The latter part of August 1901, Silverton had its first telephone communication. The Colorado Telephone Company ran its lines from Denver through Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Delta, Montrose, Ouray and then into Silverton. The first telephone office was upstairs in the back room of the building now known as the Recreation Hall. Phones were installed as fast as equipment would allow. The first out-of-town phone went to the Sunnyside Mine at Eureka. It was a year before the lines to Durango were in and ready for use. In 1901 the town of Silverton purchased for $40,000.00 the water works, formerly owned by a private company. They have since expended much more for improvements. Our water is still as clear and pure as the days when the first prospector slaked his thirst from the brim of his battered hat. The privately owned electric light system broke down during Christmas week of both the years 1901 and ’02 on account of excessive demands for lights and power. The citizens voted bonds for a municipally owned utility and in 1903 the new system was in operation. This was the second alternating plant to be built in the United States. This year, Silverton also had a municipally owned sewer system which gave us the further distinction of being the first town to own all three—lights, water and sewer systems. In 1903, the Silver Link Rebekah Lodge No. 93 was organized and the town jail, located behind the Court House, was erected. [Illustration: City Jail Erected in 1903, and Now Made Into A Museum.] About noon of March 10, 1906, a snow storm started and continued for over a week. During this time, every slide in the county ran. The greatest casualty in the county was the destruction of the Shenandoah boarding and bunk house causing the death of thirteen, and injuring several others. All told, the storm took the lives of over twenty people. [Illustration: City Hall, Constructed In 1907 of Dark Red Stone from the Wyman Quarry on South Mineral Creek] In 1907 the town engaged in the erection of a new City Hall at a cost of $40,000.00. The building was constructed of dark red stone from the Wyman Stone Quarry on South Mineral Creek. The County Court House was completed in 1908 at the cost of $100,000.00, and at that time was one of the best in the state. On the court house lawn is a monument studded with samples of many ores from one hundred mine areas. Mr. Carnegie donated the funds to build and equip our library, which is located on the corner of 10th and Reese Street. [Illustration: Silverton Public Library] [Illustration: County Court House Taken From The Upper End of Greene Street.]