Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1914-01-13


OF investigation aud be- advising the
council as 90 ts findings as 90 the
best course w pursue
Alderman skinner moved that tho
council adjourn and allow the COIN
ricd
sirung Chuscn Chairman
Tho commission was called 60 or
der by W % Hope who proposed W
W strong for chairman, put the vote
aud declared q carried unanimously
against protest from Mr. strong.
who howeyef finally consented Go oc-
/ cupy the chair CITY CLERK Hoehl
viii act aa clcrk Go the commission.
Tho commission negan a. work
/ with o. series of questions by various
Womhurs a. Mr. Mcdonnell ne to
methods of placing valuations and
which produced a great deal Of vail
/ liable Information He tu methods
which have been followed ln other
cities. Mr. Mcdonnell said that the
usual and most satisfactory method
was to determine first what is thu
eyisilun plant worth second what
VIII improvements cost. and third
what viii % new plant cost. aud 90
base proposed bond issue and pur-
chase price upon fair averaging ~
the three conclusions Methods ana
standards az valuation. life of ma-
rhincry pipe and material were dis
,ussed at some length
AZ this point Mr. AIcCauna said:
&c do not see what this committee can
do floundering around IN the dark All
II can see ls Cor the council 60 pro-
coed ana get nm appraismcnt Then
thoro viii bc basis v,r this commits
sion to advise"
Field Opposes MunirinnI Ownership
Mr. Field thought that the city az
this time was not IN n position Go DO
tcrminc whether II were host "a buy
the plant or build now ono Ito
4 thought the wise course 90 be- 10 Gc-
| Ter action until such time 40 iegisla.
tion could be- secured. which viii
/ permit the city 10 60 ahead lnteill-
| gently and in q business Ike way
PERSONALLY" said Mr. Fiold. II am
opposed to municipal ownership %
this time do not believe Alhu-
Guerque is ready for u and do not
believe &C to Dee wise ana the proper
business rourse under existing condi-
lions" nv Field then stated that he
believed The wise and safe course for
Tho city would bc o. grant an extern
sion of the franchise 20 the rrcscnS
company after legislation had been
secured which would permit the city
to have representation IN the direc-
toratc OF the water company power
properly Co regulate rates ana earn
/ fn Ia
regulation and supervision over tho
company as would properly safeguard
the Interests 81 the people and pro
cure efficient management together
with cheap water
Al various times through the
evening Mr. Field emphasized this
view stating unhesitatingiy that mum
iclpal ownership would not mean
chcnp water. that Ho municipality
could manage IT, water works as
chcapiy or efficiently as privately
owned plant would Doe managed. that
what was evcrybody's business was
nobody's business and that the best
service for the people would be To
secure properly safeguardod fran
tchise In which tho peoples interests
would Doc thoroughly guaranteed
NIr Field believed tha' municipal
Ownership could only result IN I'm
cronsed taxation. that municipality
operated the plant would lose money
lif o. give lower rates and that the
loss would necessarily have 10 he
made up by taxation. Uic thought
the people IN poor mood 10 stand
any Increase IN taxation Indeed. he
said, the people OF New MeNiCo for
the first time Ia his experience were
Interested - the matter 81 thcir taxes.
For the first time he said they were
talking taxation wherever and when
over one met them and that when
tho people nl begun to talk taxes.
there was something likely 90 hap
pen.
pr Hope briefly took the same
stand ns AIR Field. believing the city
was in no position % bond Itself al
this time.
Attorney Burkhart made a igor
Gus contention foy municipal owner
ship. aud believed that with proper
: precautions the city could ana should
proceed ut this time. and that mum
iclpal ownership would not only
bring cheaper water but would az
ln the development of Albuquerque.
Frank J Wilson. the onW other
speaker Of tho committee believed IN
the purchase of the plant provided
e could be- had al reasonable price.
re dwclt on the low cost of pumping
and gave concrete Instances la his
own experience 10 his contention
I, that the rates charged were cXorbi-
I tant
, Mr Field said he know very well
that the rites were exorhltant and
had known il Tor twenty years
{ 'T signed chat franchise as mayor
o 90 Albuquerque sald nv Field
, dramatically "nnd : signed il onls
. after making The hest fiEht ! could
% Go get tho best I could out OF Il foi
b tho people J would nave obtained
more but at thai time the water com
b nnnY had more members on the cts
b. council than the city mad
b MIR Field blamed the franchise
b for an existing water EE
There followed extended discus.