Williams news., 1910-03-12
POWERS ON THE
 WATER MUDDLE

Williams. Ariz, March, 10, 1910. EDITOR THE WILLIAMS NEWS:
 Tuesday evening the city council held meeting at the town hall, Councilmen Buggeln, Wente and Olson, and Mayor Poison being present.
 Attorney E. s. Clark of Prescott submitted to the council the pro- position that the city pay over to the Grand Canyon Electric Light & Power Co, the back money, Zap proximating $75O. which he claims has accrued through non.payment of water rentals for the city fire plugs. Any damage or expense the city may have sustained by reason of leaky pipes, since installation, shall be equitable set off to said payment. When apprised by the council that the pressure per square inch on water plugs at upper part of town was inadequate and didn't comply with terms of contract in regard to pressure, he took the posi- tion that a water plug having the usual ori6ce and the contract pres- sure will deliver a certain volume of water in given time. His sug- gestion therefore to meet the afore- said company's default in pressure was to make up in volume of water delivered in a given time through the means of a larger pipe being laid and held it the councils duty 10 specify dimensions of the pipe, but failed to show any warrant for such councils duty.
 If the company in it's wisdom re- gardless of contract may substitute volume of water in lieu of pressure of water it would have been far more economical to have placed barrels of water with base connec tions on corners where they now have fire plugs and thus have ob viated the laying of pipe line al- together. Should the council be perverse in accepting MT. Clark's proposition on behalf of default. ing water company or by conference and treaty fail to make good to said company. then council ought to know that litigation is expensive to both sides.
 The foregoing prelude will give the council and citizens of Will jams food for reflection when they are called upon to pay the bill in form of taxes. It is very easy matter to give away public fran chises for private exploitation but quite another matter to control them and reconcile the conflicting ends of avarice. The franchise has been granted and given away and it's legal effect is to confer on few the rights properly esta blished by many. This having been accom- plished without consideration or compensation is in contravention of justice. If it is proper for the government to requite an indivi- dual for that which it takes from him and gives to many. it is also proper to requite the many when it takes from them and gives to the few. If values created by the few belong to the few, is it not logical to affirm that values created by many belong to the many.
 Here is corporation which has defaulted in its contract and through it's attorney comes before the city council demanding pay. ment for inefficient service and in event of non-payment then by inn plication will litigate the author of its existance. This would sound bombastic if 1t did not happen to be true.
 First Citisen-What is the plain duty of municipal council toward municipal corpor- ation who fails to carry out their charter pro visions?
 Second Citizen-To revoke their charter.
 First Cltizen-Are the council me em bers strong in their duty?
 Second Citi1en-I have noticed strength and weakness. Some exhibit an inclination to treat and compromise.
 First Citizcn-What effect would a treaty or compromise have on a corporation which had failed to carry out it's charter provisions?
 Second CitiZen-It would infuse le0aJ Iifa into practically dead corporation and bind the council, who had been until that time masters of the situation to a sanction of the corporations shortcomings.
 R. R. POWERS.