Imperial Valley press., 1921-06-08
VOTE
EXPECT TED
On BOND
ISSUE
Mass Meeting Last Night
Showed Wide Difference
of Opinion on ACCESSIBILITY
of Carrying Proposal.

A wide difference Of opinion on the
question of voting 100000 in water
bonds in this city seems to have de-
veloped and when the polls are opened
tomorrow morning for the election an
unusually large vote is expected on
the issue.
At the mass meeting last night,
which was called by the Chamber of
Commerce, for the purpose of holding
an open discussion of the question,
strong opposition to the proposal was
expressed, principally because o. the
financial conditions existing a; this
time. Practically everyone in the city
seems.to be agreed that the proposed
improvement is one that is badly need
ed, but the question Of finances is the
ground on which the difference CT
opinion arises.
Trustee Jasper L. Travers, Mayor
Sones, Fire Chief Ferguson and At
torney Ross T. Hickcox spoke for the
bon dissue, outlining the benefits that
would accrue, while A. ID. Bucklin, j.
j. Simmons, Dr. William Erkelens and
Attorney Hill spoke against the pro-
posal.
Bucklin kept the large crowd inter-
ested for some time when he bitterly
attacked the administration of the
city's affairs. Each city department
came in for a portion of the censure.
The principal argument in favor of
the improvement program as advanced
by Trustee Travers is that of economy.
He pointed out that it now costs the
ci+.v of Ell Centre S34 to put 1,666,OO0
@, ons of water into the mains, while
in BraWley, under a system similar to
that proposed for Ell Centre, the cost
of pumping 1,8S0,000 gallons is but
$40. He stated that the saving in
pumping costs alone would pay the
interest on the bonded indebtedness
and retire one $4,000 bond each year.
Ray Edgar this morning enthusiast
tically endorsed the bond issue, fol-
lowing an inspection of the present
water system. The present equipment
is obsolete and likely to quit function
ing at any time he said. The city
now has absolutely no assurance of
adequate water pressure sseuld big
fire be experienced. The auxiliary en-
CINE is out of commission he stated
and the pumping motor is in a bad
way, making the situation extremely
hazardous. Mr.. Edgar said that he
believed the saving in fire insurance
premiums, which would be possible
with the new water plant in opera
ton, would more than make up the
cost of the Improvement within very
short time. Great fire hazards that
exist at present and the ever present
menace of a breakdown at the plant
and a shortage of domestic water
make the rebuilding of the water
works and distributing system imper-
ative if the city is to continue to grow
and prosper as it should, Mr.. Edgar
| believes.
Charles Morgan, rancher and deputy
assessor and tax collector, is strongly
opposed to the bond issue principally
because of the increase of taxation
that it will bring. He made the fol-
! lowing statement this morning re-
garding the bond issue.
GAS to Mr.. Bucklin's talk last night,
find more people agree with him than
have censure for him, for Mr.. Bucklin
works from his heart out, and you
know where he stands on any question,
and that kind of man acts, in my
opinion, as a safety valve TO the COM
4 nifty. | have no censure for the
present city board of trustees, other.
wise than | h iIe taken IN with them
in person.
"As to the bond issue, which you
are going to vote upon tomorrow, !
wish to say | know Beyond dispute
| that Ell Centre needs better water ia
cilities, but under the present high
taxation it would be disastrous, N my
opinion, to place this much more La
| bilities against the city. Therefore,
after thorough Investigation Of the
amount of burdens that this city Is
bearing, at the present time and the
economic condition in general, /. 70 De
true to what | believe must be best,
| vote no."