Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-03-18 | Page 23 | Water Situation Thought Critical

Kjjp SITUATION TKou&jnmraL Amendment to Senate Bill No. Ill Not Approved in Twin Falls. JSpecial to The Tribune. TWIX FALLS, Idaho, March 17. That the amendment to senate bill No. Ill Teas aimod at the Twin Falls waterworks water-works situation is the belief o the mayor, the city council and many citizens citi-zens of Twin Falls. "Undoubtedly' the measure wan directed di-rected at Twin Falls, " says Mayor Everett Ever-ett M. Sweele3', ' ' against the waterworks water-works situation here, probably for the purpose of placing the city in a position where it would have to 'grant a franchise fran-chise to a privately-owned waterworks corporation. At least, from the information infor-mation that has reached us we are led to believe that this is true. l'l would say, without being more bit- lrthan the facts justify, that a legis-- legis-- iature which regards light and power as of more importance to a city than water, has ideas to which I cannot subscribe. sub-scribe. I might say more, but not for publication." For two years Twin Falls has struggled strug-gled over the waterworks situation. Matters were finally shaping themselves them-selves satisfactorily and when the Cum-mings Cum-mings bill, known as senate bill No. Ill, was originally introduced, it appeared ap-peared favorable to the interests of Twin Falls. Tests and investigations of various water supply sources have been carried on at various times during the past two years. Recently L. C. Kelsey, a competent compe-tent engineer "formerly of Salt Lake, was employed by the city to investigate the various sources formerly proposed nnd had submitted practical suggestions and plans for the much-needed Eystem. The assessed valuation of the city of Twin Falls for the vear 1915 was approximately ap-proximately $3,631,075. Under this law the limit of a waterworks bond on the stated valuation would be some $217,-864.50. $217,-864.50. The city already has outstanding outstand-ing bonds in the sum of '$80,000 for the purchase of the present waterworks system, which reduces the amount possible pos-sible to raise to $137,864.50. And the system proposed bv Engineer Kelsey is estimated at $507,571.03. When Mayor Sweeley, at the council meeting this week, read his report on the new law and its probablo effect on local conditions, there was a profound silence in the meeting. There was nothing noth-ing left for the council to do but order a warrant drawn in the sum of $1000 in payment to Engineer Kelsey for his services, ser-vices, and dismiss the matter. From this it seems that a.ll possibility of voting vot-ing waterworks bonds in Twin Fills is postponed two years.