Editorial: A Reminder

Daily Review, May 09, 1950

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This being budget time for all governmental agencies, we think it is proper for us to remind the county board of supervisors of a promise that was made last fall—a promise to the people of Russell City and to the people of Southern Alameda county.

While summer months seem far off these cold mornings, actually the warm weather is just around the corner where May 31 and June 1 meet.

And warm weather to Russell City means the return of the water problem and the dysentery problem that last year took from "the city" the lifeblood of some of its younger citizens.

Many call it a "blighted area," and in the past the term has been rightly used. But this year we have at least the promise of joint action by the City of Hayward and the County of Alameda.

The city agreed last fall to put in a 12 inch water line to the airport rather than the six inch line required by the National Air Guard at its installation. A 12 Inch line carries approximately three times as much as does a six inch line. The National Air guard, Russell City and new Hayward subdivisions were to share in the use of that line.

That line is under construction, and soon it will be ready for the county to extend its portion of the line to Russell City itself.

The board of supervisors last fall warned that the line might not be ready for the first warm spells. Physical impossibilities in putting in the water line should not be held against them. But they did agree to extend the line.

Now, with the prospect of a new fiscal year beginning in a little more than a month, we feel that the supervisors should be reminded of their promise so that they can include the Russell water line extension in budgets for the year beginning July if. funds are not now available.

In the rush of considering our county's complicated problems it would be easy for the supervisors to forget their commitments— especially to a small segment of the county such as Russell City.

They can reassure all of us in Southern Alameda county who consider the Russell City water problem one of the greatest obstacles to a healthy community by now setting out the method of financing the pipe line extension. We are sure they plan to do the job, and that they are willing to announce their plans in the near future. 

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