Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-05-03
WEsT[RFELO FOR
QUICK START ON
WATER QUESTION
Mayors Position Stated in His
First Message to Council
Suggests Street SprinkIing
Plan.

Mayor Henry westerfelds first
message TO The council has to do
chiefly with the water question,
which he rates as the most important
question. street improvements and
city finances. The mayor believes
that work on the water question
should be started without delay
Here Is what he has TO say about
this problem.
The most important public
problem II the proper solution Of the
water supply question The people
OF Albuquerque have determined that
the city shall own It's own water
plant. They have Indicated their
wish for municipal ownership of this
public utility. Wisdom is needed In
handling this problem. Different
minds win differ as to what is the
most advisable method OF approach
Ing the work Of acquiring water
supply. The question belongs to the
people and / for one. propose to rep
resent them to the fullest extent of
my ability.
with the bonds voted and the
franchise of the Water supply com
pany having but comparatively
short time to run, believe that work
on the water question should begin
al once. and that the first duty Of
the city council is to issue the bonds
Ask Company's Price.
The Water supply company eth
hftg ttiI "a.
plant TO sell Albuquerque is now,
or VIII be. IN the market for water
plant. As a prospective buyer OF
water plant, believe Albuquerque
should At once open uD negotiations
with the Water Supply company and
ask the water company to name a
price, to set a figure at which 1t will
sell to the city its water plant. This
inquiry as to the purchase price can
be made in direct manner and with
out loss OF time"
The part of his message referring
to streets follows:
The question OF street improve
ment Is an important one. With linn
tied finances II will not BE possible to
do a great deal OF temporary improv-
ing Of streets Bnt believe tho pub
lic-spiritcd property owners OF the
city win co-eperate in the matter of
permanent Improvement OF the
streets. and 10 this end will cooper
ate IN arranging for paving districts.
I'm this connection II has occurred
to me that albuquerque may well
profit by the plahs which have suc-
ceeded in other New Mexico cities
in the matter Of sprinklne streets,
especially during the warm weather |
ana windy months The district |
system, authorized by a !
state law. bnt which can he made op- |
eiative by ordinance more in detail.
provides a plan whereby the proper !
Iy owner, either of vacant or inprov- /
cd property, pays for sprnlsling the |
street ahutting his properly. at a |
,ost Of something like SO TO so cents |
! month, payable by property own
PRS each month directly ia the city.
This system has worked very well in 1
Roswell and the people there are sta
sfled with it. because the people who |
get their streets sprinkled are the |
,nes who pay for it,"
Balance Sheet Might Mislcad.
Mr. Wcsterfcld made the following
statement on city finances;
"The question of finance is very !
important one for the City of Albu
lucrque AS at present constituted
he city receives 40 per cent of its
axes IN November. As per cent IN
hay and 10 per cent at various time'
luring the year. Because of this
ystem of revenue receipt. the treas
lrers balance sheet can not be taken
/ any time as an indication of the
tys true financial status. ] there
ore suggest that the council refrain
s much as nossihle from figuring on
anticipated revenues, remembering
hat the primary requirement of the
ltateman act Is that each year the
ity shall pay its own debts out Of
he taxes, ETC., collected for such
car"