Arizona republican., 1903-09-12
The Uuwisdom of Haste as to MunIc.
 ipaI Water.

ipal Water.
 A renewal at this time of the agita- tion for another election on the water works question is, according to all the rules Of business prudence, premature The city of Phoenix will not be bank rupted by another election, but there is no visible reason why the extraor- dinary expense should be incurred when al. the proba abilities are that it would be an expenditure for nothing. This is not the proper time for another bond : election.
 the reasons why a. renewal of the agi- tation now is untimely, for it is obvious that ordinary business sense requires the city to wait awhile and see if the water company is to carry cut without delay and in good faith it's promises to install a modern and efficient water system. This is the view of nearly all conservative citizens, and while such view prevails it is inevitable that a new election would result as have all
 
 hte bond proposition. If the council is heedful oI the public interest it will. therefore. postpone all action on the bond question until reasonable time has been afforded the water company to make good"
 Conditions in Phoenix are not what they were when the idea of municipal ownership was first agitated and when. 1t appealed so strongly to all thinking citizens In the campaign of. three years ago the water company had not a single claim to friendly consideration. Its service was wretched-as it is now in the matter of pressure, for that mat ter-and there was not even pros pect of improvement, notwithstanding the promises and bluffs put forth in be- half of the company. So far as all in dications went, it was necessary for Phoenix to construct a water system of her own or suffer indefinitely the loss and inconvenience caused by an aEtiquated system which would be a disgrace to a town in Arkansaw. Un- der these circumstances the question of cost was of secondary importance. Now, however, things are different. Thanks to the long agitation, thanks to the persistence of public-spirited citizens of the J. c. Adams type, and thanks to the ability. of the owners Of the waterworks to see their danger
 nIr af q, precipice. the people have been able to force the construction of a complete new plant without the investment of a dollar of public money in the enter prise.
 The water company sees that 1t must put in a new and complete system of pipe or suffer substantially the loss of the entire investment represented by the present system-or it did see this necessity a few months ago, and in all fairness it must be said that nothing has developed which would justify any body in attacking the good faith of Superintendent Heap or the good faith of the men who have promised new system. So far the city is peculiarly fortunate. The existing franchise of 2 the water company has but eleven years to run-at the end of which time the city can buy the plant if It chooses but notwithstanding this short period the company is forced to construct a new system by the practical certainty that its negligence will be rewarded by a municipal plant.
 Moreover, the assurance of water .stoa age and the certainty that Phoenix within few years will be an inland city of great importance and large population make it advisable that all steps toward a municipal system oi water works be taken with caution The plans and specifications now before the people and before them in the last two elections might prove sadly de ficient in the years of our larger growth.
 The council can well afford to give the water company a little time 1T which to prove good faith. Three months, say, is a brief period in th' history of a town, and in another three months it should be clearly eviden whether we are to have such nev system as the company has promised If it shall then develop that we are no to have at the hands of the company and without delay-such a water sys teYn as the city requires, there will b. a substantially unanimous decision b, the people to depend no longer upor the existing plant.