The San Francisco call., 1909-04-04
ESTIMATE OF VALUE OF
SPRING VALLEYS PLAN


recent sales. s......... 25.O00.oOO
The city and the Spring Valley com
pany are s16,000,0 900 apart in their ef-
forts to strike a bargain on the water
plant. This fact is revealed in the
brief now being prepared by the city
attorneys Office. The bulky document
will be ready in about two weeks and
will contain the most complete presen-
tation of the city's case that has been
filed during the prolonged litigation.
The Spring Valley company will claim
a valuation of s4o,0OO,OO0 The city
will contend for s24,OOO,0OO. The court
must bridge the difference
Primarily, the question at issue will be
one of rates. In its brief, however. the
company asked the court to establish
the value of the plant. The city attor-
ney's office has called the bluff and in
its Forthcoming brief will join in this
request. This will shift the main is
sue to that of the value of the Spring
Valley property. The decision thus
reached may be made the foundation
for the condemnation proceedings
which have been urged upon the nu
nicipality
HAVEN PREPARES ANSWER
The case under consideration is the
application OF the water company for a
permanent injunction against the 1903
rates. 1t was granted a temporary re-
straining order at the time The cor
poraton has filed Its brief, although it
did SO only after the insistent prodding
OF the city attorney.
The preparation OF the citv,z case
has required several months. 1t has
been In the hands OF Assistant CITY At
torney Thomas z. Haven. who has de-
voted almost his entire time to the
task. He has been assisted by T. II
Dockweiler, the consulting engineer
Haven declined yesterday to make an
extended statement in regard to the
contents OF the brief. but he sa;a
that he would contend for a s24ooo oao
valuation.
BRIEF ESTIMATES VALUE
do not feel at liberty to discuss
the contents of the brief" said Havan
until 1t has been entirely compIeted
ana MED with the court. will saw
this much, though" he added "and
that is we will contend for a vaiuatior,
OF $24.00o,000. The company has asl.ad
the court TO fix a valuation for +ba
purpose of rate making The com
pany has submitted estimates 70 The
court running as high as s7o. oOO 400
This amount, OF course, we have not
given serious consideration. The
company's other estimates run from
s4O'ooo,oOO to $50.000.000. We will en-
deavor to show that the actual valve
is about $4,000. .00O
We have done a good deal OF work
on our brief" continued Haven "and
it is our desire to have evervtbfne
thoroughly covered. We are gettino
proofs from the printers and hone to
be able TO file the document in a connie
OF weeks
The case has been set in the United
States circuit court for June IL. This
Will afford the Spring Valley comnanv
some two months in which to replv. TBS
issue will be submitted after oral ar
guments and decision may be ex-
pected by September 1.
JUDGE TO BE SELECTED
1t has not been determined desnitelv
what judge will sit in the case. 1t NAV
be either Judge Van Fleet or Judge
harrington of Nevada 1t is presumed
that Judge Morrow will call in Judge
Harrington, as the Nevada Justice is
familiar with the subject. It was
Judge Harrington who presided to the
satisfaction of both sides at the re-
cent water rate proceedings, which
covered much the same ground.
While the company has presented
estimates of value running up to s7o.-
0OO 900, President Bourn of the cor
poration has taken the stand in recent
public statements that the plant should
bring s4o.00o.o00. This is the sum for
which the attorneys employed bv
Spring Valley will argue. They have
already placed in evidence the esti-
mate of F. l.. Stearns amounting 70
$70 0O0. 900, Hermann Schussler's figure
of s51, 100000. James d. Schuyler.s val
uation OF s45.960.00o, Rudolph Her
ringss compilation of s44.T70.9o0 and
that of Arthur L. Adams running from
$40, ,00o. 600 to s45.0O0.0 600.
FIGURES OF CITY EXPERTS
Opposed to all this the city will nrs-
sent the estimates of c. z. Grunskv or
s24,67S.212; J. H. Dockweiler. s24.05s
$50. and Desmond Fitzgerald. see
1865 64S.
When Judge Harrington passed upon
the evidence before him in the last 1itf-
cation he placed a value OF s27. 500. 900
on the> company's plant. Upon this
occasion there will be a mass of addi-
tionai evidence from both sides