Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1914-01-13
Neill B. Field Urges That
Haste Be Made Slowly and
Recommends Restric ted
Franchise as City's Safest
Course.
w. w. STRONG SELECTED
CHAIRMAN OF BOARD
Representative of Kansas City
Municipal Engineering
Firm Tells of Steady Ad-
vance of Municipal Owner
Ownership.

Organization o: the Citizens
Water supply commission, with
W. w. strong az chairman
Turning over OF municipal wa
ter supply question by mayor and
council 10 the commission
Refusal at the commission Co act
In other than an advisory cupac-
ny 20 the o0nnDii. or 20 60 accept
any responsibility belonging Geo
the council, voiced by Neill -.
Field and Summers Burkhart
who held that the council had no
pow,r To vest the commission
with other than advisory powers.
A lengthy address on the adj
Vantnges and progress ui munich
pal ownership of water works in
tho nation; methods of npprais-
ina thcsniue NJ WrUr plents ami
the experiences 81 other cities
with municipality owned plants hy
Robert H. MacDonncn. ot the
engineering nrm OF Burns q
MncDonnell uf Kansas city apc-
iculists In municipal water
plants.
Vigorous opposition to municl-
pal ownership of the winter works
by Albuquerque az this time Boy
Attorney Neiil b. Field, who exc
pressed belief that the city was
not prepared ut this time to as-
sumo the burden OF municipal
ownership. that municipal man
nEement could not be- nude as
economical or as efficient as pfi-
waite ownership and direction.
that municipal ownership would
not mean cheaper water ana
might mean heavier taxation.
aud who advocated an extension
OF the franchise, with municipal
representation lea the manage
ment ct the water company
strict regulation ot rates and mu-
nicipal supervision under proper
safeguards.
Equally vigorous support 81
municipal ownership hy Alton
ncy Summers nurkhnrt
support Of municipal owner
ship by Frank j. Wilson under
proper conditions
Opposition tu municipal own
ership az this time hy br " a.
Hope. who approved the sugses-
tions of Sir Field
a persistent demand Dos mcm-
beers oi the commission Tor In
formation ua Go how 90 obtain
valuation al the water plant
persistent demand by y. q.
McCanna 60 know what the COM
mission was appointed Tor ana
what ID was expected to do.
a motion bs MI Field thnt the
commission recommend to the
cts council the passage of reso-
tuition and the appointment of "a
committee GO request the water
company Go permit the city fo
place an expert accountant on the
books of the Water supply conn
pany for the purpose of report-
ing the book value of the plant,
the earnlngs nnd operating exc
pcnscs. overhead charges, etc. hy
years Tor the past ten years
The unanimous adoption uf
this motion by the commission,
which then adjourned.
A special meeting OF the city
council az which tho resolution
proposed hy the commission was
unanimously adopted
The appointment hy Mayor Sell
lors 81 Mosars Neiil B Field T.
y. McCunna and W. W. Strong
All members of the commission
az the committee 90 wait on
Prosldeut A. y. McMilicn of the
Water supply company and re-
quest permission for the expert
cxaminniion of the company
records.
This, ~ briefly as possible, wai
the record Of the Initial meciinl
In the council chambers last
niRht OF the special water coin
mission 81 fifteen, appointed hy
the mayor some time agO under d
resolution 81 the council, Go aa
aiEg the council IN veaching y de-.
csaion a. 20 the best course a.
.as...a......a a.a... 60.