| Show PROVO WATERWORKS I The All Absorbing Topic of Discussion C Wlialons Position The contract with Rhodes Brothers tout to-ut in a system of waterworks has been fully completed and the firm has already sent for the material in Denver which will be shipped Provo over the Denver Rio raudo and Rio Grande Western There will be several train loads of the different kinds of material used which will bo run into Provo as soon as transportation can be made A member of the city council states that about 40000 will be spent by the company in Provo and that all except some skilled work will be given to Provo workmen From the outlook there will evidently be considerable activity in all classes of business busi-ness in our city Already times are reported re-ported better by business men The money brought > here by the students attending the B Y academy is a lubricator and contractors contrac-tors are now paying a largo force of men here is a heavy demand for both residence resi-dence and business houses to rent which is in itself indicative of a healthy state of affairs The contract for laying tho main pipe in the waterworks system is now open to bids and will probably be given for 5000 Several contractors in Provo are invest gating with a view to do the work E C Davis the tinner has been given the contract for roofing tho B Y academy building which is nearing completion The work will cost 2000 and will be accom pushed as soon a practicable J R Stephen who nas given his time up argely to mining has just returned from La Plata on apr spctlng tour He has discouraging words for this camp but states that he has considerable faith in the Box Elder mining district near Brigham City There has been some valuable assays of late and development has hardly began Stephen will return to this district at once and commence work on a location he has secured J I WHALONS POSITION To the Editor of THE HERALD DEAlt SmA number of citizens of Provo who are opposed tothe mode letting ihe contract con-tract for water works as has been adopted by theo ity council have attacked me upon the question under tho impression that I was instrumental in-strumental in bringing Mr Rhodes to Provo aud urging the acceptance of his bid I desire to state in this relation that I am opposed to the plan of bonding tho city for water works and am strictly In favor of giving a franchise to reliable parties to put in water works system allowing the city the right to purchase the sam within thirty years or at any time they desired In my opinion the water works will not pay for at least ten years hence and a franchise being granted to a water company would leave the city free from Incumbr uco that is now placed upon it of 120000 1 We arc now precluded from bonding our city for the paving of streets and sidewalks putting In sewerage beautifying our parks etc and are compelled to levy direct taxes for the accomplishment accom-plishment of these important enterprises Those who have pettifogged the matter through the city council must have had some pecuniary interests or been possessed of the most profound innocence of the necessties of this community and the mater is beginning to dawn upon the citizens Provo and there has already been talk of serving an injunction upon the city to stop the issuing of bonds At present our city has the handsome debt of t20000draw ing 7 per cent interest which could easily have been avoided by awarding a franchise to a water company v What is most needed is now buried for years The city is well supplied with artesian wells but there is no sewerage to carry away the filth that is accumulating rapidly in our alleys and back yards Our streets are in a disgraceful condition and only a few days ago indignant citizens circulated a petition asking the city council to have them attended to If I understand the reading of the contract right the council have bound themselves to furnish fur-nish the water for ihe system and also a right of way from near Provo canon which will evidently evi-dently cost a large sum of money This will be in addition to the reatof the contract These statements were made by me before the citizens and council last Monday evening at the court house and I candidly believe the people will soon learn that they have been outraged out-raged bythe act of the city council and their coachers in what they havo done i relation to waterworks I believe the city is now in a more deplorable condition than ever before and it bas grieved me greatly thiscourse should have been taken J H WHALON |
