The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1906-04-10

ever Deen IdlQ Oul VI the lHcOIuc Vi
the plant All extensions were made
by voting bonds If the plant paid
somebody must have stolen the cash.
He did not believe in municipal own
ership anyway. because it placed the
city at the mercy of '.fifteen-cent pol
iticians" and all the political changes
and rivalries of the biennial town
fight for Offices. 1t was just a ques-
ton of having waterworks Or having
none, that was now up for decision.
owing to the extreme danger of fire
there is now a three-fourths valua-
ton clause written in all insurance
policies on Roswell business proper
ty, SO that the business man must
after paying the full insurance rate
Hamilton also raised the question as
to the power of compelling people to
connect their property with the wa
terworks for sanitary purposes. DIR.
Kinsinger explained that the only
thing the city could require (and the
WdIeT pdny Ldu nOtHlIS " uO
with this matter) was that people
should connect their water closets
with sewers where sewers exist, but
the possession of artesian water
would be sufficient for this.
Then came Judge Bateman with
criticism of the franchise from
legal standpoint, and questions clev-
erly contrived to increase the lack
of understanding which the meeting
had been called to clear up. The gist
of his talk, cleared of ambiguous yer
biage and quibbling was that the eli
ty should have secured a contract
under which the city might regulate
the rates under both the water and
gas franchises, in case the rates
should prove exorbitant. He thought
ten up SO as to protect the people at
some future time in case the rates
proved too high. In his opinion the
question was Are these the best
contracts we could have secured ?"
He was, cognizant of the need of
CHedp luSl anu lire buN
to sum it all up. he didn't know"
Mr. Hobson, who recently proclaim
ed his opposition to the franchise
through the Record, said nothing
but he sat close to Judge Bateman,
ready to hold his coat in case the
Judge started a fight.
Mr.. Farnsworth, of the gas compa-
ny, was stirred up by Judge Bate
mans remarks, and explained that
the gas company. composed princi-
pally of local capitalists, was asking
not a cent from the city. asking for
the payment of no hydrant rental or
anything else, and he thought com
parison with the water proposition
was unfair They asked only for an
opportunity to put in their gas plant
and sell their commodity. People
would never go to the expense of buy
ing gas stoves and preparing to use
that commodity unless the rates
were cheaper than the cost of other
fuel This condition would continue
even after another railroad brought
would have to meet competition or
go out of business. The company had
not tied up the city to take any gas,
nor can they compel the people to
buy. any more than the water COM
pany can compel the people who have
vited all citizens to come into the
gas company and help run it~for the
interests of the whole community.
Judge Bateman again repeated his
formula about the city securing the
best contract possible, and then DR..
Kinsinger landed a few body blows.
He stated that the city had certainly
secured the best contract that could
be Whitfield out of the timber avalla-
ble. They had invited the citizens re
neatedly TO aid in the work and coun-
sell with them, and Judge Bateman
had neglected his duty by not offer
ing his advice at time when it was
needed and desired. 1t was no longer
a question of what has been done or
not done The proposition is now up
to us. 1t was not the proper time to
chew the rag over what might have
been done. Let us say what We want
now. He wanted to know what the
taxpayers want-the men who bear
the burden.
r. d. Bell thought there was no
hurry anyway. as the city was broke
and couldn't do anything at fighting
fire, even If the waterworks were
completed.
Captain Jno- w. Poe Acknowledged
that he had not given the subject as
much thought as he would have liked
to do. but so far as he had been able