The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-02-14
Votes Ten to Three to Drop
Plan to Purchase Unles,
Water Supply Company
Will Permit Examination Of
It's Records.
ASKS COUNCIL MAKE NO
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
Same Vote Apparently Indi-
Gates Attitude of Special
Commission on Municipal
Ownership.

The special Citizens' water com
mission. appointed several months
sgo by Mayor Sellers. with the adj
vice and consent of The city council.
and entrusted with the task Of advis-
ing the council ~ TO the wisest
course { o persue with regard Ia the
future ownership and conduct % the
water supply OF Albuquerque. reach
ed some very definite conclusions
last night at Its second. and what
many Of the members believe Will he
It's last meeting. In the council cham
hers.
Having heard the deter recently
addressed To i6s Subcommittee by A
H. McMlllen. president Of the Water
supply company. declining 10 permit
an eNpert examination Of the com-
pany's books by an expert account
ant representing the city. the com
mission by a vote. OF ten To three,
adopted a set of resolutions present
ed by NELL b. Field. advising the
council To proceed no further In any
attempt with negotiations for the
purchase Of the present plant, with
out such expert examination Of and
report on the company's hooks. and
also advising the council a. make no
physical examination OF the com
panys property. as a useless ex-
pense at this time. and without thu
company's receipts and expenditures
tor a period Of ten years past.
The action Of the commission. also.
apparently Indicated It's attitude To-
ward municipal ownership % water
works. insofar as the existing situa-
tion IL concerned. The Field reso-
buttons were adopted by a vote ~ ten
to three. one member. Simon Stern.
being absent. and the chairman, W.
W strong. not voting. These reso-
buttons were presented as an amend
ment To q motion by Summers Burk-
hart. seconded by Alex Craig that
the sentiment Of the people Of Albu
querque now favors municipal own
orship OF the waterworks. Burkhart.
Craig and W. r.. Metcalf voted
against the Field resolutions, those
voting Tor the resolutions being
NELL n Field, p. =. McCanna. a. W.
Hayden. Frank J. Wilson, J. T. Nc
Laughlin. william Bryce. W O.
Hope. r.. W. Fee and w A. George.
While the vote was not "a direct
expression on municipal ownership,
coming AZ II did on the resolutions
AZ u substitute for the Burkhart moo
lion II would seem 10 indicate that
those citing for the resolutions at
least want different conditions before
fRyoring municipal ownership EN-
p~ressions against municipal owner
shin were voiced by Mr. Field,
who made his opposition known in
the first meeting OF the commission
by Obi NJ. l.. Stern, Dr. w. a. Hope,
and others The Field resolutions
a. adopted are ~ follows;
The Re=0lugi0ns.
Resolved, That il is the sense Of
this committee that the Cit council
Of Aibuquerque can not intriligentiy
determine whether OF not Il will be-
10 the public advantage Go negotiate
FOR the purchase Of the plant ~ he
Water Supply company, or 10 advise
the extension o. the present fran-
chise. until such time 40 the eouncil
Is 10 possession Of full information
az 4 tho expenses and reessYts Of
the Water supply company as shown
hy les books during a reasonable per
Tod. not less than eight years. next
before the negotiation Of either n
said propositions.
Resolved. Further. that Il h the
sense % this committee that the city
council OF Albuquerque not incur the
expense Of a physical valuation of
the plant % the Water supply COM
pany and hat the information OBJ
tained from O physical valuation by
J experts would not, In the absence Of