The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-09-29
WOIdenberg Harping on Water Question

printed on the first page Of the Echo
this week, Mr.. Woldenberg quotes
from Engineer Zahren's report, No
allowance has been made in this esti-
mate for the right OF way or legal
COSTS" and then adds, The council at
that time knew that the cost OF nee
essary right OF way would be very
small and of no importance" While
the point made is without importance,
attention is here directed TO it because
like so many Of his statements it is
made entirely without foundation. He
had no authority for quoting the coun-
Gil on this point. The writer was pre-
sent when the matter came up and has
interviewed several members OF the
council who had the matter under con-
sideration, and they confirm the state
ment here made that no estimate OF
the cost was ever made beyond the
information conveyed to the council
by statement that the mill company
would resist the line crossing its land
by every means in its power. Does
any one doubt they would resist the
building OF line intended to oppose
their interests? Foolish question. "
We have in the past devoted very
little space to answering Mr.. Wolden-
berg's argument for the reason that we
consider it valuable time and space
wasted. So many of his statements,
like the above, have no foundation in
fact, reason or good common sense,
and find ready answer in the readers
mind, when read, without aid from US.
On one point, thank Heaven, we
land the council as well) are quite in
accord with Mr.. Woldenberg. He
agrees with US that the present water
supply is not as pure as it should be
for human consumption, and that a
supply from Snow Creek would be free
from objection. He does differ with
the council about the best method of
getting Snow Creek water. He says
with him it is matter Of principle.
All Socialists, he says, believe in the
municipal ownership of the entire
water system, with which proposition
we quite agree for the reason that I'M
der private ownership the first consid-
Grafton is profit. Sufficient supply and
purity are secondary considerations,
and are only taken into account after
the first is settled. Under public own
ership the first consideration is the
public health, the second sufficiency
OF supply, and third and last the cost
Under public ownership profit does
not enter into the problem at all. The
public sees no sense in making a pro-
fit on itself. Nor do we. If for this
anyone calls the editor of the Echo a
Socialist, well and good.
The plans for the distribution system
to be voted on call for 10000 feet of 6
inch water mains and 5000 feet of 4
inch mains with few hundred feet OF
Q inch mains. 1t also calls for SO fire
hydrants. Twenty-one are located on
the north side OF the track and fifteen
on the south side. At present there
are five. All located on the south
side.
Mr.. Woldenberg differs with the
council about the best method of ar
irving at municipal ownership. He be
lieved in pruning the cost Of the pro-
posed distribution system by putting in
smaller pipes and fewer of them, and
fewer or no fire hydrants at all, so as to
hold the cost within $25 900, in order
that the cost OF the entire system
would come safely within the amount
that the town can issue bonds against.
The town council is proceeding on the
plan of procuring first an ample supply
system that will endure and answer the
purposes Of town of five or ten thou
sand inhabitants with sure fire protec-
ton for fifty thousand dollars worth of
school property and hundred thou
sand dollars worth of private property