Mailgram from Walter R. Bracken (Las Vegas) to Frank Strong (Los Angeles), August 16, 1939

W 18-1-12 Las Vegas - August 16, 1939. MAILGRAM Mr. Frank Strong - Los Angeles: Referring to my letter July 21st to Mr. Jeffers, copy to you, particularly the first paragraph on page 4, concerning the lack of water for delivery to Las Vegas Ranch: Mr. Witwer, to whom our Ranch is leased, called on me this morning in connection with the urgent necessity for securing a supply of water at the Ranch. He advises the small spring located across North Fifth Street from the Ranch, has almost entirely dried up and now supplies barely enough water for their domestic requirements at the Ranch. There is no water flowing down Las Vegas Creek to the Ranch, and the small spring referred to does not supply enough water to take care of his dairy stock. While we now have a full reservoir of watar, due principally to the city ordinance recently passed prohibiting the waste of water, it does not appear that sufficient water will flow over the spillway and down the Las Vegas Creek to reach the Ranch until later in the Fall. In order to provide sufficient water for the dairy stock, Mr. Witwer suggest a well be drilled on the Ranch to a depth of 200 or 300 feet, which I think should be done for his protection as well as our own, as we receive an annual rent of $2,000 for the lease of this Ranch. I do not think there is any question that we would get an artesian flow at that depth, but in case we do not, Mr. Witwer is willing to install, at his own expanse, a small pump with which to lift the water from the well. If you concur in my recommendation, will you kindly advise and I will secure bids from local well drillers who can drill a shallow well of the kind required at a cost of approximately $2 per foot, we to provide the casing, which will cost in the neighborhood of 60 cents per foot. The cost of installing the casing is included in the drilling cost above mentioned. This well would be drilled right in the dairy yard and I am sure that an artesian flow could be secured at this depth, because it is in close proximity to the well in the cemetery which was drilled years ago and has not decreased in flow, and it is at this well that Witwer is securing water for his stock in the present emergency. Bearing in mind our instructions with regard to retrenchments at the present time, I would like to suggest that in the event the Las Vegas Land and Water Company does not wish to go to the expense at the present time of drilling this well, that we permit Mr. F.S: #2 8-16-39 Witwer to drill this 6-inch well, easing it to the bottom, under our supervision, and permit the cost thereof to apply on his annual rental. Mr. Witwer has the ranch in better condition than it has ever been before; he keeps the property up and keeps his lease payments up, and it would certainly be a calamity to break the present arrangement because of lack of water. I will appreciate your authority to secure these estimates so the work can be started at once, as Witwer frankly advised me the only thing he could do to save his stock was to vacate the Ranch and relinquish the lease, which he is permitted to do under the terms of the lease, as no water has reached the Ranch from Las Vegas Creak in the last two months, and the small spring across the road which supplies him with water for domestic use is rapidly drying up. B-11 Walter R. Bracken 4:00PM