This week in 1916, Golden citizen and former CSM student Roy Hartzell departed for Macon, Georgia, to join the New York Yankees at Spring Training. “The Colorado Transcript” called Hartzell “still… one of the most dependable utility men in the game.” Unfortunately, 1916 would prove to be Hartzell’s final season in the major leagues, as he played only 33 games for the Yankees that year and batted .188, 64 points below his career .252 average, in 76 plate appearances.
The Golden City Council discussed several public works projects. They passed a resolution requiring business owners to install sidewalks within thirty days. If sidewalks were not installed, the city would “do the work and charge it to the property.” However, the primary public works project discussed was the waterworks renovation.
According to “The Colorado Transcript,” “The council is planning to do away, once for all, with the disagreeable odors and taste which has permeated the city water at times.” The unpleasant odors and tastes resulted from the presence of algae in the Lookout Mountain reservoir. The reservoir was to be drained and thoroughly scraped, as chemical cleaners used in previous years were unavailable due to World War I in Europe.
In a search for a permanent solution, the mayor presented evidence that other cities had dealt with the water problems by “doing away with conditions which promote the growth of algae.” He argued that if water were not as stagnant, the algae would not grow.
In anticipation of the upcoming Easter holiday, the Calvary Episcopal church purchased a Listz pipe organ for over $1,000 this week in 1916. The organ was to be “the latest model of the pipe organ species.” It featured “an electric blower… two manuals and a pedal base with twenty stops.” Its 585 reeds were equivalent to 762 pipes. “The Colorado Transcript” reported this organ was the first of its type installed in Golden.
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