The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-02-15

the location, establishment and main
tenance of city parks and planting :?
Mr.. Editor, the residents of Col
vile are entitled to an immediate
full and fair public answer to each
and all of these questions of in
quiry. On visiting many progress
sive cities of our state, you will
find upon inquiry that their city
government has established definite
plans of improvement, and that their
city coufltilmen are elected to Of
flee upon their capability to sue
cessfully carry these plans into eff
feet. All progressive municipalities
have adopted plans of development,
and their people, knowing what they
are, render enthusiastic assistance
along those lines.
An able civil and hydraulic en-
gineer was called to Colville some
three years ago our city author
tiles to investigate the available
sources of our water supply, and to
report what was the best for the
city to do in the face of the condi-
tions. He made thorough investi-
cation and reported his conclusion at
a public meeting at the court room.
In his report he said among other
things that our present supply of
water was taken from the basin of a
mountain swamp, which would
diminish in quantity as the swamp
was cleared up and put into culti-
walton, and as the timber was cut
from the mountain sides. He
recommended that steps be taken
to obtain our supply of water from
either Mill creek or the Little Pend
'Oreille river.
In all probability our present source
of supply of water will in a few
years become insufficient to supply
the city's demand for household,
garden and lawn purpose. No
steps have been taken by our city
government to obtain water from
either of. said streams. In all
probability in few years time the
water Of these streams will be con-
veyed by means of fumes and
bitches upon lands of the Colville
valley. It will then be too ex-
pensive to condemn these waters for
citp purposes.
The city has recently passed an
ordinance requiring property owners
to put in meters, expecting thereby
no doubt to conserve the supply of
water.
There lies short distance under
meath the surface of the great part
of Colville, hardpan. Since the
construction of the sewer system,
the ground above this hardpan is
quickly dried, and unless a large
quantity of water is used, good
gardens connot be grown or lawns
properly kept up. But few per-
sons will raise gardens, or main
tain good-looking lawns, if they
have to purchase water for that
purpose.
The question is, would it not be
better to pass an ordinance prohibit
ing the use of water for lawn OF
garden purpose, and save the ex-
pense of putting in meters?
Again, would it not be preferable
to apply the cost of meters to the
cost of constructing a water pipe
line to the Pend Oreille river?
Outside of the water system we
have great quantities of water run
ming to waste in passing through the
city.
In the face of these opportune
conditions, our little boys and girls,
and big boys and girls, have no
place to bathe except in bath tub,
while many of them lack this op-
portunity of a bath. Their mothers
and fathers can afford to spend
thousands of dollars for an enter
tainment given by chautauqua
singer from a southern cline, but
their ears are deaf to the music
of the ripple and laughter of boys
and girls floating from the SWIM
ming pool-the grandest music on
earth.
We have streets twice as wide as
they need be, and of course, too ex-
pensive to maintain in proper condi-
tion.
The city's governmental policy in
the handling of these streets seems
to have been to leave them alone
and let the travelling public enjoy
the benefit of the jolt.
Are the present plans of our city
government to drift in the manner
we are drifting; or has our city
government other plans, at least
somewhat more progressive in their
nature, and not quite so well adapted
to the charms of extreme old age
and quiet repose?
If there exist such other plans,
- i. Il