Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-07-15
DURANGO's WATER WORKS.
George Goodman Tells of the
Cost to the Town.
Low Rates, Adequate Revenues,
Good Pressure and Satisfac-
tion Given in General.


local firm of Goodman Il Branch, is in
the city for few days and gave an in
teresting talk last evening on the sub
ject of a wafer system as it Is found al
HE home in Durango, Colo. The place
Is slightly smaller than Las Vegas but
conditions in both places are very
similar, so that the experience. gained
at Durango must of necessity be OF
peculiar value to Las Vegas.
1.-THE water system" said Mr.. Good
man, "was inaugurated with the incor-
poration of the town, SO that Durango
has never been compelled to struggle
with private corporation. Bonds 10
the amount of $S0.0C0 were first voted
and the system was constructed. The
materials had to be freighted to Du-
range, as there was no railroad running
into the place then, and prices were
high, so that the same outfit could he
secured now for probably $500C0 Since
then an additional $4,000 in bonds has
been voted and improvements made,
making the total cost of the wafer sys-
TEN $4,000.
"The water is pumped from the river
flowing by the town into reservoir
located close by but between 200 and
300 feet higher. The water is delivered
at pressure of l65 pounds to the
square inch. The reservoir has capaci-
ty of 100000 gallons. The pressure at
which the water is delivered gives most
excellent fire protection. The highest
structure in the town is five story
building. The water is thrown clear
over the top of this building.
"The largest water main is, If l re-
member correctly, fourteen inches. 1t
is not less than twelve inches. Water
is furnished to house of five rooms at
the rate of $40 year and tie owner is
given the privilege of bath tub, free
of charge. Irrigating water for a
twenty-five foot lot is furnished at the
rate of SO year. :
The system is managed by ssuperin-
tendent, who is elected for a term of
one year by the city council. He is
paiG salary of $50 month and at
tends to the collections and bookkeeT-
ing. 4 hen an engineer and fireman al @
at the pumping plant. Out
side Of this there is no expense to the
city except for labor in making repairs
or extensions to the system.
"The city derives enough revenue
from the water system to pay interest
and all expenses of operating and to
make certain amount of extensions
and improvements. In addition part of
the revenue derived is devoted TO other
expenses of municipal government,
such as the maintenance of the fire de-
partment."
Mr.. Goodman has been for years chief
of the fire department of Durango and
is well acquainted with the workings of
the water system of the town. His
statement of the expense of putting
water into a five room house is interest
ing when compared with the charges of
the Las Vegas company. The rate
here is $24 per annum as against $40 in
Durango.
The same disparity in charges is to
be noticed the country over. Thus, it
is stated, Canton, Ohio, owns its water
works plant and it costs citizen there
$7.65 water rent a year for Groom
house, sprinkling, etc, included, while
at Massillon, Ohio, where the water
works are still owned and operated by
a private concern, it costs $ll90 for a
7-room house and So more for street
sprlnkling. This is good argument
for municipal ownership. The citizens
of Massillon are now involved in an
agitation for municipal electric light
and waterworks.
An Australian paper says: Taking
twelve plants Of waterworks of sim
liar size and character, six owned by
private companies and six owned and
worked by the municipalities, we find
the following result; Private owner
ship-For every 1000 gallons of water,
Sd. Municipal or public ownership
For every 1000 gallons of water, 519d.
Construction-PriYate, for every loco
gallons. Is. 3D.; municipal, for every
1000 gallons, sd.