Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-03-19
rlouterey,V Va. Friday, Mar 10, l9l;

all the voters ana taA-paSeiS vi
Monterey, was presented asking
the council to bond the town tor
sufficient amount to re-make Main l.
street and provides more adequate
purer and cheaper water systemA
or words to that effect. The pro-
prietv of issuing bonds for the first
named purpose had been previous
" considered by the council, and
it was the purpose of the mayor to)
call a mass meeting of the citlzens
to get an expression as to the SEN
timent along that line. The dis
satisfaction as to the water supply
however, has been growing SO per-.
ceptibly that it is now regarded as
little short of necessity that the
problem he considered along with
the street improvement.
The Recorder, without any hesl-
tation, goes on record as tavorlng
the progressive steps outlined IN
the petition and the means sug-
gested to that end. A municipal
debt is no bugaboo when kept WITH
in proper limits, incurred for need7N
ed and recognized improvements
and iudiciously handled. Under
the new charter, the right to issue
bonds, with the approval of the
voters, is provided for. and even Y
any one were disposed to be reck'
less in the matter, the limit is tlxed.
80 that the credit of the town CAM
not be impaired or its future pros
perity in any way effected. .
Monterey has one of the prettiest
streets, as to grade, to be found IN
anv town, but it is sadly in need
Of work. To make it even passlbly
good will require an increase OF
taxes, unless the money be raised
bv a bond issue, the plan suggested
by the petitioners. In this way
the work can be done in modern
stvle. without any increase OF taxa
ton, and the bonds redeemed at
such time and at such intervals as
NAV be convenient and practicable
under the present rate. Any other
policy will prove wasteful and un-
Satisfactory. To undertake the
work piece-meal means greater
outlay and poor results. The
amount for which bonds would
have to be issued, for the purposes
named, would be no unwieldy dept,
and would not be a case OF let
posterity pay because the reVe-
nues of the town will readily meet
the interest and provide an annual
sinking fund. Il
AS to the move for "better,"
"more" and "cheaper" water, the
netitioners outlined no specific
course or made no definite recon-
mendations. The present system
is owned by private Individuals
crtizens who have shown pro-
oressive and enterprislng spirit IN
public affairs-aad it is perfectly
safe to assume that no one would
want them to sustain material loss
i the councils effort to grant the
'.onditions prayed for in the petit
ton. s
It is generally conceded how
ever that the town should own its
wafer system, and the present COM
nanv will sell, bat whether or not
ne defects of the system can be
overcome to the satisfaction OF the
neople and price agreed upon
are problematical. ..:
AS an alternative consideration
olonp with the paper presented TO
the Council is a water right, granted
NV p B. Campbell, to an excellent
sDr;nu of soft water, located at the
fpat Of the mountain above his
house The consideration IS noml,
nal and the transfer signed. hence
tha alternative proposition is up
to t1V the town" whenever i it so willis wills;
hose as Of the subjec: ought to be
Considered, and if, to secure an al
con nate protective water pressure
equn ,re clear supply, and at a low,
er rate the R present i0m oss they will
s +: o ss1a;s's'15 : Is; s's
ths 1 . and not any one person or set
of Fps sa5fett'y first" is present u day,
po 5an an,ublic=spirited citizen must
adopt.