Arizona republican., 1899-11-26
PHRNIx. NOVEMBER ze. laee.

In view of the widespread local inter est in the question of municipal own
 ership we print the fol-
 THE lowing letter written by
 IDEA IS H. J. Cookingham to
 GROWING. the Utica, N Y. Press,
 which indicates the growth of the idea of municipal own ership of public utilities throughout the country, and illustrates as well the unwillingness of water corporations to part with a good thing
 ''To the Editor of the Utica Daily Press: 'I scarcely think the citizens of Utica fully appreciate what is meant by the sale of the Utica water works company to a New York syndicate. It is undoubtedly true that the present water works of Utica has cost the company about one million dollars, which is the capitalization of the com pany. This water company has charged an excessive rate for it's water during the entire time of it's existence. This has enabled the company to pay large dividends and also to sell out it's property for 60 per cent more than it's cost. To put it in other words, the citizens of Utica have paid so high a rate for their water that they have practically given this water company s6OO.OO This scheme of the new com pany is to bond the property for all it is worth and then on top of that cap italize it for two and one-half millions of dollars. The question for every cit fzen of Utica to answer is whether a company that is bonded and capital ized at five millions of dollars will fur nish water at a lower rate than a cOm- pany that is organized upon the basis of one million dollars of capital, both companies owning the same property The rights of the West Canada Creek company are of little practical use.
 Last winter a bill was prepared and presented to the legislature providing for municipal ownership of water works for this city. This bill was op posed by the old company, the West Canada Creek Water company and class of citizens who did not under stand the situation. It was a calamity to the city that the bill did not become law. Unless there is provision made for municipal ownership the city of Utica may be obliged to submit to higher water rates than it ever has be- fOr 11n ,4-fn Inc obliged to forego dividends on tie stock. Moreover, if, in the future, the city undertakes to provide for munici- pal ownership, it will be at very large increased expense. The bill of last winter would have become law had it not been for the veto of the bill by Mayor Kinney. Despite this veto the bill would have become a law had it not been for the interference in the legislature of one of the prominent political bosses of the state.
 If the citizens of Utica desire a lower rate for water, better fire pro tection and more ample supply of Wa ter, it can only be done in one way, and that is by municipal ownership. There are cities which own their own water works where water is sold for one-half of the price demanded in Utica. Had the old water company been satisfied with d dividend of per cent upon its stock, it could have fur nished water for little more than one half of the prices that it has charged in the past.
 Will not the chamber of commerce take up the subject again this winter, and will not every citizen who is inter csted in the welfare of the municipality and every taxpayer and user of water in the city assist in furthering the cause of municipal ownership"