The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-11-21
WOULD BUILD new HOTEL
Continued from First Pagel

HtCeSSdTy as an auNltlary TO and
after the construction OF Willow
Greek supply. Nothing in the
present system would be loss.
Basing costs to build on normal,
(pre war), prices for labor and ma
terial, they find a duplicate plant
would cost S56575.00; if constructed
on present war prices, it would cost
$50, 100000. By reason of deteriora-
tion they find the actual normal
value S40667.00; this does not in
clude any steam boiler, main build
ing or supplies; if included, it would
bring the actual value up to
$45,000.00, of which the City now
owns $4,000, leaving the balance
of $4,000 on the equity of the
Light and Water Company. Many
of the prices were taken from the
purchase vouchers of material and
labor paid for at the time of con-
struction. l consider that the per-
centages, used by the Engineer, for
deterioration were unfair to the
Light and Water Company, they are
arbitrary, taken as an average of the
worst results experienced by utili-
ties, and ignoring local conditions;
as an instance, it is arbitrarily as
sumed that life of iron pipe is 20
years, when in fact we have in use
in Heppner. wrot iron pipe laid In
1892, life of 26 years, and yet has
a remaining value. l hold that II
actual deterioration values had been
used, the water plant would have
been valued at not less than $4S,000.
As any rights to the waters of
Willow Creek and the drainage area,
can be best secured by the City Of
Heppenr, and as the Light and
Water COMPANY are short on tue
funds necessary to construct con-
for it, and as the City should own its
Own water works, and as 1t is very
necessary that there be hotel
bIili in Heppner, and as the City can
GDHu lUI wafer NOi hS puS wv
so for a hotel, | submit, for the
consideration of yourself and the
public, the following proposition:
The Light & Water Company will
build hotel of not less than SO
rooms, to be of concrete or other
equally as good matrial, and modern
in every respect, the details to be
made by and between the City and
the Light & Water Company; Pro-,
vided the City will purchase and own
the entire water works, valued at .
$45,000, as enumerated herein: The
Light & Water Company have had
under consideration, and have an
approved plan to build a combined
steam and water power plant on
upper Willow Creek, thereby utiliz
ing the food waters for water power
and the cheap fuel there for steam
auxiliary; two reasons why it has
not been done before this, are, that
it could not seperate the water
works from the lighting plant,
and on account of the high cost OF
copper wire for transmission lines.
If the water works were cut OF,
they would start construction on
the electric plant, but probably not
complete it until copper is cheaper.
A plant so located, with its cheap
power. could and would supply
energy at such a price in Heppner,
thar 1t would be used for many more
purposes than at present; the field
for expansion of business, on lower
rates, is a good one.
1t will require some time to build
a hotel. 50 the earlier it is started,
the earlier it will be ready to supply
the demands of the public. and an
early start will forestall the con
struction of cheap, undesirable
shacks, as hotels, which would bs
unfortunate for the City.
The City through it's lower in
terest rates and the assistance OF
City employees, would reduce the
expense of operation of the water |
works, so the rates would be less,
or at least no more, than now.
Who would be the loser? Surely |
not the City, for it buys at pre-
war cost; but the Company would
be loser because of the difference
between what hotel would cost
now and its value after the war. !
No invester will take a chance in (
building a hotel in Heppner, for they
will not invest until assured there
will be no shrinkage.
Delay in starting hotel will
make the City of Heppner loser in
trade, financial and commercial |
standing prosperity, discomforts OF
the public and those of its citizens
who prefer a hotel home. | heard
government official, referring to
the prices normal and war, say:
1T has taken a long time to
scramble the eggs, it will take just
as Ions time to unscramble them
it took time to reach war prices, I
will it take as long to reach normal
prices after the war? During this
period, will Heppner go to sleep In
its ashes?
Whether this proposition solves
the problem or not, it may at least
-+f,,u1ota coyna othpr and If one