The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-10
THE COMMISSION s DEFENSE.

The public statement made by the
municipal commission OF this city with
respect TO the sheep trails up the can
vcns is explanatory of the general sit
uation, but IL does not in any way that
We can see relieve the commission from
blame for its concession that the sheep
may. until June 18th. use any trail that
has been prohibited by ordinance, The
statement shows that the law requires
the city authorities TO provide a sheep
trail but the law does not require, nor
docs it contemplate, that that sheep
trail shall run along the sources Of the
city IS water supply and bcfoul them:
nor does it require ms an alternative
that the city shall open roads through
snowdrifts for the sheep men who drive
their sheep up the canyons too soon.
The particular situation as to these
trails is, as explained by the commits
sion, III litigation The commission
would naturally, one would suppose, be
therefore wary Of making any orders
that would put the city at a dlsadvan-
tage in that litigation, but by suspend
ing the ordinance which restricted the
sheep trails in the past. the city in
way consents to tie contention of the
sheepmcn that that ordinance is unjust
or impracticable. And so it was the
poorest kind of policy on the part Of
the commission TO make this conces
sion
The fact, as pointed out by the com
mission, that there were herds of sheep
up in the snow and liable to perish,
simply emphasizes the fact that some
sheepmen were determined to override
the city ordinance and TO force their
way in spite of it. In such case, it
appears that it was the duty of the
sheepmen themselves to open the trails
through the snow. not to get into that
sort Of peril and then call upon the
city TO help them out. There are re.
ciprocal obligations as between differ
ent members and interests of the COM
munitY, and IT is decidedly unfair TO
munIty so that a few can have their
special interests helped in the way that
they demand. The commission, in our
Judgment, should have adhered to It's
ordinance and let the sheepmen help
themselves by, first of all, keeping out
clear. and secondly, by clearing the
way for themselves of such obstruc-
tions as might be found.
The ordinance has been OH the stat,
ute book now for some eight years, and
all have had full notice Of it, If 1t
has not been fully and fairly enforced
in the past, as the claim now is, that
Is certainly no reason why it should
not be enforced now, and if the city S
water supply has been befouled in the
past. that is no reason why it should
continue to be befouled, and in the past
there has certainly been complaint
enough about infection and contagion
in one form or another TO put the com.
mission on its guard against allowing
any trespass OF this kind.
1t is to be hoped that such litigation
as may be pending on this question
NAV be settled soon, SO that the peo-
pie can be protected in the purity OF
the water which thev are obliged to
use, and it certainly cannot be con-
ceded that the commission was right
in opening the way to the fouling Of
the water supply Of the city merely be.
cause there was litigation pending in
the case. and because some shccpmen
had, by premature driving, got their
sheep into perilous positions. The pur
ity of the water which the inhabitants
Of the city must use is the first consd.
Grafton; and TO that everything else
must give way.