Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-07-18

Inc committee appOinteu several
weeks ago by Mayor Mckee to confer
with the owners of the Water Supply
company, relative to whether or not
the Water Supply company would sell
It's plant to the city and to which COM
mittee was also referred a petition
signed by a large number of taxpay-
ers, favoring municipal ownership of
the waterworks, or the construction
by the city of an independent munich
pal water plant, last night submitted
its report to the city council.
The report, as submitted by Chair
man Thomas N. Wilkerson of the spe-
cial committee, is as follows:
Report of Committee.
The report of the committee follows
in full:
To the City Council of the City of AL
buquerque:
Gentlemen:-Your committee APP
pointed to confer with the Water Sup
ply company to see upon what terms
the city could purchase the water
works, and also to whom was referred
the petition signed by citi-
zens asking the city council to imme-
diately negotiate with the present
owners of the Water Supply
for the purchase of its works and TO
obtain a release of the city from its
contract with the company, or, falling
in that to take steps to establish and
maintain a complete system of water
works for the use and benefit of the
city of Albuquerque and its citizens,
begs to report as follows:
1. On March Z, 1894, a special cleo
ton was held in the city of Albuquer-
que and the question of a twenty-five
years franchise to the Water Supply
company, and a twenty-five years con-
tract between the city and the Water
Supply company was voted on and an
proved by the qualified voters of said
city. Said franchise and contract COM
menced to run March Z. 1894. and con
sequently has nearly fourteen years to
run.
BY the terms of said franchise and
contract the Water Supply company is
to furnish water for fire purposes free.
and twelve million gallons additional
ever six months for the first one hun
dred hydrants. and seventeen thous-
and gallons per month for each addi-
tional hydrant in excess of the first
100.
The city. or its part, Is to rent and
pay for 100 hydrants during the term
of said franchise and contract at the
rate of fifty dollars each per annum,
and to rent all additional hydrants
which 1t may need in excess of the
first 100 at a rental of thirty-ive dol
lars each per annum; also that the
city shall rent additional MIGRANTS on
the fQTmC Qhnun panptt4nAI ~ ~ .oA- |
OF ten per mile on all extensions or
dered. We o pay for 116 hydrants.
(A) We therefore conclude that the
establishment of a municipal water
system in competition with the Water
Supply company would be a ruinous
enterprise for the city. and neither ad-
visable o practicable.
OBJ And, ven If such an ENTERPRISE
could be made a success, It would. in
effect, be a reputation Of the city of
its contract and for that reason is not
to be considered.
II. We further report that in ac-
o~ordance with our instructions we con-
ferred with a representative of the
water Supply company to ascertain If
1t was willing to enter into egoti
lions with a view to the city becoming
the owner of the plant of said com
pany.
Your committee further reports that
the present owners state that said
plant was purchased as an investment
and that they prefer an extension of
their franchise, but owing to the an
parent demand for municipal owner
ship they are willing to enter upon
negotiations with the city with a view
to a purchase by the city provided a
reasonable basis of valuation can be
arrived at.
We believe that the sentiment of the
community Is in favor Of municipal
ownership and that steps should be
taken to ascertain the value of the
property of the said Water Supply
company with a view to purchase by
the city, and We believe it to be TO the
best interests of the city to purchase
said plant.
We would therefore, recommend
that the city take steps TO ascertain
throughout II or more competent and
disinterested experts the value of the
property of the Water Supply com
Dany, including its franchise. contract
md other elements of value.
That If the value so determined
shall be satisfactory to the city and