Letter from Walter R. Bracken (Las Vegas) to William M. Jeffers (Omaha, Nebraska), December 17, 1939

Las Vegas Ranch - Water for Stewart Burial Plot: Las Vegas - December 17th, 1939. Mr. W. M. Jeffers, President, Omaha, Nebraska. Dear Sir: Referring to my letter July 27th, 1939 to Mr. Strong, copy to you, regarding complaint of the Stewart heirs that we were not delivering water during the summer months to the Stewart Burial Plot, as reserved in their deed to the Railroad Company: I now attach copy of General Attorney's transmittal and letter from the Stewart heirs concerning the alleged damage to their property due to lack of water thereon during the past summer. This is a problem we have had to contend with each summer for the past number of years, and it was particularly agitated by the heirs during the past summer when we were faced with an acute shortage of water. The value they place on their trees and pasture is of course exhorbitant, and I have always felt that they really have no particular interest in the welfare of the trees, judging from the lack of care given their burial plot, but are merely standing on their contractual rights in the hope of securing financial gain from the railroad company. During the past summer, General Attorney McNamee, my assistant Folger, and myself made regular inspections of the burial plot, and while it is true that there were periods during which no water was delivered to the tract because there was none available, yet at other times water was delivered there, and we did not feel that the temporary lack thereof caused them any actual damage. Mr. Jeffers: #2 Dec. 17, 1939. At any rate, as long as the reservation is contained in the deed, we must solve the problem, and there appears to be three courses open for our consideration: 1 - Drill a well, on our land adjacent to the Burial Plot, for the purpose of supplying estimate this would cost approximately $800.00. The undesirable feature would be that the maintenance and operation would be up to us, and if the fiow decreased during the summer months we would still have to provide other means to furnish the required amount of water. main on North Second Street to the Stewart Burial Plot, and supply water from the city mains. This would require approximately 3,000 feet of 2-inch pipe, the labor and material on which would run in the neighborhood of $1500.00. This would permanently take care of the requirement for as long as there was water in the city mains there would be a supply delivered to the burial plot. The undesirable feature is that this line would cross over our land where no houses would be supplied enroute, and no revenue would accrue as a result of our investment. And, of course, the line would have to be renewed in 15 to 25 years. 3 - With the new well which it is proposed to drill shortly after the first of the year under WO-1537 there should be sufficient water produced to adequately supply the town and also furnish a small surplus to run down the Creek which would furnish the required 4 inches of water if the creek-bed is cleaned out between the reservoir and North Main Street bridge, as we the burial plot, and we will arrange with railroad officials for the services of the dragline for this purpose while it is still here in Las Vegas. Mr. Jeffers: #3 Dec. 17, 1939. I believe the last mentioned course is the best, and we will follow it, unless you advise otherwise. Meantime, we will again endeavor to appease the Stewart heirs, and hope to be able to do so provided we can secure the required amount of water during the coming summer months, from the additional supply being developed. Yours very truly, cc - Mr. Frank Strong, Mr. E. E. Bennett, Mr. L. A. McNamee.