The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-07-23
Question Discussed From the Standpoint Of Law and Fact
Rather Than Prejudice, Leaving Conclusions to
the Judgment Of the Voters

and conclusions, together with the 9th
er facts pertinent to the revenues and
expenses, are sufficient data to afford
an intelligent person all tn einforma-
tion that is necessary, and is more in
formation than the average voter re-
quires or usually gets, in order to cast
his vote properly.
| 1t is matter Of considerable impor-
tance and ought to be considered fully
and carefully, and it is only in view of
placing the facts before the voter, free
from any desire to color, confuse, dis
tort or unduly amplify the advantages
or disadvantages of purchase, that
this article is written.
The engineers in the first place
stated that if it could be done it is
more advisable to purchase the exist
ing system and improve it than it
would be to construct competing sys
tenn. Various reasons are given for
this; the principal one being that the
old system is in possession of all the
pure water obtainable except at an
immense cost, which could not be con-
sidered; that to put in competing sys-
TEN, only inferior water is obtainable,
unsuitable for domestic use except af-
ter treatment in a mixing chamber
with the addition of lime, ash and alum
to neutralize its impurities and render
it wholesome.
The engineers say that for the sum
of 4142,000.00 system could be con-
structed by means of a gallery under
the river and the installment of large
pumps, construction of reservoirs and
| treatment of the waters with lime,
alum and ash whereby new system
could be installed. Another plan is
by means Of wells where, if sufficient
water 10 encountered, the wants Of the
town could be supplied with a plant
that would cost $122,000. 1t is not
contended by the engineers that either
of these systems would be as good as
the present system, or that either of
I, these systems could be operated at the
, expense Of the old system even sup
posing the people were willing to ac-
cept chemically treated waters in
place of the pure mountain flows. On
the contrary, the engineers recognize
the fact that either of these systems
are immeasurably below the value of
the gravity system now existing.
| AS a further way of meeting the
question, the engineers show and prac
tically advise that the present system
be improved by the addition of an in
dependent line for fire protection, and
the extension of the area within
which the fire protection system might
be exercised, together with a modern
and beautiful system of Illuminating
the streets so that this addition to
the present system would furnish all
the people could reasonably require in
the way of water, light and fire pro-
lection. The cost of these improve
ments is estimated at $4,000.
The balance of the report is devoted
to the value of the old plant and it is
the opinion of the engineers that the
old plant cost about $157 900, but that
by reason of use and depreciation,
which is deducted that the old plant
now is not worth more than $97 900.
The report states that in arrivin" at
this determination of the present
value, they have not taken into ac-
count the fact that it is going
concern, not its interest producing
value; the engineers state expressly
that in fixing the value of the old
plant at $97 1000, they have not con-
sidered the value of the new electric
plant. nor the value of the company's
holdings, nor the value of its water
rights on Cross creek. Tne engineers
state that these are values that they
are not competent to fix, and that they
can be better determined with respect
to the land and water rights by per-
sons more familiar with such values;
and that the reason they do not fix
any value upon the new electric plant
is that the said plant was not con.
structed and was only In process of
construction at the time they had the
opportunity to view it. The showing
on the part of the Winnemucca Water
& Light company was very slight.
They were not permitted access to
these reports and were called upon
only to place a price upon their hold
ings, excluding the waters and ranches
on Thomas creek, as we'll as for state
ment of their revenues and expenses.
The agent of the company fixed the
price of $175,000 upon their proper
ty and afterwards, by reason of the
contention that some of the pipe lines
were of little value, the price was re-
duced to $l72,5O0. They stated
their revenues to be at the present
time in the neighborhood of $3l 900
yearly and that their expenses at the
nresent time were in the neighborhood
of 5000 monthly, and submitted their
books for inspection.
The foregoing is practically all that
can be said with any certainty or
fairness with respect to the facts
the matters involved; an examination
of the reports, together with the pr.
ceedings Of the board, will fairly veri-
fv all that is written here, and from
the foregoing facts the conclusions fol
lowing may be fairly drawn:
1. That the cost of constructing an
inferior plant much more expensive to
operate and furnishing much inferior
chemically treated water, would De
| $l42, 900. -,
9. That the expense of still more
inferior plant, that is we., system,
would be $122,000.
3. That the present system could