Arizona republican., 1910-11-30
The Latest Phase of the Sewer
 Question.

In deciding to take an advisory vote of the taxpayers of the city on the question whether the exist ng sewer system shall be purchased for s60.000, the city council has taken a proper course.
 Whether, however. the voters should authorize the purchase of the sewer plant for the sum named IS another thing. IL is a question which ought 10 have the most careful con sideration.
 appeared sound have hitherto been urged against a purchase of the ex- isIing plant:
 l. That the conduits are not suf- fciently deep in the ground to make them available as part of an adequate and modern system for the entire city
 ; That in any event the owners of the plant ask too much for it; that it's physical condition has so de- teriorated that the original cost of installing it is not good basis on which to figure its value.
 As to the first objection, the cOun- cil seems to have reached the con clusion that a moderately shallow system is the best adapted to the needs of the city, everything consid- cred. It is a fact that the plane of underground water has risen mate rialy during the past seven or eight years. In some parts of the city. for example. water is now encountered at O depth of approximately ten feet rom the surface, whereas it was for merly more than twice that depth. It is not considered by engineers as probable. however. that the water plane will rise much, if any, higher IL will recede, in fact, after the in- stallation of d complete sewer sys- dreds of cesspools now in use. But the council seems to be of the opin- ion that the requirements from deep basements will never be great enough to justify the additional cost of deep system of conduits. and possibly this is a correct view to take of it
 Concerning the second objection. however. there is no evidence at hand that it has been met. There has not been such a physical valuation of the property by unbiased engineers as would serve as d basis for voters to get any idea of the property's true value. The statement made by tho owners, that the property is earning net profit of 20 per cent on a valu- ation of S60.O0O. is scarcely worth consideration, as the fact. if it be a fact. has no true relation to the price the city should pay.
 It is repugnant to every idea of justice that a corporation operating e public utility and in the enjoyment of d monopoly by grace of the people should be enabled to capitalize ex- orbitant earnings and say 10 the pub he, in effect: You have given us a monopoly of your streets for many years. and by virtue of this monopoly we have made great profits; now, if we sell the plant to you. we must value the plant on the basis of the earnings you have given us"
 If the sewer plant is to be pur- chased. it ought, it seems to us. to be purchase on the basis of it's actual. physical value. and not on the basis of. its earning value as a monopoly. Reliable citizens. who are familiar with the details of construction of The sewer system as it stands. insist that the cost did not exceed forty thousand dollars It now appears that the owners are not only unwilling to| make any concession because of un- questioned depreciation of plant, but in fact want to fix the selling price at figure 90 per cent aooVe org st-notwithstanding the fact that the original investment has been re- turned in net earnings. several times over
 The situation is complicated. to be sure. by the supposed strategic posi- ton of the sewer company. The city has already voted a bond issue of four hundred thousand dollars for sewer system. The sewer company has instituted a suit to prevent a sale of the bonds. on the ground that the city has heretofore granted a mo- nopoly- to the sewer company and may not now break the contract. wheth- CT the suit has merit is question for the lawyers. If the sewer company