Memories of Huntsville and Its People
By Donald D. McKay
Huntsville Relief Society 1910
Note: This is the seventh in a multi-series of articles that is from the above titled compilation. It is being reprinted by permission of the McKay family. The information was initially printed in 1960.
Huntsville Town
About 1903, by petition of the people and legal action by the Board of County Commissioners, the town of Huntsville took upon itself, with much rejoicing, a municipal charter, and on November 2, 1909, by vote of the same people and with much rejoicing, it divested itself of that charter. Between those years, however, much of local interest happened.
L.M. Nielsen was the first mayor, followed by Niels Lofgreen and A.J. Anderson in that order. During the first administration, land was purchased and a very creditable Town Hall was erected and furnished. There was a suitable jail in the basement and a nice room to hold court in. I held court many times in that spacious room and assigned a few to occupy those rooms downstairs with barred windowed and steel doors.
The town had three or four saloons in those days, and visits from sheepherders and cowboys from all over the range to the east. These, added to some of our own population, frequently created quite a problem.
On February 19, 1907, the Mayor was empowered to sign a contract with the Utah Light & Railway Co. for electric energy, and to buy materials and construct transmission lines from the power dam to and around town, which he did later. For two years taxes mounted at such a rate that the citizenry concluded that they had been traveling in too fast company.
To meet this situation, a "Citizens Party of Huntsville" was formed and they nominated A.J. Anderson for Mayor. Joseph L. Peterson, Ernest Nielson, Andrus Anderson, and N.H. Nielsen were nominated for Councilmen; Joseph Peterson, Recorder; Anna J. Nielsen for Treasurer; and Dr. M. C. Wood, Justice of the Peace.
The following names constitute the group who joined the party and helped to elect the candidates. Who remembers them?
George E. Ferrin, A. P. Renstrom, John A. Anderson, A Jensen, Hyrum Felt, Andrus Anderson, Jane Anderson, Emma Stoker, Julian Nielsen, Emmaline Engstrom, Peter C. Anderson, Margaret Anderson, J.C. Anderson, Oscar Geertson, A.H. Spreague, J.P. Rasmussen, Harma C. Mortensen, N.W. Mortensen, S.P. Peterson, Anna M. Nielsen, Emma Peterson, Elizabeth Jensen, Williamena McKay, Sarah Nielsen, Hans P. Nielsen, Angus McKay, Millie Nielson, Berletta Nielson, Regetta Thurston, James Thurston, A.J. Anderson, Ethell McKay, M.C. Wood, D.D. McKay, Ernest Nielson, Cynthia Anderson, John McFarland, Grace McFarland, P.M. Jensen, Nephi H. Nielsen, Albert Engstrom, Mrs. Hyrum Nielsen, H.H. Nielsen Jr., Arthur Wangsgard, Martina Hansen, Niels Hansen, Joseph Peterson, William Engstrom, Jensino Nielsen, and John Jacobson.
This group won the election and the court dissolved the corporation. There was a heavy debt hanging over the town. Deciding how to pay it was a problem. The Mayor proposed, among other things, that the Square be sold, the proceeds to apply on the debt. A group of people met and decided to employ Judge Harris to defend the interests of the town. He came to town to make his report on his findings. He reported that title to the Square and the streets and alleys of the town too, were held by the Probate Courts, in escrow, for the people, and no organization could sell it. The debts were finally dissolved by taxes, so the town went back to its primitive condition.
Some time between 1902 and 1907, a telephone booth was placed in the Peterson store by the Bell Telephone Company, making it the first telephone service in town. Prior to that time, the nearest phone was at Billy (W.L.) Wilson's mill at Windy Point in Ogden Canyon. Later, the Independent Company installed their system, and phones were placed in homes and ranches all over town.
In August, 1907, a committee composed of Joseph L. Peterson, A.J. Anderson and myself opened a Free Public Library in the frame building east of the telephone building. The funds necessary for the project were raised by personal subscription and by money contributed by the Past Time Club. Many persons here and elsewhere sent books, magazines, as well as money. When it was opened to the public, it contained, besides current magazines and local newspapers, many hundreds of volumes. It was kept open evenings in the winter time for many years under the supervision of the librarian, and later, because of the burden of maintaining it, it was turned over to the Mutuals, and is now housed in the church. Lula Nelson, Lizzie Anderson, and Mina McFarland served as librarians before it was moved over to the church.
On the school house lawn a large stone monument of Jane Dilworth Hammond was set up in 1917. She was the first school teacher in the state of Utah. She died on June 6, 1877, and she was the first person to be interred in our present cemetery.
A few pages back, I mentioned businesses and buildings that were a part of the town years ago, but I forgot one, or maybe more. L.M. Nielsen had a tin shop on the corner of the block where the old hotel now is. That was an important business in pioneer days. He was a good tin smith and I imagine he had a profitable business. When the town improved he was able financially to build the brick building on the same lot, where he resided for many years. He was killed in an automobile accident on the Old Ogden road this side of Middle Fork crossing.
Mention was made a bit ago about the Past Time Club. Ethell McKay was always interested in music. There were many young people in Huntsville who were also interested in it. In the winter of 1906, we put on an opera called "Fantasme." I had the pleasure of being director. Mrs. Caroline Renstrom was stage manager. Ethell McKay was pianist. Grace McFarland arranged costumes, and David Stromberg was violinist. The characters were played by James G. Widdison, Ida Mollerup, Moiselle Renstrom, Eva Peterson, Leona Brown, Anna Nielsen, Ella Thurston, Marian Belnap, Bella Grow, Hanna Nielsen, Olivia Felt, and Ernie McKay. How many residents remember those names now?
Not long after this play was put on, some of the young fellows were thought to be a little wild, perhaps because there was nothing much they could do in the way of amusing themselves. The little opera generated an idea. Why not a club?
This organization did two things. It gave the young people something to do, and at the same time it raised a lot of money. They played all around this county and in other counties too. Money their plays earned went into the public library, as already mentioned. It helped the Relief Society get a new piano and a book case; the church organ, too; and much of it went to help the needy and poor of the ward, and there were many of them in those days.
Here are the names of all I can remember who participated in the organization:
David Jespersen, Arthur Dominac, Loren Grow, Angie McFarland, Walter Anderson, Moisell Renstrom, Hilda Berlin, Harvey Wangsgard, Grace Smith, Wayne Grow, Olivia Felt, Vernal Nielsen, Arnold Berlin, Ivy Peterson, Lizzie Anderson, Nina Felt, Eric Cramer, Ernest McKay, Leonard Grow, Laura Felt, Mina McFarland, Leona Engstrom, Carol Renstrom, Helga Peterson, Fred Berlin, Frank Lofgreen, Mattie Stone, Thelma Stevens, Louise Browning, and Myrtle Felt.
On July 24, 1915, a big celebration was held in the town. The official program indicated the party was in honor of three important events in the town's development— (1) The advent of the Utah pioneers; (2) Completion of the electric railroad; (3) Artesian wells for Ogden's water supply.
There was a program in the pavilion, at which Mayor A.G. Fell of Ogden was to talk. The Industrial Band was there. There was a lunch provided, two baseball games, horse racing, bronco busting, and all the sports popular at that time. There also was a parade. There was to be a handcart company represented by Hans Scow and Anna Slater, both of whom came to Utah by that method; then there was an ox team driven by Parry A. Bingham, an 1848 pioneer. There were mule teams and a white tops, horse team and surries, a 1915 auto, etc.
Jens Winter fired the morning salute, Arnold Renstrom, the Scoutmaster, raised the flag, Angus McKay was Chaplain. I was chairman in the pavilion, W.H. Wattis officially opened the road, Bishop John Halls gave the speech of welcome. M.S. Browning gave the response, and T. Samuel Browning also gave an address. President George H. Brimhall eulogized the pioneers, and thus passes another development in the town's history.
In the beginning of building a town, water, as always, is an important item. The creeks and irrigation ditches used at first for that purpose became polluted and then wells had to be dug. Lars Larsen got to be a professional in that trade, and he became so popular in that trade that he finally became known as "Well-digger Larsen."
The old wooden buckets, the well ropes, and the old iron pulleys were anything but handy, especially on washday. When the pump came along, that improved the situation somewhat, but even that was inconvenient. I frequently felt that it would be wise and try and get water in the homes in pipes under pressure.
In about 1920, I had talked to some prominent people around town about the matter, but I had not got much encouragement. I knew where was a nice spring east of town that would more than supply the needs of the people here. I finally tried a second group to join in such an effort. I even got a contractor to go over the ground with me, and he offered to put the main line in for $15,000. That fell through. Finally, in 1923, we got a group together who were willing to get water for themselves, anyway. They were Louis Wangsgard, Albert Engstrom, E.R. McKay, A.W. Schade, D.D. McKay, Sam Lofgreen, Hyrum Jensen, James G. McKay, Arthur Wangsgard, Harvey Wangsgard, Frank Thurston, Samuel Wangsgard, Jed McKay, Jake Wangsgard, Niels Wangsgard, Frances McDonald, Arthur Grow, Dan Felt, Vernal Nielsen, Charles Felt, James Surrage, and Horace Aldous. James G. McKay, Sam Lofgreen ,and myself each were elected as the Committee in charge.
On January 30, 1923, a 5-rod piece of ground for a reservoir, right-of-way for a road, and his right in a spring in Hawkins Creek Canyon, were all bought on contract from Peter M. Jensen for the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, one dollar down, and the balance when the deed was cleared and delivered. On the same day, his rights in the spring in Hawkins Canyon and right-of-way for a pipeline was bought on contract from David Wangsgard for the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, and one dollar down and the balance when the title was cleared and delivered.
Work was begun at once on titles and also to see if the State Utilities Law would affect a corporation such as the one we had in mind to create. A company was formed. The County Commissioners issued a franchise to put the pipeline in all the streets and roads of the town, and everything was ready to go. Then an argument arose. Everyone in town wanted to get in the deal. Well, it was finally agreed that if the town wanted to incorporate again, we would be glad to sell out to it.
This was done, and on January 18, 1924, the committee, consisting of myself, Sam Lofgreen, and J.G. McKay, acting for the corporation, entered into a contract with the town to sell the franchise granted by the County Commissioners, also the contract with Peter M. Jensen for Five Hundred Fifty Dollars and to assume and pay Mr. Jensen the sum of Four Hundred Ninety -Nine Dollars owing on his contract with the corporation. Also, the town had to pay David Wangsgard the sum of Four Hundred Ninety-Nine Dollars on the contract with him by the corporation. The town also agreed to hold an election to approve the issuance of bonds to build the necessary pipelines and reservoir, and that was the second trial of operating a town in this valley.
The town corporation was finally completed on November 5, 1924, when the county appointed Joseph L. Peterson, Mayor; E.R. McKay, C.A. Engstrom, Louis Wangsgard, and Charles I. Grow as councilmen; D.D. McKay as Justice of the Peace; Edward Jesperson as Treasure; Hyrum A. Jensen as Clerk; and Joseph Felt as Marshall and Poundkeeper.
This water system, when completed, cost the town in the neighborhood of Forty-Five Thousand Dollars. It was not long, however, until there was some expense in improvements for it.
Not so many years after the first system was completed, it became necessary to look for more water. The Board investigated many springs. Finally, it was determined that there was surplus water in Bennett Canyon. Several filings were made in that locality but they were not too encouraging. Finally, on February 21, 1936, one spring was bought from the Fullers in Bennett for Six Thousand Dollars. Thatcher and Young were retained as lawyers for the town, and on August 7, C. I. Coray was employed as Engineer and he began to survey the 3.6 miles from the pipelines from the spring to town.
An application was made to PWA for a loan and grant to help build the pipeline. That organization made a survey and appraisal of the cost of such a line and figured that would be about Fifty Thousand Dollars. That organization offered to pay forty-five percent of the cost, or not to exceed Twenty-Two Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars, and to buy Nineteen Thousand Dollars of their revenue bonds. Eleven Thousand Dollars of general obligation bonds would have to be issued and sold to some other concern. On November 19, the voters gave the Board authority to issue that amount of bonds, and the contract was finally let for the 3.6 miles of pipe.
Then, on September 18, 1940, Braxton and Opal Fuller sold to the town 0.4 of a second foot of water from the big spring, just above the smaller one. There had been a lot of controversy about the water in this spring. Finally, on December 5, 1947, a contract was entered into with the Fullers and between the town and the Monastery, so the town gets 0.4 cfs from the big spring and the entire flow of the little spring, with some modifications.
The town board members in 1936 were Fred W. Wood, President; and Jed McKay, Henry Burrows, Arnold Berlin, and Clarence Olsen, Board Members. The new town board were Fred Wood, President; Jed McKay, A.W. Schade, Otis Fuller, and Chester Engstrom.
Beginning in 1950 it was evident that the pipes leading from the reservoir into town were not large enough to carry the water available. The pipe leading from the big spring to the little spring had broken and a large part of the water was lost. So that was repaired by laying a new and larger pipe between them and laying it at a proper slope the whole distance.
Then it was decided to replace the pipe between the reservoir and the town with a new and larger pipe so as to make the enlarged amount of water available to the system in town. This new line came into town a block east of where the old one came in, and thereby connected with all the feeder lines running west. This new line was not only larger, but it ran right into town and the old line was used for an overflow to carry excess water down to the river. These additions and changes, including several new hydrants, cost about Thirty-Three Thousand dollars. As a consequence of these improvements, the pressure in the lines is equalized in all the lines, and there is no contamination.
The engineer for this project was Winn Templeton. I was Mayor. The Board was Horace Aldous, Chester Engstrom, Harold Newey, and Harold Wangsgard. Lester Felt was Clerk.
Huntsville Town
About 1903, by petition of the people and legal action by the Board of County Commissioners, the town of Huntsville took upon itself, with much rejoicing, a municipal charter, and on November 2, 1909, by vote of the same people and with much rejoicing, it divested itself of that charter. Between those years, however, much of local interest happened.
L.M. Nielsen was the first mayor, followed by Niels Lofgreen and A.J. Anderson in that order. During the first administration, land was purchased and a very creditable Town Hall was erected and furnished. There was a suitable jail in the basement and a nice room to hold court in. I held court many times in that spacious room and assigned a few to occupy those rooms downstairs with barred windowed and steel doors.
The town had three or four saloons in those days, and visits from sheepherders and cowboys from all over the range to the east. These, added to some of our own population, frequently created quite a problem.
On February 19, 1907, the Mayor was empowered to sign a contract with the Utah Light & Railway Co. for electric energy, and to buy materials and construct transmission lines from the power dam to and around town, which he did later. For two years taxes mounted at such a rate that the citizenry concluded that they had been traveling in too fast company.
To meet this situation, a "Citizens Party of Huntsville" was formed and they nominated A.J. Anderson for Mayor. Joseph L. Peterson, Ernest Nielson, Andrus Anderson, and N.H. Nielsen were nominated for Councilmen; Joseph Peterson, Recorder; Anna J. Nielsen for Treasurer; and Dr. M. C. Wood, Justice of the Peace.
The following names constitute the group who joined the party and helped to elect the candidates. Who remembers them?
George E. Ferrin, A. P. Renstrom, John A. Anderson, A Jensen, Hyrum Felt, Andrus Anderson, Jane Anderson, Emma Stoker, Julian Nielsen, Emmaline Engstrom, Peter C. Anderson, Margaret Anderson, J.C. Anderson, Oscar Geertson, A.H. Spreague, J.P. Rasmussen, Harma C. Mortensen, N.W. Mortensen, S.P. Peterson, Anna M. Nielsen, Emma Peterson, Elizabeth Jensen, Williamena McKay, Sarah Nielsen, Hans P. Nielsen, Angus McKay, Millie Nielson, Berletta Nielson, Regetta Thurston, James Thurston, A.J. Anderson, Ethell McKay, M.C. Wood, D.D. McKay, Ernest Nielson, Cynthia Anderson, John McFarland, Grace McFarland, P.M. Jensen, Nephi H. Nielsen, Albert Engstrom, Mrs. Hyrum Nielsen, H.H. Nielsen Jr., Arthur Wangsgard, Martina Hansen, Niels Hansen, Joseph Peterson, William Engstrom, Jensino Nielsen, and John Jacobson.
This group won the election and the court dissolved the corporation. There was a heavy debt hanging over the town. Deciding how to pay it was a problem. The Mayor proposed, among other things, that the Square be sold, the proceeds to apply on the debt. A group of people met and decided to employ Judge Harris to defend the interests of the town. He came to town to make his report on his findings. He reported that title to the Square and the streets and alleys of the town too, were held by the Probate Courts, in escrow, for the people, and no organization could sell it. The debts were finally dissolved by taxes, so the town went back to its primitive condition.
Some time between 1902 and 1907, a telephone booth was placed in the Peterson store by the Bell Telephone Company, making it the first telephone service in town. Prior to that time, the nearest phone was at Billy (W.L.) Wilson's mill at Windy Point in Ogden Canyon. Later, the Independent Company installed their system, and phones were placed in homes and ranches all over town.
In August, 1907, a committee composed of Joseph L. Peterson, A.J. Anderson and myself opened a Free Public Library in the frame building east of the telephone building. The funds necessary for the project were raised by personal subscription and by money contributed by the Past Time Club. Many persons here and elsewhere sent books, magazines, as well as money. When it was opened to the public, it contained, besides current magazines and local newspapers, many hundreds of volumes. It was kept open evenings in the winter time for many years under the supervision of the librarian, and later, because of the burden of maintaining it, it was turned over to the Mutuals, and is now housed in the church. Lula Nelson, Lizzie Anderson, and Mina McFarland served as librarians before it was moved over to the church.
On the school house lawn a large stone monument of Jane Dilworth Hammond was set up in 1917. She was the first school teacher in the state of Utah. She died on June 6, 1877, and she was the first person to be interred in our present cemetery.
A few pages back, I mentioned businesses and buildings that were a part of the town years ago, but I forgot one, or maybe more. L.M. Nielsen had a tin shop on the corner of the block where the old hotel now is. That was an important business in pioneer days. He was a good tin smith and I imagine he had a profitable business. When the town improved he was able financially to build the brick building on the same lot, where he resided for many years. He was killed in an automobile accident on the Old Ogden road this side of Middle Fork crossing.
Mention was made a bit ago about the Past Time Club. Ethell McKay was always interested in music. There were many young people in Huntsville who were also interested in it. In the winter of 1906, we put on an opera called "Fantasme." I had the pleasure of being director. Mrs. Caroline Renstrom was stage manager. Ethell McKay was pianist. Grace McFarland arranged costumes, and David Stromberg was violinist. The characters were played by James G. Widdison, Ida Mollerup, Moiselle Renstrom, Eva Peterson, Leona Brown, Anna Nielsen, Ella Thurston, Marian Belnap, Bella Grow, Hanna Nielsen, Olivia Felt, and Ernie McKay. How many residents remember those names now?
Not long after this play was put on, some of the young fellows were thought to be a little wild, perhaps because there was nothing much they could do in the way of amusing themselves. The little opera generated an idea. Why not a club?
This organization did two things. It gave the young people something to do, and at the same time it raised a lot of money. They played all around this county and in other counties too. Money their plays earned went into the public library, as already mentioned. It helped the Relief Society get a new piano and a book case; the church organ, too; and much of it went to help the needy and poor of the ward, and there were many of them in those days.
Here are the names of all I can remember who participated in the organization:
David Jespersen, Arthur Dominac, Loren Grow, Angie McFarland, Walter Anderson, Moisell Renstrom, Hilda Berlin, Harvey Wangsgard, Grace Smith, Wayne Grow, Olivia Felt, Vernal Nielsen, Arnold Berlin, Ivy Peterson, Lizzie Anderson, Nina Felt, Eric Cramer, Ernest McKay, Leonard Grow, Laura Felt, Mina McFarland, Leona Engstrom, Carol Renstrom, Helga Peterson, Fred Berlin, Frank Lofgreen, Mattie Stone, Thelma Stevens, Louise Browning, and Myrtle Felt.
On July 24, 1915, a big celebration was held in the town. The official program indicated the party was in honor of three important events in the town's development— (1) The advent of the Utah pioneers; (2) Completion of the electric railroad; (3) Artesian wells for Ogden's water supply.
There was a program in the pavilion, at which Mayor A.G. Fell of Ogden was to talk. The Industrial Band was there. There was a lunch provided, two baseball games, horse racing, bronco busting, and all the sports popular at that time. There also was a parade. There was to be a handcart company represented by Hans Scow and Anna Slater, both of whom came to Utah by that method; then there was an ox team driven by Parry A. Bingham, an 1848 pioneer. There were mule teams and a white tops, horse team and surries, a 1915 auto, etc.
Jens Winter fired the morning salute, Arnold Renstrom, the Scoutmaster, raised the flag, Angus McKay was Chaplain. I was chairman in the pavilion, W.H. Wattis officially opened the road, Bishop John Halls gave the speech of welcome. M.S. Browning gave the response, and T. Samuel Browning also gave an address. President George H. Brimhall eulogized the pioneers, and thus passes another development in the town's history.
In the beginning of building a town, water, as always, is an important item. The creeks and irrigation ditches used at first for that purpose became polluted and then wells had to be dug. Lars Larsen got to be a professional in that trade, and he became so popular in that trade that he finally became known as "Well-digger Larsen."
The old wooden buckets, the well ropes, and the old iron pulleys were anything but handy, especially on washday. When the pump came along, that improved the situation somewhat, but even that was inconvenient. I frequently felt that it would be wise and try and get water in the homes in pipes under pressure.
In about 1920, I had talked to some prominent people around town about the matter, but I had not got much encouragement. I knew where was a nice spring east of town that would more than supply the needs of the people here. I finally tried a second group to join in such an effort. I even got a contractor to go over the ground with me, and he offered to put the main line in for $15,000. That fell through. Finally, in 1923, we got a group together who were willing to get water for themselves, anyway. They were Louis Wangsgard, Albert Engstrom, E.R. McKay, A.W. Schade, D.D. McKay, Sam Lofgreen, Hyrum Jensen, James G. McKay, Arthur Wangsgard, Harvey Wangsgard, Frank Thurston, Samuel Wangsgard, Jed McKay, Jake Wangsgard, Niels Wangsgard, Frances McDonald, Arthur Grow, Dan Felt, Vernal Nielsen, Charles Felt, James Surrage, and Horace Aldous. James G. McKay, Sam Lofgreen ,and myself each were elected as the Committee in charge.
On January 30, 1923, a 5-rod piece of ground for a reservoir, right-of-way for a road, and his right in a spring in Hawkins Creek Canyon, were all bought on contract from Peter M. Jensen for the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, one dollar down, and the balance when the deed was cleared and delivered. On the same day, his rights in the spring in Hawkins Canyon and right-of-way for a pipeline was bought on contract from David Wangsgard for the sum of Two Hundred Dollars, and one dollar down and the balance when the title was cleared and delivered.
Work was begun at once on titles and also to see if the State Utilities Law would affect a corporation such as the one we had in mind to create. A company was formed. The County Commissioners issued a franchise to put the pipeline in all the streets and roads of the town, and everything was ready to go. Then an argument arose. Everyone in town wanted to get in the deal. Well, it was finally agreed that if the town wanted to incorporate again, we would be glad to sell out to it.
This was done, and on January 18, 1924, the committee, consisting of myself, Sam Lofgreen, and J.G. McKay, acting for the corporation, entered into a contract with the town to sell the franchise granted by the County Commissioners, also the contract with Peter M. Jensen for Five Hundred Fifty Dollars and to assume and pay Mr. Jensen the sum of Four Hundred Ninety -Nine Dollars owing on his contract with the corporation. Also, the town had to pay David Wangsgard the sum of Four Hundred Ninety-Nine Dollars on the contract with him by the corporation. The town also agreed to hold an election to approve the issuance of bonds to build the necessary pipelines and reservoir, and that was the second trial of operating a town in this valley.
The town corporation was finally completed on November 5, 1924, when the county appointed Joseph L. Peterson, Mayor; E.R. McKay, C.A. Engstrom, Louis Wangsgard, and Charles I. Grow as councilmen; D.D. McKay as Justice of the Peace; Edward Jesperson as Treasure; Hyrum A. Jensen as Clerk; and Joseph Felt as Marshall and Poundkeeper.
This water system, when completed, cost the town in the neighborhood of Forty-Five Thousand Dollars. It was not long, however, until there was some expense in improvements for it.
Not so many years after the first system was completed, it became necessary to look for more water. The Board investigated many springs. Finally, it was determined that there was surplus water in Bennett Canyon. Several filings were made in that locality but they were not too encouraging. Finally, on February 21, 1936, one spring was bought from the Fullers in Bennett for Six Thousand Dollars. Thatcher and Young were retained as lawyers for the town, and on August 7, C. I. Coray was employed as Engineer and he began to survey the 3.6 miles from the pipelines from the spring to town.
An application was made to PWA for a loan and grant to help build the pipeline. That organization made a survey and appraisal of the cost of such a line and figured that would be about Fifty Thousand Dollars. That organization offered to pay forty-five percent of the cost, or not to exceed Twenty-Two Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars, and to buy Nineteen Thousand Dollars of their revenue bonds. Eleven Thousand Dollars of general obligation bonds would have to be issued and sold to some other concern. On November 19, the voters gave the Board authority to issue that amount of bonds, and the contract was finally let for the 3.6 miles of pipe.
Then, on September 18, 1940, Braxton and Opal Fuller sold to the town 0.4 of a second foot of water from the big spring, just above the smaller one. There had been a lot of controversy about the water in this spring. Finally, on December 5, 1947, a contract was entered into with the Fullers and between the town and the Monastery, so the town gets 0.4 cfs from the big spring and the entire flow of the little spring, with some modifications.
The town board members in 1936 were Fred W. Wood, President; and Jed McKay, Henry Burrows, Arnold Berlin, and Clarence Olsen, Board Members. The new town board were Fred Wood, President; Jed McKay, A.W. Schade, Otis Fuller, and Chester Engstrom.
Beginning in 1950 it was evident that the pipes leading from the reservoir into town were not large enough to carry the water available. The pipe leading from the big spring to the little spring had broken and a large part of the water was lost. So that was repaired by laying a new and larger pipe between them and laying it at a proper slope the whole distance.
Then it was decided to replace the pipe between the reservoir and the town with a new and larger pipe so as to make the enlarged amount of water available to the system in town. This new line came into town a block east of where the old one came in, and thereby connected with all the feeder lines running west. This new line was not only larger, but it ran right into town and the old line was used for an overflow to carry excess water down to the river. These additions and changes, including several new hydrants, cost about Thirty-Three Thousand dollars. As a consequence of these improvements, the pressure in the lines is equalized in all the lines, and there is no contamination.
The engineer for this project was Winn Templeton. I was Mayor. The Board was Horace Aldous, Chester Engstrom, Harold Newey, and Harold Wangsgard. Lester Felt was Clerk.
