Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-07
NEW FRANCHISE
FAV0RS SMALL
USERS GREATLY
President McMiIIen Of Water
Company Makes This State
ment at Councils First
Water Meeting,

Az the first Of the councils series Of
water works meetings, hold last night,
a. ~ McMlllen. president OF the Wa
| ter supply company, spoke in support
Of the franchise he asks of the coun-
eli and was quizzed almost TO their
| hearts content by q score OF COnaum.
| err and councllmen.
| AZ 10 o'clock DR.. X. l., lIusl looked
at his watch. remarked upon the hour
and reminded them that another
meeting was scheduled for next week.
Ito pui the motion for adjournment.
city Clerk Hughes luterposed with n
/ resolution permitting the transfer Of
liquor license from Lou iiotz, ia
North Second street. TO J. n Moore a.
CO., as chaser" The council adopt
/ ed H.
! McNilicn IaiOrs Small Consumer.
4 Mr.. McMillen began with the state
mcnt that he believed there should
be no question ~ to the meaning of
tho proposed franchise. II doesn't pay
the water company and doesn't pay
the city 10 have controversies. he end
In drawing up the proposed ordi-
nance he had IL IN mind TO be partle-
ularly fair TO the smaller consumers.
he stated lie declared II gave rates
moro favorable TO them than they got
IN amy city similarly situated whether
the work was controlled by d private
company or by the municipality.
MT McMlllen compared the rates
charged in Roswell where the system
e operated by the city with those
charged by his company. In Instances
the former were higher, Roswell, he
said, la the most fayorahly located city
IN the western country aud perhaps
IN The United States for publicly
owned plant The city IL level, there
~ no Reservoir and the plant consists
Of nothing but pumping station
which has TO pump against only forty
pounds pressure.
Insurance Rates Unchanged,
Mr. MeMillen was talking about the
fire protection given by the company
when Postmaster IT, G. Roehl asked
whether there was any difference In
The rates charged by insurance COM
panies for protection against fire
LOSSES IN Albuquerque ana IN Roswell
Mr.. MeMillen did not know. Mr.. Roehl
said there had not been a cent redue-
ton TO his knowledge
city CLERK Hughes thought tho city
was paying too much hydrant rental.
I might think the city pays you too
much salary" said Mr. McMillen smi-
lngly Il might think, too, that the
grocer charges me too much"
lie then read long list Of cities
In practically every state showing the
amount they paid for fire MIGRANTS.
Tie lowest WIS SIS and the highest
5000
The proposed ordinance would give
cheaper water than lel paso gives with
lta municipality owned plant. accord
Ing to Mr. MeMlllen. At that. he
said, 4 WAS noe fair 10 compare a mu-
nieipally owned with a private plant
because the former Is rot supposed
to operate To make profit.
CITY Pays Company Sn,g3O.
y don't think El paso thinks mu.
nicipal ownership Is success, either
from the users or oity's standpoint,
he said.
The question arose as to how much
the city paid the company City
Clerk Hughes said IL was 5000 a
year lie obtained these figures hy
multiplying the bin for the last uuar-
ter 10y -four. The bin was for hydrant
rental.
Mr. McMilien said ho was willing
to change tue proposed franchise 60
provide for the larger water users lie
would do this by charging NV n,y-five
cents for The tirst eco, 600 gallons
used and twenty cents per 1000 gal
Ions fut the excess of that amount
These rates were 10 hold until 1912.
when the present franchise would vx-
pirc After that the rates would be-
the same for the first 20 GOO gallons
and fifteen cents for the excess
Councilman Hammond wanted to-
know If he were not offering The city
anything for the franchise. He said
hn WAS not with the rates cut down
where only a reasonable return was
allowed When asked II lie meant that
h. Yves paying for the franchise IN
ioN ratea 90 the consumers he said
be was
Mr. McMilen told Cu0ncilman
would not show It's value Answering
4 question put hy Mr. Srunstcld he
said the companys books were not
open to anyone. He objected TO \ plan
to let members OF the council have
Heccss 90 the coinpany'a hooks under
the new franchise. lie believed, how
ever that the state corporation com
mission should have power to adjust
rates. HE suggested that the legisla-
turc he asked 60 confer this power
MI. McMillen, replying TO another
auCrN said the assessor had placed Il
valuation Of $4,000 on his plant
clyde Tingley expressed the opinion
that the city should get free water IL
Il gave the franchise
While discussing the price of water
meters Mir Tingley produced a clip
ping showing that Pittsburgh had let
contract for large number at
slightly less than IS each Mr. Me
Al lllen said 8 difference la the kind OF
meters might account for the differ
ence n price he had stated that the
meters used hs the local company cest
more than that
Have your feet examined ty an ex-
perl AZ f. T. Washhurn Co.'S today
He can relieve an feat ailments, To-
/ day only.