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l a s V i s a s v a l l e y L A S V E G A S , N E V A D A Southern Nevada's Independent Newspaper 77. LAS V11GAS, NEVADA, SATURDAY, SEPT. 9, 1950. Five Cents Per Copy CITY, COUNTY, WATER DISTRICT IN A C C O R D O N SHORTAGE REMEDY At a meeting last night between members of the Las Vegas Valley Water Dis­trict, the city commission and the county commission, it was unanimously agreed that ail will join in presenting a united front bsfore the Nevada Public Service Commission, to force the Las Vegas Land and Water Co. to provide the community with additional water immediately. The public service commission has set a hearing Sept. 21, at which time the utility company has been ordered to show cause why adequate water should not be provided for Las Vegas. The civic bodies present last night agreed to meet again the night of Sept. 20, to coordinate their efforts and information so that the most convincing presen­tation of facts regarding the Las Vegas water shortage can be made to the public service com­mission. , Water district Chairman Thom­as A. Campbell presided at the meeting and observed that “it is deplorable for a utility to take the position that it will not pro­vide needed services because it is negotiating to sell its prop­erty.” He referred to a statement made by water company officials before the board of city commis­sioners when, that body sought a reason for the lack o f adequate water. Campbell pointed out that when the negotiations are con­cluded for the district to pur­chase the city system, any pres­ent outlay of funds for facilities would be added to the price, and paid for by the taxpayers any­way. “The district has encouraged the water compand to go ahead and expand during these negoti­ations,” Campbell told the group. “We don’t appreciate the com­pany’s attitude in leaning on the water district as an excuse to keep from spending money on the system.” The officials present agreed that the most serious trouble is the lack of storage facilities. It was pointed out that the watdr company has storage space for only 3,500,000 gallons, or a six-hour reserve. At Henderson, the group was told, storage amounts to more than a three-day-supply, based on average usage. Berkeley Bunker observed that “it is not new in Las Vegas for public opinion, to be forced to make a utility expand,” and cited the case of Huntridge, where great difficulty was encountered in causing local utility companies to extend their lines. “Perhaps there is collusion be­tween t h e utilities,” Bunker whimsically observed. “When I can’t get water, I can’t get a telephone call through either, to complain about it.” In an effort to foresee what strategy the water company might adopt before the public service commission, Mayor Ernie Cragin remarked that before the city board the water company agreed to supply the city all the water needed. However, the Union Pacific. Railroad, as owner of the wells, Was blamed for not being willing to make it avail­able in sufficient quantity. As most local residents know, the railroad owns the Las Vegas Land and Water Co. In discussing the progress of the water district’s • plans to run a pipeline to Las Vegas from ?Henderson, Campbell disclosed that the federal General Services Administration is in favor of a proposal whereby the district would take over the Henderson system, the pumping plant at the lake, and the pipeline, and would thereby be the only public agency in Las Vegas valley in the water business.