The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-04-19

citizens were interested in the ques-
ton. of a water supply for the. city.
At least there are. not many here.
But something has got to be done
and it is up to the council to decide
what is needed and see that it is
done, : If we CAM have what the re.
port suggests and recommends Well
have to take what we can get along
with. We can get the full plans
for proper plant and build the crib
add the rest Of what the plans call
for when it can be better afforded.
IF there's any one here who has
any suggestions or any plans either
for or against, the time to speak is
right now We don't want anyone
to keep still and then go away and
knock"
Thus did Mayor Vandersluis ex-
press himself at the adjourned meet
:rg of the city council last evenin:
when the report of the F. l.. Anders,
superintendent of the Fargo water
system, was read before the council.
He had been secured ny the council
to look. over the local water supply
and system and state his findings
and make recommendations.
The Problem in Brief.
The whole matter resolves itself
into just this:
Bemidji is strongly up against a
water supply. In five years, three
times the amount NOW available
will be necessary The water supply
is at present unreliable and wholly
10 tn, W
and Immediate action is imperative.
With the city facing dangerous
situation in many ways, there Is
Nymore to be considered as an added
strain on the supply, for the new ad-
dition to- Bemidji has absolutely no
water supply of any nature. The
Narmal school VIII also be a heavy
drain on the supply. The park board
will now, commence to use water
freely. Last summer the people of
the city suffered from lack of water
for lawns, and many gardens went
out Of business owing to the lack Of
water and the forbiddingf Of its use
except in limited quantity.
The. question of wells or Lake
Irvine intake came up. The report
of Engineer Anders stated that the
wells ais have been, and are now in
service, are unreliable. Absolutely
no guarantee Of. their service can be
made. They have caused no end Of
trouble and thousands of dollars
have been expended in maintaining
them and today they are worthless so
far as, doing what. should be done
for the city.
Can't Guarantee Wells.
In sinking aeWell, there is no guar
antee of it's length Of life nor what
will be encountered. There is no
guarantee that it will give water
three weeks or three years. The
present wells of the city are not do
ing what was expected and the re-
port asserted that the surrounding
basin of land in the vicinity Of the
wells was settling point for insani-
tary conditions: The report asserted
that. the settling of unwholesome
moisture, ETC., would seek arteries
under the earth and there was no
manner of knowing whether they
would break through underground
into the water strata that supplies
the wells for use of Bemidji people
and in the households
To be perfectly blunt about it, the
water that is supplied by the wells
is surface water.
Smart Favors Wells.
Former Alderman Tom Smart took
issue on. the taking 81 water from the
center ofsEake IrtinS and Ithe-subse-
.quent: tabIishmenf:.o aEfilter sys-
+ tenn He said it looked to him as If
the Fargo engineer was merely look
ing for job.
"Mr. Anders is not looking for a
job" retorted Mayor Vandersluis.
"Mr. Anders came to Bemidji at the
request of the city council to see
what Bemidji needed and to give his
opinion and suggestions as to what
he thought should be done.'
Mr.. Smart asserted that Bemidji
had the best water in the state and
that a plentiful supply has always
been available.
Clark-"When the wells were
running"
smart-"Well, they haven't been
running the past year. They've
been clogged up. The water pipe
system was never completed. There
are too many dead ends The wells
can be fixed up for about $4,000
and last for the next eight or ten
years"
Mayor Differs.
Mayor andersluis-"That can't
be done with Nymore and the new
Normal school added. Mr.. Warfield
gays the wells ought to be pulled
every three years and the cost would
be about $1,000"
Smart-"Stoner, who put in the
water works, was against wells
(The plant was installed about IL
or IA years ago.
Mayor Vandersluis-"I wouldn t
call Mr.. Anders incompetent You've
got to have plans for anything. we
sent for him. You've got to get