Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-06-17
roa MuNIcIpAl owNgRsnIp.

Tho water organ says. what the people Of this town
want know is whether Is wise Tor Albuquerque 70
embark on a municipal ownership policy AZ this time
The Morning Journal thinks u ID not wise What does
the Daily CUizon think about ~"
The Cilren can very easily answer and give reason
too for the position has taken which Is more than the
yournni has ever done But then the reason why the
Journal thinks municipal ownership OF the Wator works
IA this time" n not wise Il 80 well known by All II -
needless for the water organ TO repeat H. Tha hbuquer
oue nhoud own her water supply AT this time !"
not wise because such action would prevent the water
Supply company from getting hlriy-hye years extern
on Ut their franchise and falling 10 this they could not
pay the owners q the journal that money which they
have promised Any can see the force and power
such a reason must have with The water organ
the Citizen thinks that municipal ownership o Aipu
auerques water suppl "a this time ~ em'nen,y W''e
r.ctleabs and dealrible and It a so fully convinced OF
thle TINT II the PRESENT water company VIII not dispose
II ta plant Tor fair and rca7onable compensation the
ftlSen favors the construction by TIE city OF an lhu"
ssndent and up date plant OF course the cv uuilhb
me ufe dime OF the companys franchise, which Is nearly
fourteen years Nould have 20 the company "hai u
paying now; but getting an abundance OF us own "ao
Free and supplying an abundance OF water 70 inc p.uo
for much less than half Of what they are now paying
A would be both better and cheaper for the city 70 pay
such royalty while owning ts own plant
There are a multitude Of reasons. only few Of winch
need DO mentioned
cannot he given such action would be iega and
tho Water Supply company says that without such OK
tension they supply the city with water 80 there
YOU are Tho city must supply herself
2 II IL practicable Tho organic law authorizes ihc
issue by tho city OF sufficient bonds 10 construct water
systom regardless OF other indebtedness These nonas
can be- 0ated ~ per cent al Thoy can te pal
lyr out OF the profits az systom long before hir i've
years have expired they VIII not have cost the people
one tenth what the hiryhyo years extension Of the
present franchise would cost them
g. Il Is desirable The ownership OF This utility has
become a world movement. which 81 sweeping on VITA
Widening The last city 20 us to take over i's
water service Is Topeka The Denver Times says
Municipal ownership began ia Great Brain about
twenty-five years ago Shortly after Il developed In Ger
many small way arst out With accelerated speed
with each recurring year II IL gaining momentum ln
France. Spain Italy Holland Hungary and Russia II
we're logical and profitable TO the municipalities
aud the people and II Il did not purify municipal politics
Hs progress would have been arrested In some Of tho
countries would have been rejected In some OF the
cities that have undertaken the duty. But instead Of
cities growing tired 81 the responsibilities u Imposes
there have been marked advances eyerywhero and Ia
creased enthusiasm for Us progress.
saThe movement for more complete municipal owner
ship In the United States been greatly accelerated OF
late Nearly every city and Of Importance owns and
operates It's water plant The city haf the size OF
that ~ people over to the inehciency and
axorton OF private water company has come to be re-
garded old fogy lazy concern and clear out OF the
channel that wideaNake progressive cities navigate
II Is profitaS.e The Times quotes from the Municp
nj Year Book of 1894 the following hgures showing the
handsome annual surplus which number Of muncipali,
ias owning Of their utilities have turned into
tho city treasurers for the relief Of the tax payers br
mlngham $3.50 O00; Belfast. flf200O' Nottingham tol
600; Leicester, slsO0eO Stafford, si5sOO0; GLASGOW
$3.50 $40 Manchester sG57396. Statistics from American
cities are not easily accessible but The Citizen Thurs
day showed that the Portland. Oregon, water plant Is
clearing for that city over and above all expense for run
ming extensions and improvements. about s39600O a
year besides giving the city an abundance OF Tree water
for All rs varied purposes.
g. Il IL needed AibuQnorque's present water system
10 inefficient, Insufficient incomplete and almost all other
Ems" except inexpensive Il Is Inexpensive 10 the com
fnr Mr. "a given a life OF TO
the question estimates the cost 10 tho company OF
about per 1900 gallons. But Is anything hut
inexpensive the city and 10 the people who have TO
pay so and SO cents per 1000 gallons for this cent
water.
g. Il Is our only relief for city aud people The
Wsier supply company does not ask for franchise
with better terms 10 the people i does not propose to
the price OF It's water which Is than double
the price In Colorado Springs Denver u does not Of
fer TO the supply Of the city for which
between $4,000 and $1,000 now paid each year and
which quantity and excessive IN price that
school grounds are desolae and barren. None Of
these things does u propose 10 do hut II comes with
brazen eRornery which might well put BoolElbub TO
shaEe and asks that these intoerabe conditions be con
nuod for thryaye years without benefit Of any kind
character to city people In order that they may make
probably 100000 at the cost Of perhaps s2ooo0oO to Al
huQuerque
Shall THIS outrage be perpetrated those who shall
come after usg by no means On the contrary. let as
water works and let the wealth they pro
uce 20 the benefit Of the city our chill
dren and neghhors' children after Mr. Journal do
you know where Tho Citizen standsY OF course Il
"a dcut for any Idea penetrate your obtuslon but II
you cannot understand the peopo Of Albuquerque
and they fully understand The Citizens objection the
Eobbng Of them for the enrichment Of the Of the
Journal.
The custom Of the water organ In making low and
contemplate personal attacks the president OF The
Citizen Publishing company instead Of answering the
Kuments put forth by the Daily Citizen against the
Eana proposed water franchise grab "a making any
friends for the morning paper. II II cannot The
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