Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-09-02
NUMBER NINE.

NUMbEk NINE.
What service is the City Light & Water Company per-
forming for the people OF Amarillo?
Had we thought OF this question seriously, Do
we understand the importance OF the function OF this pub
lie service corporation to the citizens OF this city?
How many OF us have given consideration to how il
is that the water finds It's way out when the hydan
opened in our hoines'
Ii asked the question found in the first sentence
o this article should probably reply THE company
with water This statement would be fact and
We not the entire story by any manner OF means.
Interest will be found IN this story told OF the Indian
who was taken Tor visit III New York lie shown
the wonders OF the matchles Metropolis OF the United
States-he world for that matter lie was given oppor
tuniiies to visit many unusual many attractive places His
guide was interested that he should be impressed with the
greatness OF the city
When the rounds had been made when DAYS had been
spent viewing the wonders OF the interesting city in
the United States those who responsible for the expe-
don, wanted To know. what from tie viewpoint, of this
o the great uofdoors this descendent OF the org
nal settlers OF America. was he most wonderful thing he
had seen.
1t was expected OF course that the red would be
dazzed By the marvellous disclosures in the other
line that had been discovered him. 1t believed that
although he had not been particularly demonsrave. that
OF the extraordinary things had impressed him deeply
and that from him some estimation OF the value OF
this or OF that outstanding feature OF the city would be
gained
Imagine the astonshment OF those surrounding the In
diam when he turned hydran, him. opened il, and
the water gshed his hand and he declared that
this the most impressive thing he had seen in the
busy, bustling enchanting. seductive metropolis OF the
his dusky skim in fancy his teepee nesting away
out west amid the He behed its surroundings. and
he though, of the water supply and how was obtained
This brought him visions OF spring the foot OF the
hill bibblng pretty and clear. few hundred Yards from
his domicile. He also glmpsed the water barrel the sled
and the pony mediums through which the supply
brough to the door OF his aboriginal home.
This contras,ed with the handy hydrant with its
gushing fountain. merely for touching button" And
really remarkable that this child OF the great
country should have placed Service" highly lie
accustomed to waterwater. the same generally speak
ing the world but the difference is in Service"
So with the people OF Amarillo. il is service. Amarlo's
people could go OF the wells. with their buckets.
their barrels their tanks and their and water.
but that would not be Service Aye, there's the rub in
the matter the service The people OF Amarillo want
They appreciate III manner but IN order to maintain
the service that only but in the kitchen.
in the bathroom ON the lawn represents both water and
service.
Amarillo has company devoting its energies. its money,
its investment to the maintenance OF service and water
There have been complaints from many citizens. They
have thought, and have said that there should be
and cheaper water But. have we taken time to
think that the present investment is not paying interest
overhead and depreciation, Oh. il may not make any
difference that the company operating at loss because
the aforesaid company is not you and il not me. and yet
is made up OF men who have right to make tar per-
ccntagc their investment in this enterprise. The law
presupposes this right and the spirit OF equity aud fair
cannot deny H. The fact that the water is furnished
by number o persons or their investments rather than
person an individual investment makes not the
slightest difference matter OF right and justice the
principle involved. being just the same
he only source OF compensation To the company tnat
has its money invested through the service rendered
The customers OF the company the from which
proper be secured IL il is forthcoming All
that the company has sell is water and service and for
this and service the investors have undspuabe
right fair II will be recalled that under the
general statutes OF Texas the earnings OF public service
corporation held within check This law enhedges
the earning ability OF corporation that IL may not ex-
coed certain per This is the law that applies to
the company that is furnishing water in Amarillo
II would be astonishing to the people OF Amarillo to
know that there individual stores in Amarillo
whose gross income. and whose income far in
OF that OF the water company This is not matter
OF surmise conjecture or guess but is demonstrate
through figures the records available to all who
would know the facts. Although sustaining many COM
plants enduring the unwarranted attacks OF the unthnk
ing investigation will show that the water people
falling far short OF their legal OF their in
vesment.
The investment OF the public service corporation repre-
sens large SUM OF money and upon this the people Of
Amarillo have water and-servce. II is the part OF the
company furnish the and the attendants Incl
dent service and then is the part OF the people receiving
this and service TO pay adequately for it. that
the company may continue to adequately and that
in vigorous. aggressive way. 1t goes without saying
that when the returns the investment not in keep
ing with the demands Of equity and justice. the spirit OF
right and fairness that service must ultimately decline
The water people the job tweny-four hours each
day They with WAT nd of