Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1898-03-30
WATER WORKS CAMPAIGN.
The First Gun Fired Which FsEOrs the ProposItion-The two Important FoIuIs Winch Affect the
 NuBfveF

Points V hfch Affect the
 subject.
 IL is now only three weeks until Prescott holds city election 10 vol. uB the proposition to issue 5oucs in ihc sum of S150,000 for water works aud sewerage. If the enthusiasm which prevailed at the meeting held iH the court house last December w hen Ni'h u perfect unaD- IHIiy he Tax payeTS assembled de- cided tO ask congress to allow them Jo v0ie 'H s-ich a proposition, it that enthusiasm could be counted on now IS tie. here would be no question abe securing the two lbirt vo.c ~. sEril I9. But the r,sl,t of on, -.- --ssfui meeting will uu, tide the TT works question over he wat, 55ks period. Re- zarsi.ess f gbr fact that the people I Prescott went -uch ali improve mem ard like sensible citizens con- =IGer an absolute necessity, two quss, iols arisa that must be settled satisfactorily before they cucumber themselves with a Sl50,OO0 financial obligation.
 ' In the 6rst place If the city of Prescott puts say S1l00O0 into a ! reservoir VII tLGJ Tes- rvOIr supply ! the necessities of a groEing and l prosperous city of Preseott's present size and future anticipations. Ae- cording to the figures submitted ae the December meeting the streams | to be damned were estimated to ! furnish ample supply of water for a ! city twice he present size of Pres colt.
 ! While the citizens have full con. l 6dence n J-e wisdom of their city engineer, they further want the opinion of he expert from Los Angeles whose wide. universal know ledge and experience in reservoir building makes his diagdCsis of Prescott's case of utmost importance. The result of his investigations should be thoroughly aired between now and election day. If his esti- mate fully corroborates that of City Engineer Fisher it leaves no room for discussion on that point.
 Another proposition of import ance connected with water works and sewerage is, will it increase the tax rate. Prescott is now rapidly becoming a city of homes and every possible means of wise and practi cable economy should be practiced by the city government in order to encourage and foster home building as . means of perpetuasing the stability and permanency of the city. On this point 1t seems clear to us that the S150,000 improvement will not add one dollar additional to the present tax rate of Prescott As ready there IS projected in anticiPa- tion of successful settlement of the water question a building era that
 will add fully S250,O00 to taxable property. Houses will go up ia every direction on outside property that Is now paying a very small
 proportion for the maintenance of
 city affairs. When plenty of water can be had iu the extremes of the , city limits unOccuPied property will
 double in value and be sought out for residence purposes thereby mak-
 valued contribution in taxes to the , exchequer.
 , At present the assessed valuation
 of Prescott is SI, 100000 from which, [ and other sources, at the present , tax rate sufficient revenue IS derived to meet all contingent expenses. ; With an adequaoe water supply the ; total valuatiuus will double in . . couple of year, and the city's in- come, counting the increased use of , water, will more than double itself
 at the present tax rate, thereby
 leaving 9 surplus in the city treas , ury, after the bond interest and other expenses are paid.
 , These are points of importance in the pending proposition that should
 be laid before the voters in a wise
 and conservative manner between
 new and election day so that every
 taxpayer can go to the polls and cast his vote knowing that he s dO-
 ing the best and wisest thing for the good of the city and hIs individual interests.
 Let the corrObOrative report of the expert be given to the general
 public. let local prejudices and per sonal differences, if any exist. be put aside for the present and let ali
 unite in one common cause for the good and welfare of the city Of Prescott, the making of a city of business ana homes the equal of any in Arizona and the pride of all her citizens. PROGRESS.