The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-08-17
LITTLE INTEREST IN
SPECIAL ELECTION

At the special election held Thurs
day to vote on the question of bond
ing the town for $1S0,000 to purchase
the plant of the Winnemucca Water
& Light company, 72 votes were cast
in favor of the proposition and 1853
against it. While sos voters register
ed for the election, it was allowed to
go practically by default, as shown
by the fact that less than half the
registration voted. Very properly,
the voting was confined principally to
taxpayers, and their verdict shows
that they will not place a mortgage on
their property for the purpose of ac-
quiring a water and light plant As
one taxpayer tersely remarked, eff
sufficient money could be raised by
bonding the plant alone, / should ia
vor the proposition, but L will not
place mortgage ON my property for
water and light 1t would be much
cheaper for me to sink a well and burn
coal oil, if unable to get along with
present conditions
1t is generally conceded, however,
that had the price on the property
been fixed at what the company
claims it cost, namely SILL, 900. or
perhaps even as much as $125,000, the
proposition might have met with fav-
or, as at that figure there would prob
ably have been no difficulty in max
ing the plant pay for itself before it
is worn out. But in any event, and
at whatever price paid, the company
undoubtedly would have been required
to take their pay in bonds, as it is i'm
probable that they could have been
floated in the mony markets of the
country.
The last assessed valuation of Win
nemucea was 100000, and the pres
ent bonded Indebtedness $5i, 600, or
eight and one-half per cent of the
valuation. Whenever a bond issue
brings the total up to more than six
per cent of the assessed valuation,
it is considered a risky investment by
bond buyers, and they require high
rate of interest, but when it exceeds
ten per cent there are no bidders
There is some talk of calling anoth-
er election to vote ON the question of
constructing an Independent water
and light system, but it will likely
end in talk. While there might have
been chance of the town working
out from the revenues, even at $780,
at all for an independent system. The
old company would still be in the
field, would undoubtedly meet compe-
tition in service and price, so there
would be no incentive for the ordi-
nary consumer to go to the expense nf
wiring up his house and bringing in
tn ewater from the street line in or
der to patronize the new company
Brief History Of the Movement.
At the meeting of the board of
county commissioners last September
petition was presented, signed by
1876 voters, praying that an election
be called to vote on the question of
constructing an Independent water
and light system, which was laid over.
AT the October meeting, another petit
tion was presented, identical in char
aeter, containing ~ names. At the
same meeting 81 of the signers of the
first petition asked permission of the
board to have their names released,
stating that they had signed same un-
der misapprehension of the facts.
Action was again delayed for anoth-
er month, at which time the matter
was taken up at night session of the
board, to which all citizens interested
were invited After a discussion last
ing until midnight, it was decided to
employ an outside and disinterested
engineer to submit data as to the ex-
pediency and cost of a new plant
as well as the value of the present
plant. After the engineer had sub
mitted his report, the Water & Light
company We're requested to submit an
option on their property, which it did.
1t was then found that the price asked
was considerably less ON those por-
tions of the plant on winch the expert
had submitted estimates, and spec
ial election was called to vote on the
question of closing the option at
price of sl72,500. The board wished
to have the question of constructing
an independent system voted on at the
same time, but in case that was done
the company refused to give the OPP
tion.
The law under which the board act
cd was passed at the last regular ses-
sion of the legislature, and grants
: full power and authority to the
county commissioners of the several
counties in the state to ac-
quire by construction, purchase or
otherwise combined light and
Watpr svetems -