Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-17

serted could be built for one-thira OF
100000 or Sl3S,oOO or less The
democrats desired 70 get into office
Thev had 10 have an issue The pea-
pie were not SO fully informed then
AS They now are in this matter OF
sewer construction. They had not III
that time inquired into the subject as
thrV have since had occasion to do
and selling upon this, the democrats
with deliberate Justification and de-
crh. turucd the vital problem of our
sewer into polttleA' issue. They
branded the republicans proposal to
provide an absolute. siequate and
complete sanitary sewer for y39h, ,O00
ana a storm water sewer for $50. .O00
rs outrageous eXtravAsance
The democratic city administration
up To date has expended, or contracted
10 cNpend 5000, 00o on the sanitary
sewer alone. which amount is within
per cent of tine amount the republi-
cans intended to spend for a sanitary
sewer The sewer system which the
democrats are now building requires
the perpetual maintenance of five
pumping stations which it has
been estimated Will cost the
city at least $4,000 q year
Tor electric power alone IN
tNvo years ana a half this $4,000, in
addition to the cost of tie sewer. viii
than the sewer contemplated BY the
republicans, but the cost does not stop
there. for as long as the sewer Sys-
TEN is in operation the city must pay
the extra $4,000 each year, and we
ask any eandid man as q business
proposition which is the better, to pay
S325 Goa for a sewer system which
serves itself and requires no pumping,
or 20 nay $500, 000 for 4 sewer system
aild tnen pay $4,000 q year in addi-
tion to keep the sewer pumped out.
The sewer System planned by the
republicans provided for Il total OF
- a92 miles OF sewer The system
planned and adopted by the demo-
crats provides for 2S.1 miles. L.
cher words. the republicans planned
for q sewer system for the entire
city, and their plans contained 9.sa2
miles OF sewer more than the system
now being built by the city admlnis-
tration. The republicans Intended to
build new sewer throughout. Tho
democrats planned TO use 4 4-I0 miles
O tn old sewer. provided that the old
saNNef can be used OF which fact they
arc aot yet certain And the old
sewer is to be used If possible, in
spite Of the trouble that we have
had the past few Years from breaks
IN il which necessitates the cxpendi-
turr ui great amount OF money IN
rtplIa and in spite of the further
titct that the sewer expert, Mr. Gra,
stated in his talk t. the council that
the old sewer was d Veritabie cesspopl
for the breeding of disease.
Quoting from the democratic plat
form the most important paragraph Of
which reads as follows.
we regard as imperative and
pressing the necessity To provide an
adequate sewer system for the whole
city and we are convinced that il can
be provided in connection with such
parts OF the present sewer system az
are in proper condition for less than
5000, 600, and we pledge ourselves, ii
elected, to present to the voters of Al
buquerque at as carly a date as pos
sible. a practical plan for an adequate
sewer SYSTEM
we are pfosed I fhe Issuance Of
100000 for honds f4 tina purpose,
which issue added TO the present out
standing bonded indebtedness Of this
city would raise the ratio Of bonded
Indebtedness to the taxable value to
more than 2 per cent.
In addition 10 these pledges, our
city officers few days later issued
and published over their signatures q 4
statement in part as follows:
The democrats propose to give the /
people Of the whole city ample sewer I
we state here that if the storm |
water be eliminated "a sanitary 7
modern and ample sewer system ca /
pa Bile Of extensions when needed, can /
be constructed for less than one-third /
Of the proposed bond issue"
Meaning the $500 400 bond issue.
1--WE arc advised that by system
attic grading Of the streets the storm
water which is a problem during only
a small part OF the year can he taken
care OF without difficulty and AT
moderate cost.
1t is therefore our belief after in
vestigation that we can construct an
adequate sewer system and in addi-
ton provide wen graded streets at
a cost much less thar half that of the
proposed sewer system alone.
The Inconsistency of estimates in
these two statements alone should
have served as warning that our
democratic friends either did not
know anything about the sewer prob
lem or that they were deliberately de-
,eiving the people for the purpose of
getting into office.
It is wen to keep these statements
n mind.
One-third of $4,000 is $133.338
rhis latter is the total cost for which
he democrats promised u complete
lp-to-datc. adequate sewer system.
me half OF S4UU, ,uUOV IS NZUU,UUV. fpl
less than" this amount Mayor Lester
md his associates promised YOU not
)nly a complete sewer system ade-
luate for our needs, but graded
treets as well. In addition to these
written pledges, the speakers who Hd
'ocated the election Of Mayor Lester
md the other candidates, .. \. Mar
-on. the boss. ana his lieutenants.
Nell Il. Field and II. B. Ferguson, as
we'll as Mayor Lester himself, made ,
well remembered by all OF
Iou, which reduced the cost of the
iewer very materially
Mr.. Lester more conservative than
he rest. stated to the people in the
tlks' opera house, April 4, 1908. that
he necessary sewer system could. and
+ hc were elected. would be built for
'l25, 900.
NeilI Il. Field at the same
Meeting stsked his reputation on his
ssurance that the sewer could be
,uilt for 100000
H. b. FERGUSON. while he appar- I
ntly was not positive enough to stake
lis reputation upon il, said that :
he sewer could and would be built ,
or $4,000.
Mr. Marion. more cautious than his !
ieutenants, did not place any figures +
pon tho construction Of the sewer.
uu thought we might wOrrN along g
With the old system. ,
Peonle living in certain sections OF 4
be- city where the sewage occasion
1fV ha.its ,tr fufn tDoff houses kuOW d,