The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-10-24
FavorsCity
Ownership
OF Utilities
That and Health Matters
Discussed by Libby
Lions Club.
DR.. J. M. CAIRNS
GUEST SPEAKER

| n SIuIlS sentiment IN favor OF
municipal ownership of the Libby
water and light system was evident at
the Monday night meeting Of the Lib
by Lions club and, also noticeable was
vigorous support of the city health
officer in his present campaign to i'm
prove health conditions in the city.
| These matters were brought to the
attention of the club by an address by
DR.. c. ]. Cairns, the health officer.
who had been invited to speak to the
club on health matters DR.. Cairns
stated that any Improvement of health
conditions in the city required better
| water supply. He described conditions
| at the source of the present city sys-
tenn and said improvements should py
all means be made there He sug-
gested that the proper place for
reservoir on Flower creek would be
from half to three-quarters of a milk.
farther upstream from the present
reservoir. At that location, rock walls
made very suitable site for reser-
voir which could be made by the
building of a concrete dam With this
Improvement there should be- a settl-
ing or sedimentation reservoir. which
would remove, to large extent, sand.
dirt, leaves, tWigs and such matter that
IS found in all streams.
DR. Cairns also discussed briefly the
milk situation and said danger of dis
ease from the milk supply had been
removed by pasteurization. During
the discussion that followed, DR..
Cairns remarked that there is abb
solutely no question as to the source
OF the typhoid that has visited the city
on former occasions, that it had been
definitely traced to carriers, and that
this danger could be eliminated by
pasteurization of the milk.
Also discussed was the question Of
sewage. DR.. Cairns told what was be
ing done to eliminate outside toilets
and said he was meeting with fine
cooperation In that respect. Some 30
property owners had been notified
that outside toilets must be removed.
he said, and that only three or four
had objected to the Improvement.
Would Beautify City.
The speaker branched off from the
discussion of health matters to saw that
city sanitation was only one of several
things that ought to be done for the
of the city. Another
campaign that ought to be pushed
vigorously, said the doctor, is the
general Identification of the city He
deplored the vacant and unsightly lots
scattered about town He spoke of the
large revenue the Great Northern rail-
way is obtaining each year from Libby
and argued that the company ought
to give Libby better depot building.
The vacant lots between the building
and the Kemp property on Mineral
avenue ought to be graded, seeded to
grass and trees planted, said the speak
er. He believed the railroad company
ought to be approached in regard to
that matter. Similar work should be
done on numerous vacant tracts
throughout the city, he said.
DR.. Cairns spoke of the large tourist
travel that will soon start to come
through this section and said the CITY
will lose great opportunity for bust
ness and growth If it does not start
improving its general appearance.
w. +. Kienitz spoke Of conditions
that existed in the water supply a few
years ago and said substantial i'm
had been made. He re-
marked that an adequate sewer sys-
tenn, pure water and milk are vital
to any city.
William Herbert remarked that il
DIR. Cairns was advocating municipal
ownership Of the water and light svs-
TENS, that he was for it. c. S. Webb
said the move to clean up the city and
improve health conditions is a fine
service. If the health officer is backed
by adequate state laws and city ordi
nances and by the support of the
citizens, ne can accomplish a great deal
Of good, said Mr. Webb.
Supports Health Campaign
l.. 5. WEIGH, when called on by the
chair, said that every city that can do
80 ought to own its own water system.
he said the city's future depended to a
great extent on city health and city
identification. Libby is standing right
now at the threshold of growth and
said Mr.. WEIGH, and
right now is the time to back I'D the
health officer in his commendable
Mr. WEIGH offered mo-
ion that the Lions club 60 on record
as heartily backing the health officer
IN his campaign for health improve
nent and Identification Of the city.
The motion was seconded by Lion
Herbert but the chair delayed a vote
until one or two others had spoken.
A. M. Hoffman described the build
ing of the dam at the present reser-
yoir, saying that he had helped build
he dam. He remarked that the site
vas not suitable for. the purpose and
with what DR. Cairns had
'aid about the proper site being farther
Up stream. Hoffman favored munich