Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1919-12-08
UNEXPECTED ACE
As IN POKER GAME:
CAUSES SURPRISE

Lined up at polite loggerheads,
With both sides claiming to be right
and quite eager for a conference at
which each can prove as much to the
other the state authorities and the
Water Users association here came
into the open yesterday with an argu-
ment that amounts to a case of I'M
expected expenses versus water power
that the association probably hasn't
got
The argument grows out Of the state s
plans for developing 100 kilowats of
electric energy at Sacaton for use at
Florence, from water power supplied
by the association. The contract
originated in 1916 and $4,000 was made
available subsequently by the legis-
lature to defray the building costs. 1t
was proposed to provide electric power
for the state penitentiary at Florence,
in place of the power from the out
worn steam plant that is in use there
now
By July 81, 1918, the state was ready
to proceed with the work, the money
having become available, but the Wat
er Users association then protested
the status of the contract by raising
question of its time limit. The as
ISOLATION claimed to have its water
otherwise engaged and no longer avail
able in the quantity desired.
When an effort was made to refer
to the original contract, in order to
settle the argument, it was discovered
that the original was lost, strayed, or
stolen.
Picture Star Delivers
F. ]. K. Mcbride, assistant attorney
general, staged some genuine movie
stuff yesterday by producing the miss
ing contract just at the psychological
moment and thereby attained some eff
fects similar to the appearance of ar
unexpected ace in a poker game. A
meeting was on, in the office of Gov
ernor Thouas E. Campbell, the list Of
those present including Secretary An
drew Baumert, Jr., of the board of di-
rectors of state Institutions; President
F. NJ. Wilkinson of the Water Users
association; Mayor Heating of Flor
ence; Mcbride, the governor, and State
Engineer Thomas Maddox.
The meeting was called for Mad
docks convenience, he desired to pro
coed with the work of developing thu
power plant or Of recording his reason.
for delay. McBride's act in suddenl,
producing the missing link" upset tn,
entire program. He offered no ex
PLANTATION for It's absence from tn,
archives at the capitol.
Remains Unsettled
The question of the contracts time
limit remains unsettled. Governo
Campbell and the rest of the state of
ficials maintain the contract is still
in off nd hot H.
sociation are able to deliver the powe
although some inconvenience to tn
association is anticipated.
President Wilkinson maintains tina
the contract is no longer binding AM
that he has no supply Of water avail
able.
Governor Campbell, prefacing wit
a statement that he is not enterin
into personalities but that he feel
bound to work for the interests of tn
state, holds that the state can deman
the water as the original contract wa
made by the United States department
of the interior and that the interests O
the Water Users association are sec
onaary to the outstanding obligation
of the interior department
/ At present, the governor saws.
large amount of power available fror
the associations source at the Roose
welt dam, is used under contract b
the Phoenix Gas & Electric compan
and there are times in the year whe
the supply is barely adequate for tn
contract requirements.
Further conferences are schedule
for this week. If the state loses ii
point, the officials say, new stear
plant must be built at Florence.