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VALLEY 2 Las Vegas Review-Journal i Xy^SiAF' x ^ / ? S / City to Demand Adequate1 Pressure if Water Hike OK The Las Vegas city commis­sion definitely will oppose any move to increase water rates in Ibis area unless the water com­pany comes up with an iron-clad guarantee there will be no re­currence of the critical water shortage of the past several summers. This was indicated today as the members of the city board unofficially viewed the reported effort of the locai utility to boost rates to as much as double the present scale while at the same time preparing to ask for legis­lative authorization to install meters here. City Manager Chet Shelley said the city had not yet been advised of the filing of the new rate structure with the public service commission as reported last night, but commissioners re­called that several months ago the water company had stated the new schedule would be re­quested if water meters were not approved. Commissioners Bob Moore and William Peccole immediate­ly countered with a demand that the city itself take over the wa­ter company facilities rather than submit to any rate adjust­ment at this time. Both said they would oppose the petition for the increases. Commissioner Reed Whipple said he could see there might! be some justification for a rate; increase if the company “ wouldj guarantee that the p r e s sure1 would be up the year round and that there would be sufficient water for everybody” but that he intended to oppose the pro­posal until he was satisfied with the guarantee. Commissioner Wendell Bunker j could not be reached for a state­ment and Mayor Cragin was out of the city. The rate boost proposal, which was the’ same as? published in, the Review-J o u r n a 1 some months ago followed the pattern o f the, water company’s edict that either meters would be per- I mitted or the rates would have : to .be increased in order to take ! care of the expansion necessary to bring the service up to stand- ; ard. Commissioner Moore amplifi­ed his stand with the declaration I that: “ it’s about time we had a l show-down on this water situa- I tion. I ’m tired of the people be-1 ! ing bullied and given excuses. It is my feeling we ought to ' have some figures which show the earnings of this company and how much the railroad com­pany is making out of the sale of water to the local utility. I ’m not so sure it’s necessary to ip-crease rates. I’m going to hafe | to be shown.” The new rates will become ef- I fective February 26 unless there j are protests in which instance 1a hearing will be held. \ .Single - family residences, which have a flat $2.00 mini-imum rate, will have under the [new schedule a basic charge of $2.10 a month, with 15 cents p e r1 ! month charge for each addition-lal room. ' There also is a 30 cents charge I for each tub or shower, and an-j other 30 cents fee for each toilet jin the home. The first 7,000 square feet of jlawn watering is included in the original cost, but each additional , 140 square feet will cost an extra |two cents. In the apartment house class, [there is a basic charge of $2.10 for each unit without toilet and bath. However, the charge will ibe $2.75 for each apartment unit With toilet and bath, where all apartments are served from one service line and apartment house owners assume payment of wat­er services. A flat rate of $3.50 will be j charged to hotels for the first 110 rooms, and 20 cents for each additional room thereafter with I five and ten cents increases re- [ spectively for private rooms with j toilet and bath for one and two i ; persons. A hot dog stand will be charg­ed a basic $2.50, While a wash rack for automobiles in commer­cial garages and service stations will be assessed $5.00. Barber shops with two chairs or less will be charged $5.00 with an additional charge of $1.50 for each extra chair: Motel units without tqilet or bath will be charged $1.50 while those with bath will be charged $2.00. County court house a n d grounds have been assessed $15 under the new rate schedule, and hospitals with 10 rooms or less will be charged $3.00, with an extra 25 cents for each addition- j , al room. I