The copper era and Morenci leader., 1916-04-14
MORENC| WATER CO. PUBLISHES
 DEFENCE
Management Replies to the Union and Denies the Charges Preferred

Moulin, superintendent of the Morenci Water company, has addressed the following letter to the unions of Mo renci in reply to their recent denunci- ation of the company in resolutions in the El Paso Herald:
 ''Morenci, Ariz., March 30, 1916. 'eMorenci Mine, Mil & Smeltermen's Union No. 2, Morenci Arizona.
 ''The copy of the resolution adopt ed by your union, which l noticed in The Ell Paso Herald of March 18th, very much interested me. This is the first sati' aLion that I have that your body had adopted such a resolution ana the contents is news to us.
 We are about to send a telegram al so inviting the commission to come here and investigate the situation. T The present schedule of rates was de-: termined by the Arizona corporation commission, and we feel that we have been lenient in applying them. However, if we have failed to carry out the commissions regulations properly, we will gladly correct our practices in any manner that the com mission indicates. Until the conf- mission has investigated the situation we feel at liberty to make only the following comments:
 Charges Denied.
 'In the second paragraph you state that the federal investigators pro- nounced these bills unjust and ur- reasonable. The federal investigat- ors at no time investigated the af-, fairs of the water company. In view of these facts I do not understand how these men could presume to pass judgment upon the reasonableness of 1,1 bJ,or practices. They were not in a posi- tion to do so, as they lacked authorita- tive information.
 ''The resolution states that we are informed that these bills are to be presented to the state for payment. Tb fnsormat:on is a very agreeable surprise to us, as this is the first time we have heard of such contemplated action. We would very much ap, preciate it if you will inform us who is contemplating such an action, as we desire to thank the party or parties for making such unusual eff forts in our behalf.
 Says Strikers Interfered.
 "The present method of handling the town situation was fnaugurated Sep ternber 1, 1915. Practically, ever since that time, local conditions have been very unsettled. However, we have given as fair and impartial ser vice as circumstances permitted, al- though greatly handicapped. Here Is an illustration of what mean: Dur ing the strike, you will no doubt re- member, your organization twice took our man in charge of town work to your headquarters and made prepara- tions 10 run him out of town unlaw- fully and without just reason. Again, only on March 28, members of your organization interferred with and pre- vented men on our force at the plant from working. Will you not do us $ the 2lsiice to give us the rejsen for this interference and intimidation of our men by your organization? As public utility, it is our desire to give the best service possible, and in order to do so, we need the CO., operation of our consumers and of all organizations in Morenci, and we have not had it from yours.
 Bills for Several Months.
 "The bills sent out to our consum- CTS at the close of the strike, to which you refer, covered four. and five months water rent and naturally seemed unreasonable. As time goes on and the indebtedness of the con-
 
 will seem still more unreasonable and out Of proportion. Whether or not the bills are unreasonable or, whether or not our practices have been in ac- cordance with the commissions regu- lations, there is no justification for advising your members not to pay the water rent they owe us for water furnished them or for your organiza- tion to refuse to pay any of it's water bills. Payment should continue to be made until the commission has investi gated US, after which the adjustments that the order would be made. Your , organization used the water required to make the soup, coffee, etc., to feed hundreds of men daily during the strike without making application for same, and So by refusing to pay for same, places itself in the position of having stolen this water.
 Service But No Pay.
 During the strike, we continued to give uninterrupted service in spite of the fact that our revenue from do- mestic consumers during the months of October, November and Decem- Der amounted to approximately three cents per thousand gallons of water delivered. As our plant is the only one in Arizona pumping against a to- tai head of 17OO feet, through five miles of pipe line, the cost of pump ing this water was a great many times three cents per thousand gal Ions.
 Some of the consumers paid water rent regularly during the strike; oth- CTS have paid up all back water rent since. By what line of reasoning do you determine that we would be do- ing justice to consumers who have maid m all their indebtedness for