The Colorado statesman., 1910-01-01
FACTS ABOUT DENVER'S WATER
SYSTEM AND WHAT THE
STORY HAS SHOWN.

munications containing information
about the plant that supplies water
in the city of Denver, and about other
water plants in the United States
The purpose of the information was
announced by Mr.. d. II. Moffat, in a
letter dated September 27, in which
he said in part:
1T is my purpose to have the Off
cials of the water company make pub
lie complete and detailed statements
Of the property, affairs and business
of the company, so the property own
ers may know the truth, and, at least,
decide any questions submitted with
theis eyes open, and free from the
jealousy, spite and malignity of GER
tain newspaper articles. The truth OF
such statements, so prepared, l shall
personally stand for.
THE plant cannot be duplicated for
several millions of dollars more than
the appraised price, and | nave given
this matter special attention.
THE water rights alone, even when
devoted to irrigation use, are in my
opinion, worth in excess OF seven MIL
lion dollars.
Necessary as this enterprise, and
its success, was to every property
holder in Denver, it has been impeded,
not only by the difficulties which the
problem itself and nature presents,
but by the vicious, untruthful, and
constant political assaults, until it can
be said that, of all the large public
enterprises of this city or state, 1t IS
the only one which has not been profl-
table to it's stockholders"
Since Mr.. Moffat's letter was made
public, communications have been sub
mitted to the people by the officials
of the water company, as follows:
History of various companies since
the first water company was formed;
dated October 8, 1909).
Inventory of plant; dated October
II, 1909).
Valuation of the water right of the
company; dated October %, 1909.
Detailed report of Board of APP
praisers: dated October 90, 1909).
Detailed discussion of large map;
dated November IL, 1909).
Views and description of Lake
Cheesman, the bulwark of Denvers
water supply; dated November Is,
1909).
The values of the water plants in
thirty-four large cities in the country
compared with the valuation placed
upon the Denver plant by the board
of appraisers; dated November 26,
1909).
Views and description of the filtra-
ton system; dated December TO-,
1909).
Financial report showing earnings
and disbursements of the company,
and investment in the plant; (dated
December II, 1909).
These communications have shown:
THAT FOR THE POPULATION
SERVED, AND THE DEMAND FOR
WATER, THERE IS NO MORE COM
PLETE OR EXTENSIVE WATER
PLANT IN THE COUNTRY.
AMPLE PROVISIONS TO CARE FOR
THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE
CITY.
THAT THE VALUATION PLACED
UPON THE PROPERTY BY THE
BOARD OF APPRAISERS IS TO SAY
THE LEAST CONSERVATIVE.
To enable the citizens to better un-
derstand the discussion of the water
system there was distributed also a
standard map of Denver and contigu-
GUS sections of Colorado, showing
graphically the locations of the dis
tributing mains, fire hydrants, reser-
voirs, pumping stations, sources OF
supply main supply conduits, filtra-
ton plants, and other important parts
of the system. Also Photographic
views of Cheesman and Marston lakes,
Cheesman dam and other properties.
with tables comparing the Denver
systems in twenty-four large cities in
the United States.
The views of Cheesman dam show
how much larger that structure is than
the largest buildings in Denver, and
gives an idea of the task undertaken
in the construction of that work in the
heart of an almost inaccessible noun
tain district % miles from the nearest
railroad point.
The map shows how the developed
portion of the city is already supplied
with water, and how widely scattered
| is the population.
The tables discussing the mileage of
water mains in the twenty-four cities
show that for each inhabitant of those
cities there are only GIL feet of water
main.
IN THE SYSTEM OF THE DEN.
YER UNION WATER COMPANY
FOR EACH INHABITANT OF DEN
YER, NEARLY DOUBLE THE AVE
RAGE OF THE TWENTY-FOUR
CITIES.
Denver was the first city in the
truly arid section" of the United
States to obtain a public water sup
ply 1t is still the only large city in
the truly arid section" hence the
acquisition of it's supply has been dis
tinctly pioneer work.
The problems presented in securing
and retaining it's supply were different
from those that had been solved in
communities where water is found in
reasonable quantities or in abundance
In those sections the only difficulty
was the diversion of the water from
natural streams or lakes and its dis