlev's creek canal, the tunnels
ia CITY creek canyon. the crosseut ana
tunnel in Emigration canyon, the arte
sian wells along the Jordan river and
near Liberty park. are matters Wnlcn
have long since passed into ancient ms
;orv. and in a number of eases INTO oh,
livion even the projectors OF some OF
Inc many schemes for bettering the
water val Y supply are glad the tchemcs arc
forootfen The tunnels IL Getty creek
though increasing the supply, were
costly and the increase comparatively
insignificant. The court compelled tne
plugging up of number of the wells
along the Jordan river and the wells
near Liberty park have only served
to supply irrigation water
- Additions to System.
The first addition TO City creek supply
OF anv importance was the, Emigration
nine line. This increased the total
amount by annroxlmately l,ooo,ooo gal
Ions and is utilized at the present lime
in connection with the high line IN sup
plving the upper dIstraets.
The next Improvement and one OF
great importanre 20 the city was the
Parlcv's creek flow, for some years af.
ter the exchange with the farms had
been carried TO the city by means OF
the Parley's creek canal, part being
dumped into an eartbern reservoir at
Thirteenth East, where il was used
through bitches. and part was used in
the canal supplying the north bench,
The Farley canyon conduit was con-
strueted i'll 1880. but until some ten
wears after its completion approximate.
" hnlf Of the Parley's wntor was still
carried through the canal
Big Cottonwood Supply.
An exhaustive report by Special
Commissioners Doremus, Mack and
Stevenson in 1890 was made TO the may
or. in which the recommendation was
made that the waters Of Big Cotton
wood and Little Cottonwood creeks be
obtained by exchange. if possible, as
these two streams were considered as
constituting the most available source
of future supply, The city had at one
time appropriated the majority Of the
flow of Big Cottonwood and had be
gun the construction of a canal TO con.
vey these waters to the city. Lack OF
means caused q delay in the completion
of this work, which was finally aban
doncd and the title of the city lapsed
bv non-use, the water having long been
used by the farmers and ranchInen.
Negotiations with the farmers for ex
change were begun as that time, but
the results were III a measure dIsbeart
cifng, and with the construction of the
Parley's canyon conduit the supply fol
far superior to that previously obtained
that, it was difficult to impress on the
city council the necessity of securing
these waters. And during the 6nancia
depression of tho "Cleveland admins
tration'' tho citizens were content tc
lose sight of all but present needs. M
further Investigation was made until
under pernssion from the city council
Frank Kelsey. tho city engineer. made
his Investigations and accumulated dat,
of iDcalculable value. and were the firs
systematic surveys Of the many streams
in this valley.
The city was poor, the appropriation
might be termed '.meager - The appar
nfns was primitive and the assistant
inexperienced. but working day wa,
twenty-four hours long, and while man,
Il smothercd curse was sho~cred on th,
head of their principal by the over
worked employees, they worked 10 In.
limit Of endurance, and with p oyalt,
10 purpose which knew no failure
Al the time these investigations wer,
ma1c. negotiations were also begur
with thc wafer owners of Big Cotton