The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-10-20
THREE GREAT
DETECTIVES.


a man at the edge of an open field
with wide opportunity ahead. Bar
riers have been removed. and there
is nothing to hinder them from 60
ing ahead with the development OF
the three principal things which they
need
The three big detectives are: A
complete and adequate water sys-
TEN, a complete and adequate sewer
system and these followed closely by
complete system of street paving
People are obliged to have water
and there is no way so economical
and efficient as to have water pipes
and let the water travel to them it.
self. They may dig wells and hoist
the water by rope and windlass or
by hand over hand methods, but all
the time they are doing this they
might as we'll be expanding their
money and their energies in some
thing that will bring them better re-
suits and better returns. A good
many people are up to the pont where
they must sink new wells if they do
not soon get water system. While
they are spending their money 1t
would be much better to spend money
for the municipal water system and
bring them something worth while.
The sewer system is good as far
as it goes but it does not reach
enough people. A great many people
are doing without any sewers or
cesspools and this is unsanitany and
undesirable. A good many people
soon dig cesspools if they do not get
the sewer service and while they are
expanding their money and Their en-
geries, they might as we'll be getting
something worth while. 1t will be
better for them and better for the
town. The people at large within the
city limits have been paying sewer
taxes for nine or ten years and the
greater number of them have been
receiving no direct benefit from it,
The only benefits they have received
have been from some street drain
age and from having their neighbors
get the use of the sewers. A very
great effort should be made now to
have the sewer system reach every
body possible.
1t is the history of every town
that when they get some good paving
it makes demand for a great deal
more of it. Blackfoot is now putting
down it's second installment of paw
ing, several times as much was laid
in the first instance. Considerable
work has been done grading and
shaping the earth streets that have
been used up to the present time
where the paving is now being built.
People who observe just what has
to be done now to get these streets
in shape to receive the, ,bitulithic paw
ing will observe that the dirt that
was hauled in at considerable ex-
pense few years ago is now being,
torn up at considerable expense and
hauled away again. This is a good
time to be studying the work and
expense incident to grading the earth
streets in order to get a few years.
use of them and then have the ad-
ditional expense of removing this
same dirt. 1t is good thing for
people to be making some COMPARE
sons and see whether it would not
be better to follow closely on the
heels of the laying of water mains
and sewer pipes with the construc-
ton of paving and thereby save
great deal of expense in trying to
make good streets out of earth by
hauling in and working it over and
over in the grading process. Cut out
all of this expense as soon as pos
sible and make real streets at much |
less expense than we are now getting
our present paving, owing to hand
ling this extra layer of earth grade.
If these three undertakings are
in the order mentioned it |
will be the most economical way and
will bring the greatest results in the
shortest time.
The laying of the water system
may or may not increase the taxes.
The people who become the Gus
toners Of the system will receive the
value of the money they pay in, and
the growth of the system with the
sales of the water may be sufficient
10 pay the current expenses and pay
off the bonds with interest. If so It
will not cost the taxpayers any
money. The Public Utilities Commits
don in fixing the prices to be paid
or water always keep that thought
n mind that the patrons who get
he benefit of the water should be | ;
made to pay the cost of the system
'ut 1t does not always work out ex-
lctly along that line The taxes may
'e heavier in some years. and lighter
n others, due to the way the matter
handled and the time at which
Aople make connections and go to
sing the city water.
The sewer system always has to
q paid for either out of the taxes
( the town at large or out Of the
axes of the people who are directly
erved by It.
NH H., ta k1,4k s, l