Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-06-05

OFFERS TO SELL
Would Dispose Of Water and Light
Plants to the City and Take
Bonds in Part Payment
PURER CITY WATER is THE ISSUE
Council Is Striving to Find Equitable
Solution Of the Question

ne city council mas Deen discus
sing for some time with the Bonner
Water and Light company the
question of purer water for the
city. This has finally resulted in
an offer by A. H. Featherstone
owner of the plant and franchise,
to sell both the electric and water
plants to the city, taking in part
payment bonds issued by the city
for the purchase of the plants.
The city fathers, however, take the
stand that the purchase of the
plants is out of the question at the
present time.
Some time ago the council asked
the company to move its pumping
plant from below the city to point
above, and Mr.. Featherstone wrote
that he had secured a site on the
island above the slough and was
about to move the plant when he
learned that the Moyea Hydraulic
Mining company would soon begin
placer operations on large scale a
few miles above town, which would
rile the river greatly and thus
make the proposed new location
also undesirable for a pumping
plant.
The council has been endeavor-
ing to secure a purer water supply
for some time. Last August an
analysis of the water was made by
the state board of health, which
reported that the water was not fit
for use. In September another
analysis was made of water taken
from the river above the slough,
which showed much purer condi-
ton. Whereupon the question of
moving the plant was taken up
with the company, with the results
as outlined above.
The city fathers insist that the
water from the river will never be
suitable without at least being
filtered. -Four months of each
year the stream carries a great
amount of suspended sediment and
with the placer operations above
they are unanimous in the state
ment that something must be done
to purify the city's water supply.
There are three solutions avail
able.
First, the city could endeavor to
require the company to run a pipe
line down from Snow creek or
some similar mountain stream.
Mr.. Feathestone states this would
cost fully $4,000. 1t is doubtful
if the company could be required
to expend that sum at the present
time.
Secondly, the city might issue
bonds, purchase the plant, and
install its own pipe line from Snow
creek. A preliminary estimate by a
civil engineer in the employ of the
city places the probable cost OF
such a pipe line at $50, 900, a diff
ference of $4,000 between the
city's and Mr.. Featherstone's esti-
mates. This is not considered
practical at the present on account
of the limited taxable property
within the city limits. The law
limits the bonds a city may issue
for such purpose to 6 per cent
of the assessed valuation, and il
is said the amount thus obtainable
would not be sufficient to buy the
plant and install a pipe line.
However, purchase by the City
may be the ultimate solution of the
question.
The third possibility is for the
company to put in filtering plant.
This would only cost a nominal
sum and would greatly improve
the water. While the council has
not yet decided upon any definite
program, this phase of the diff
Guilty is being considered.
Members of the public utilities
commission are to be at Standpoint
the latter part of the month in ar
investigation of water troubles al
that place. The Boomers Ferry
council plan to have a committee
meet the commission there anc
take up with them this question o.