Arizona republican., 1919-07-14
WATER USERS ASSN |S URGED
 BYCOUNTY HIGHWAY COMMISSION
 n ENGAGE IN CEMENT MAKING

aside from the freight, in the manu- facture of cement within very short distance of the roads to be constructed, the outlook for local production of this costly material should be entered into.
 We first sought to find a way for the
 highway commission to manufacture cement for the construction of the roads. After consulting firms of at torneys of the highest repute, we find that we cannot legally use the funds derived from the sale of bonds for road
 construction to enter into the business
 of manufacturing cement, even though the purpose is for the construction of
 the roads. The same attorneys advise
 us that Maricopa county cannot enter
 into the manufacture of cement for
 this purpose for lack of legislation
 providing the machinery to operate under a clause in the constitution of
 the state permitting state and munich | palities to enter into industrial pur-
 suits. The authority given counties to enter into industrial pursuits is so
 vague that there is a very great ques- 1 ton as to whether the county could in
 any way enter into the manufacture of cement.
 After exhausting all other avenues which might lead to relief in securing | cement for our roads, we sought an | interview with the board of governors
 of the Water Users association, which
 resulted in the attorney for the Water ! Users association being asked for a
 written opinion as to whether the | Water Users association could legally ! iy1fn hn of1 Of The opinion he wrote and submitted tc the association was that they had the legal right to buy a cement plant anG manufacture cement for the use O. the association, but questions the ar
 ticles of incorporation legally provid-
 ing for the manufacture of cement by
 the association for any other purpos,
 than their own use and the right tC
 sell cement to contractors or to any.
 one else for the purpose of construc. ton of roads.
 Inasmuch as the Water Users as ], sociation is composed of the farmers and the farmers are paying the greater 2 percentage of the cost of roads, it bein, the primary object of constructing tn roads for the convenience as well a! the benefit to the farmer in transport 4fiS HIS DIOQuClS LO IndTkeL speedily d1t r economically, we see no reason why special election could not be called i'm 3 mediately of the Water Users asso.
 citation that they may purge their ar ] ticles of incorporation of any question whatever of their right to manufac 3 ture an article so necessary as cemen for the construction of roads, lining c [ ditches, building of headgates, as we
 as the innumerable benefits accruin { to the taxpayers in having a local pro 3 duction of this very necessary and ex 9 pensive building material and say the freight on this material in trans g portation for 400 miles, when we ar = walking over as good material for tn = production of cement, almost in ou
 door yard. Why not save the freigt t on all of the cement used in the coun 2 ty for all purposes aside from the mil - lion dollars of freight which must b = paid on sufficient quantity of cemer - to make our road program of this ma a terial?
 f We do not believe it necessary to g r further into details with you, beliey e ing as we do that you will readily SC - the advantage of the Water Users tak = ing this matter in hand and not onl r supplying themselves with the mater }, ia1 they use daily and are using { d present 800 barrels per month, c