The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-02-16
DISCUSSING THE WATER PLANT,

In our statement last week relat-
ing to the pumps we had an error
in the capacity of the vertical CEN
trifugal pump. 1t was given at $50
gallons an hour and it should have
read 1000 gallons per hour.
A test was made the thirty-first
of January to see if pumping from
all the wells simultaneously would
lower the water line and the pumps
were operated to full capacity for
one hour, lifting $4,000 gallons. In
That time the water level fell four
inches, leaving II feet Of water in
the wells. The pumping was contin-
ued for half an hour longer, lifting
$4,000 gallons and the water line
remained the same.
Later in the day the water level
was observed again and pumping was
continued for IS minutes in the same
way without changing the level.
1t is our understanding that there
was very little freezing of water
pipes on the system during the re-
cent prolonged cold weather. Prac-
tically all of the freezing of water
pipes was in the houses or individual
lines. At our neighboring city of
Pocatello, the city government is con-
fronted with a loss estimated at
$1,000 for labor expense to dig up
and repair water mains damaged by
freezing, and another heavy expense
bill for the cost of the pipes. While
the pipes are ice-bound. the houses
on each line beyond the ice are fur
nished by means of the water
wagons. Blackfoot has escaped all
these losses and the individual ex-
pense and inconvenience attending
the freezing, the waiting for the thaw
and the longer period of repairing
the mains. Whether it buys the water
system and operates it municipality or
leaves it under private OWNERSHIP, the
thanks of the town go out to the
makers of the system for laying it
deep and keeping the water moving.
Blackfoot has the name of being
conservative old town, possessing
much wealth, it's people divided
against themselves, disposed to
knock" each others projects, and
make little preparation for future
growth. There are so few obstacles
to building, no hillsides, no bluffs, no
rocks and boulders, no swamps, no
quicksand; easy to eXecavate, easy
to build, easy to drain and easy to
maintain, in fact it is so aided by
nature that people do not build till
they are obliged to or have double
assurance that it will be profitable
In deciding what to do with the ques-
ton of municipal water plant as
compared with one privately owned,
the people will be so little concerned
will feel so little interest, will feel
so much assurance that they can
make an easy living anyway, they
will care little which way the water
question Is settled. Blackfoot is a
free city and most of it's people are
so bent on exercising their freedom
that If mass meeting were called
to discuss the water problems, about
8 400 of the $500 inhabitants would
remain at home during the meeting
or would go to places of amusement |
and leave matters Of public interest
to take care of themselves.
In discussing this trait of the local
some speak of it as in
but 1t isn't; it is the fruits
Of freedom and easy living. Some
speak of it as laziness, but it is not,
t Is independence and a determine
ion not to work. Many are willing
% work with their hands, but they
llslike to listen and study and COM
nit things to memory and watch
rom month to month and from year
o year to make comparisons to see
which is the best way. 1t is easier
o let the other fellows do it if there
8 any heavy studying and planning
o do, and then If it doesn't turn out
veil, one can always stand off and
make light of ~those who did what
yer was done. For reasons like
hese, there will be little study of
he question of what to do about buy
ng the water plant, and when cleo
ion day comes most Of those who
ote will look about to see how
theirs are voting and then they will
ote that way. A dozen noisy fell
,ws going about telling how they :
re going to vote, can vote most of
nose who decline to study but like
, do what the mysterious they" are
Ding.