The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-02
PROPERTY OWNERS
MAY SUE THE CITY
North Bench Residents to Insist
On all Improved Water
System.
COMMITTEE WILL AC7
TAXPAYERS ANGRY AND DE-
MAND RELIEF FROM COUNCIL.

Unless some relief is offered by the
city council, suit is to be brought this
week by the property holders On the
northeast bench to enjoin the city
from moving water pipes to the First
precinct, which has already been
started by the administration Resi-
dents on the north bench, above Ninth
avenue, declare they will have no pres
sure at all during the summer months
unless this pipe is put in the Fourth
ward, as was at first promised by the
city. The pipe was hauled from the
railroad yards to the proposed new
water main district in the Fourth ward
last fall, at a cost TO the city Of $3.50
per ton. Now it is being moved to the
First ward, in the southeastern part Of
the city, to supply a new district. The
cost of hauling will be fully as large as
the initial cost in laying the pipes along
the street last fall.
I'VE certainly will bring suit against
the city If they persist in moving the
pipe" said F. E. McGurrin, heavily in
terested in property on the north
bench. I'VE viii have no water at all
unless some relief is given 1 don't be-
lieve any court will allow the city to
take this pipe from US for a sagebrush
district where there are no homes"
Citizens VIII Protest.
L L. Goddard and L. P. Kelsey have
been appointed a committee to investi-
gate the matter on behalf of the prop
erty owners on the north bench. They
have seen Tom Holiday, superintendent
OF water works, several times, and have
been promised that something will be
done for the residents on the bench in
return for taking the pipe to the south
eastern part of the city. Just what
this will be has not been clearly ex-
planned, but something is promised,
either in running the water down from
the Thirteenth avenue mains or by
some other scheme.
Mr.. Goddard declares the city cannot
do this and supply the residents of the
bench with the water they should have.
He says it will give the property own
ers some water, but without pressure.
1t is declared that as far back as 1898
arrangements were made between large
property interests and the city to wa
ter the bench land The owners Of
property north of Ninth avenue and
those on Capitol hill raised $4,000 in
cash. gave the city right Of way for the
mains and also donated reservoir site
in return for the promise that water
mains would be put in by the city
This was during the boom days, and
when things dropped hard the city for
got about the mains, though bonds
were hOated for them. And ever since
that time the cry has been for better
water service.
Plenty of Promises.
Owners of property thought their
time had come when the bonds were
fiOated last summer for $685., 600 in wa
ter main bonds, and the city council
designated a large territory in this part
of the city where the mains were to be
laid. The pipe was hauled to the
streets and dumped there, but no order
was given TO Doyle Bros. q Schwartz,
the contractors, for the laying of the
mains. Then tracts in the southeastern
part of the city were annexed, and the
city administration decided TO trans
fer the pipe to that section, robbing the
Fourth ward of the service long prom
1sed- Much property had been sold on
the promise of the better water sys-
tenn Old owners were embarrassed
and new ones felt outraged.
The owners Of property on the bench
have not yet taken any legal steps,
though it is said attorneys have been
employed to take the matter in hand,
and 1t is stated that suit VIII be
brought this week against the city,
both for damages in taking away the
pipe and to enj0in the city from re-
moving any more.