Letter from A. M. Folger (Las Vegas) to Frank Strong, May 27, 1948

Las Vegas - May 27, 1948 w 23-1 Mr. Frank Strong: ( cc - Mr. E. E. Bennett Mr. C. M. Cory) We have discussed, from time to time, the possibility of the Las Vegas Land and Water Company serving water outside the city limits, and have agreed that this is undesirable. The last request was from the Editor of the newspaper to serve water to Youth Town, located on city-owned land just out-side the east city limits, and when we advised him that the only way we could serve that location was by annexing It to the City of Las Vegas, the subject was dropped. As you know, the resort hotels located on the South 5th Street strip are served by their own private wells, including the El Rancho, Last Frontier and Flamingo. There is now under construction a new two million dollar hotel to be known as the Thunderbird, located about one-half mile south of the city limits on the east side of 5th Street. It is expected that this new hotel will open on July 1st with 79 rooms, to which they intend to immediately add 100 additional rooms. There is a well on the property and a 20,000 gallon reserve tank through which the operators plan to receive their water sup- ply. The owners, Lieutenant Governor Clifford Jones and Marlon Hicks, who built the El Cortez Hotel, have both asked me about the possibility of securing water from the City mains for culinary purposes and for service to the rooms, because they anticipate trouble with sand from the well, based on the experience of adjoining hotels. I have advised them that we would not wish to set a precedent by furnishing water outside the city limits, but that we would be in a position to furnish them water if the South 5th Street strip were annexed to the City. However, they stated this was undesirable because of the political setup. The only other way I know of under which we could serve them water without letting a harmful precedent would be to deliver them water at the city limits on a wholesale basis through meter and they could take it from that point wherever they wished through their own water main. This would tend to prevent the waste of water and would also prevent entanglements by reason of additional requests for service in that territory, inasmuch as the water main would not belong to us outside the city limits. If the Bingo Club or the El Rancho wanted service from the line, they would have to make arrangements with the owners thereof and participate in the meter bill. The owners of the Thunderbird have a considerable investment in the property which they naturally wish to protect and are willing to cooperate with us by using their own well for the swimming pool and irrigation, We now have an 8-inoh line, recently installed for Frontier Improvement Company, extending to within about 1200 feet of the south city limits; where we have a pressure of 45#; this 1200 feet could be installed under Rule 9-A and deliveries made at the city limits. The pipe line outside the city limits would be constructed and owned by the hotel. Will be glad to have you discuss the proposal with Mr. Bennett to determine whether it would conflict with the regulations of the Public Service Commission or the permit granted us by the City of Las Vegas and advise whether you approve of such an arrangement. Application from the hotels attorneys is hereto attached. A. M. Folger