White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-21

/ KNOW we can anu DO learn uuCn
from experience, but / know also,
that 1t Is better to profit by other
And, | think we might profit by the
experience of those who a few years
ago constructed a storm sewer at
Bisbee, Arizona. The money. or
most of 1t, was furnished by large
mining companies. 1t was built to
handle floods caused by heavy rains
or cloudbursts. which l understand,
were quite frequent in that country.
| will lot go into details nor give
you the dimensions, nor the cost,
both of which. however. we're enor-
nous, but / will say this much, that
the cost was considerably more than
the assessed value of the city of Ely,
and, when the flood struck Bisbee
the sewer did not last over fifteen
minutes.
| am often asked, Don't you think
something ought to be done in regard
to the high water question: Ny
answer is Eyes, something should be
DONE" but. will also say, Let us
look the situation squarely in the
face and see 1t as it IS"
1t is a well known fact that ever
since the Water company's ditch was
made on the hillside, east of town.
it breaks whenever it rains heavily.
Now, with the springs which natural
ly flow in the old creek bed, and the
rain, together with the water from
the broken ditch added quite a food
is made; not sufficient, perhaps, to
be dangerous to either life or proper
ty, but very disagreeable while it
lasts. Again, looking at it from anoth-
er side, it Is dangerout, both to life
and property for these When
the ditch is broken water supply
is cut off, and so are our lights, and,
when in darkness, the danger of fire
is increased more than any one can
estimate. People are not prepared
and haven't any candles, they are
Obliged to grope around in the dark
to find some old lamp which has been
unused for years and is filled with
dust, and, if they should have a little
coal oil. they fill the lamp by the
light of a match. So, it Is easy to
see how the danger of fire is increas-
ed, and in case the fire starts at such
a time, We have no protection until
the ditch is repaired. Now, let us
suppose, that a fire breaks out under
circumstances such as l have de-
cribed. What would be the result?
Simply, this, the town would 60, and
all we would have left would be two
storm W and a heap of ashes.
1t looks to me as though it would
be better to devote our attention to
having the water piped from the
spring instead of running from two
miles in an open ditch. BY doing
this we would. at all times. have
clear and pure water and the danger
of fire, would be lessened, by always
having light. Then, in case of fire,
We would always have fire protection.
As to where the burden of such an
improvement rests may be, and no
doubt. is a debatable question, but
the improvement is a necessary one,
and. at all events, should be made.
II the water in the company's ditch
can be taken care OF there will be but
little danger from food waters. x
cept by a cloud burst and, in that
case, any storm sewer that the city
of Ely may build will be of no use
whatsoever.
Some two months ago, when the
sewer vas first talked Of. it was stat
ed by one member of the council. at
q regular meeting. that at that time
the city's indebtedness was about
s45, 900. 90. This statement was a
little misleading. In the subsequent
Issue of one of our local papers. in
commenting upon 1t, II was said that
the city council showed a progressive
spirit and that the city's finances
we're In good condition. Now. in
stead of the city's Indebtedness at
that time. (about October 15th.) be-
ing in the neighborhood of $45,-
10000, we need only add the propos-
ed bond issue of $1,000 to make the
amount nearly double that stated.
Right here let me add, that the fact
is well known to your honorable
body. as 1t is to the tax payers, gen.
orally, that before the proposed
storm W could be completed the
actual cost would exceed $40, 200. 90.
On October 18th, 1913, the in
d~ebtedness of the city of Ely was, as
follows: