The Weekly Gazette, March 23, 1889

The Monument Fire

Our city fathers visited every portion of the town ditch on Tuesday last, also the reservoir. The breaks in the ditch will be immediately repaired and the reservoir will be put into condition to receive the water which the town stands badly in need of.

The question of having water works to Monument is meeting with the heartiest approval of our people. The town board will hold a meeting at Walker hall on Saturday night. It is proposed to form a private stock company independent of the lake. Parties are now ready to furnish the desired capital. Surveyor Reed is expected to come up soon and look over the grounds. The idea is to procure water from Beaver creek, which is situated three miles west of town. There is an abundance of water in the creek all the year around.

The proposed water works are to be on the principle of those of Colorado Springs. As the creek is situated close to the mountains, there will be a fall of three hundred feet per mile. The rough estimate of the total cost is placed at ten thousand dollars. The water works would prove a great benefit to Monument, for many of the wells are giving out on account of the long-continued drouth, many of the people being obliged to exercise rigid economy, otherwise they will be left entirely without water in their wells. Some are now using water from the Rio Grande depot well. In the meantime work is going on to raise funds for the lake. General Adams proposes to donate the land and to give one thousand dollars besides. Mr. D. McShane will donate his part of the land and five hundred dollars.