Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-03-22

Water and Light department, writes
the Herald this week relative to the
proposed bond issue for the purpose
of purchasing a municipal water and
light system. He says he is mot di-
rectly interested in the proposition as
am living on ranch out of Boomers
Ferry where We have a grand spring
flowing from the mountains furnish
ing us with as pure water as God ever
gave to man." Mr.. Grignon states
that the municipal system of Duluth
is second to none in the United States
in the matter of pure water, service
and low rates. He writes:
Fourteen years ago the Duluth
plant was owned by private capital
and had its pump house a couple of
blocks distant from the city sewer
outlet into Lake Superior. The result
was that a typhoid fever epidemic
sprung up. AS you know, Lake Su-
perior is far different body of water
than your slough or Kootenai river,
with about 100 to 1 more chance for
bacteria to get away. But at that one
time in the city of Duluth we had be-
tween 500 and 700 cases of typhoid
fever with something like 365 deaths
The people woke up to the fact that
something had to be done and done
quickly. The feeling became so that
the manager and past owner had to
leave the city between two suns and
remain two years. A special election
was called; bonds issued in the sum
of $750,000, the plant purchased and
the key turned on the old pump house
Water wagons furnished the people
with their needs until new pumping
plant could be built out IL miles from
the center of the city with an intake
pipe out 1900 feet in the lake.
All mains were thoroughly flushed
and by good management and careful
watching the Duluth Water & Light
department has become at the top of
the ladder in the United States. Not
only that, but at the time of purchase,
people were paying at the rate of s1.25
per 800 cubic feet for water and $500
per 1000 cubic feet for gas. In five
years time the rates were reduced to
so cents per 800 cubic feet for water
and rs cents per 1000 cubic feet for
gas; which rates they have and still
maintain all through the high cost of
living period. So | can't see where
these people that holler about higher
taxes get it. In the first place, if the
Bonners Ferry plant was not a paying
to the individual, do you
suppose it would be kept in operation?
No. Therefore it must be self main
aiming and with a profit, and if it
,ays profit to an individual why not I
o the people who in few years time
would have the benefit of not only
,etter service but voice in the mat
er of lower rates. In all my expert
nee with water and light departments
have rever ever heard of case
where the purchase of a rightly man 4
ged plant has had a tendency of
aising taxes. But on the other hand, 4
las given the people better rates, 4
hereby saving them that much to
AXE care of other expenses. 4
Taking Duluth as an example ,
gain, the plant is three times the
ize it was at the time of purchase. ,
Two years ago they took up the last
t $125,0 bonds. All these years they
ave been paying enormous high rent
or the first and second floors in the
commercial club building and last fall
tarted to build and this spring moved
1to new home, right in the heart
f the city, built at cost of $150,000
Does it pay to own your own plant?
SIX any town or city that has tried
. See if they want to go back to
rivate ownership.
Another thing the city of Dutuths !
ealth department will show you rec
rds of the last eight years showing q
lere is less sickness caused directly I
Y impure water than any city of its !
lie in the United States {
Speaking of impure water. l will !
lso mention a couple other cities that
ave come under my observation. In
Dol in the city of Escabana, Mich, l.
18th impure pumping system and neg d
,ct of changing filtering sand, had $
bout $50 or ITS deaths from typhus
n Easter Sunday morning of that )
ear l counted eight funerals on the I
ain streets at one time Did they 1
ait for more? No. Like many other
ties they had waited too long as it I
as. They are enjoying good water
. fair rate, the system is owned by
lie people. I
Then again, in 1897, at Ashland
lis, under the same causes, had be-
yeen 500 and 500 cases of typhus with
ose to 800 deaths. Have good cause v
remember this as I had a brother d
ricken there with a run of 10 weeks Il
nd if it had not of been for his age 6
nd fine physique he would never have i
llled through. His doctor and hos b