Deming graphic., 1920-02-10
ADVISES PURCHASE
CITY WATER WORKS
Chamber Of Commerce Met Last Thurs
day and Endorsed Charles Cotton's
Project 10 Sell the Plant
WANTS ss5.OOO FOR EQUIPMENT
City Administration VIII Pass on
Resolution to Vote on Matter In
April nc Next Meeting

As told In the last issue of the Ora
phic, Charles Cotton wants to sell the
water plant TO the municipality and
offered IL to the board of trustees for
$65,000-not 100000. as appeared by
error-but mere trifle. The city
fathers looked rather favorably on the
proposal and will act at called meet
ing on resolution TO put II before
the taxpayers at the April general elec-
tion. IL would seem that the matter
will be passed on finally by the voters
Mr.. Cotton went before the eXecu.
| tive committee of the chamber Of com.
merce with his proposal last Thursday
afternoon for the opinion Of that body
The committee passed a resolution
commencing the proposal as n worthy
one and well calculated 10 mean Il
great saving in expenses to the city
and TO give cheaper water to the con
sumers. Mr.. Cotton submitted rough
inventory Of the equipment of the
water plant, which amounted to more
than $4,000 at reasonable prices. HC
asserted that the plant was in flrsI
class order, as was shown by the ex
cellent service now being given tC
water users. The price asked Is JUS
what the property was appraised a
six years ago when Il was bought b!
the present interests. AT that time thu
service was poor and uncertain ant
gave inadequate fire protection. TIT
plant now has ample water for n tow
three times the size of Deming, best o
fire protection, and with new and valu
able additional equipment.
To buy the plant per cent bond
would be issued and taken up by MI
Cotton. He maintains tlnt the FIR
plug rentals alone will carry the bonds
He says that the company Is not max
} ing any money, nor is II losing an
money, which would be n satisfactOr
basis of municipal ownership. tn
present franchise only has few year
; to run and new mains are needed ol
Gold and Silver avenues; these I'm
, provementS the water company canno
afford to make unless granted a lonp
time renewal of franchise. Large
mains on the streets named-froi
: finch to 6-inch-- would mean NOR
favorable classification for fire insui
ance. The fire underwriters now mali
, tain that this is the secret of the pre-
, ent high rate. Taking into considers
tion the improvements that should b
made it is possible that additions
bonds would have to be issued, but th
: work would certainly have TO be don
, before any paving Is put down.
| The company owns and operate
- three wells ON its block Of land in III
. suburbs west of the city. Two q
a these wells are air lift equipments an
I one centrifugal one well supplies III
p. city, pumping only few hours eac
4 day. for normal use, The booster plaI
= for fire emergency use is also locate
= there.
Mr.. Cotton departed for Los Angelo
but will he back soon. His iden Is thi
) his company ought to be- granted
4 more liberal franchise, allowing fC
a improvements, or should be bought on
He takes the view that the city wi
\ some day want 10 own its plant an
,. that IL can be bought more cheap
q now than at any future time.