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Show IB A SCOUNDRELLY JOURNAL. B Mr. Bancroft has been doing the preliminary B work needed, in the way of fixing terminals, build- B ing freight warehouses, etc., for many months, the B intention being to put the finishing work on the B local improvements by building a magnificent pas- B senger depot He told the writer of this many B weeks ago that he hoped soon to receive notice B that the $600,000 necessary for the work was sub- B ject to his requisition. Now the News has heard of it and couples it with the bringing in of Cottonwood water in a way calculated to impress the careless reader that they are twin enterprises and both due to the sagacity and patriotism of the present mayor and council, assisted by the patriots who at headquarters head-quarters are looking after the welfare of this city and of whom the News is the organ. But in the body of its article the News reminds the public that "caution and prudence are necessary in the appropriation of company funds. There is the stockholders' welfare to consult and the bondholders' bond-holders' interest to pay. Those who are responsible respon-sible for the prosperity or otherwise of the great organizations have to move or stand by their own judgment, unswayed by popular or hasty opinions." opin-ions." By that, we take it, the News intends to instruct in-struct the mayor and council not to mind what the people demanded in last Saturday's meeting at the Commercial club, as mere "petty squabbles in which some people are engaged with a political object in view." But suppose Mr. Bancroft had requested $600,-000 $600,-000 with which to build a great depot, representing represent-ing that he had full right of way, all the needed ground purchased and the needed concessions from the city; that then, after obtaining the money, Mr. Harriman were to come here and find that he had neither, what would his conclusion be? And if "caution and prudence are needed in the appropriation of company funds," we beg to ask the News why the city has only seventeen-six-tieths (17-60) of the flow of Big Cottonwood creek instead of thirty-sixtieths, as represented? Again, ji sHfl how is it that Rudolph Knudsen's claim has never U' SnH been negotiated for? He has a power at the foot jij 'Bflfl of Cottonwood canyon by which he runs a mill. ; KH He has been to great expense, has sunk fifteen j ! BH feet in the solid bed of the canyon and built a j HH tail-race from it and has developed 200-horse j flH power and has run his flour mill there for years. jfl Now, if the Light & Railway company's power, iH two miles above was so valuable that a $100,000 HI cash offer was refused, what ought Mr. Knudsen's IH power to be worth? And speaking of "caution ;BB and prudence," has any bond been secured from 'jB Mr. Knud'sen or any understanding been reached j 'H with him? jEjjH Again, suppose the conduit built and the Cot- BB tonwood water was passing into the reservoirs, 1 iH how much would it reinforce the present city sup- j,; jHJ ply? Not 3,000,000 per day, not so much as one ifl pump would supply from the big wells above Bl Liberty Park. Is it not a shame for a great daily mB paper to back a mighty intended graft by abusing 'B the decent property owners of a city who are only Hfl asking that common business judgment shall be j i BH used in the expenditure of $1,000,000 which they j j ,H will have to pay? M jB |