Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-07-20
Citizens Give Evil
dence of Being
Wide Awake
COMPLETE SEWER system.
Interesting Talks Made by
Those Present at Meeting
Display ing Enthusiasm.

II was indeed gratifying 10 be pres
ent last night and listen to the vari-
Gus arguments presented at the called
meeting OF citizens in the chambers
of the Commercial Club. The meeting
had been planned by the city fathers
with the intention of coming in direct
communication with the taxpayers Of
Santa Fe and taking up with them
the matter of establishing a better
and more complete sewer system.
Shortly after o'clock with repre-
sentative gathering of citizens pres
ent, Mayor Jose d. Sena raped for
order and then proceeded to lay be-
fore the meeting the purpose for which
it was called.
He stated that the city fathers had
previously carefully gone over the
subject of larger sewer system, had
discussed its necessity and its feast
bility and had even gone so far as to
figure out a tentative plan of con-
struction. AS matter of course, he
said that the work done by the mem
bers of the city council was merely
by way of suggestion and for the
purpose of having something definite
or semidefinite to present to the citi-
Zens. The matter was open for dis
everyone express an opinion on the
subject. The general plan as sug-
gested by Mayor Sena. embraced
proposition to have constructed on
lower San Francisco street a large
main, running west as far as neces-
sary out of town, this large main to
carry off the discharge of the various
lateral connections, the intention be-
ing to have the Palace avenue sewer,
the sewer from Capital Hill and that
from the north side of town, connect
ed with the large main at suitable
point. After Mayor Sena had thus
outlined the contemplated plan,
thorough discussion of the idea took
place.
~ oeWeT Necessity.
That a better sewer system Is all
absolute necessity for the health of
the town all seemed unanimously
agreed. The main point of discussion
at once revolved itself about the man
ner of being able to pay for a larger
system. The question of issuing
bonds was thoroughly thrashed out,
some favoring such means while
others voiced an opinion that such a
way would be entirely out of question
owing to the debt of the city made
more marked by the overshadowing
Indebtedness of Santa Fe county. An
other plan suggested was the assess
ing of the abutting property owners.
In this manner, it was stated, the
necessity of holding special elec-
ton, as would be necessary if bonds
were to be issued, would be done away
with. The city authorities have the
power vested in them by law to pro-
ceed with the work of building sew
er and assessing its cost against the
property owners. 1t was thought that
an outside contractor could be se-
cured who would agree to do the work
and accept as payment for his work
liens on the property of those assess
ed. This plan as well as the other,
that of issuing bonds, caused lively
amount of discussion.
May Exceed Fifty Thousand.
The question of cost was also
broached An announcement was
made that one competent person had
estimated the cost at from $4,000 to
$4,000, while another fixed the outlay
at over fifty thousand After discus
sing the matter before the meeting
from every angle, it was decided that
the first thing to be done would be
the advisability of getting down to
a real working basis. To do this, it
would be necessary to first have a
complete survey of the city made
showing the various elevations and
then have competent man draw a
definite plan for sewer system. This
done, it would be an easy matter to
have contractor estimate the cost
of building the same and then the
matter Of raising funds could be
gone into.
1t was therefore agreed upon mo-
tion to appoint committee of three,
consisting of the mayor, the presi-
dent of the Commercial Club and the
president Of the Board Of Trade, to
form working committee to secure
an estimate as to the cost of making
the necessary survey and also to se-
cure such other information as would
be needed in order to commence TAX
ing up the matter in an intelligent
way. The committee was ordered to
report at the next called meeting Of
citizens.
During the discussion which was
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