Show Sale ale of City Ranch Gets Final Action This This' Week Sale of the former Somerville ranch by Moab City to prominent La Sal rancher George White was announced this past week weel by Moab City at a price of some for the remaining acres of the ranch The city retained retaIn d acres adjacent to its water supply the objective of the original purchase purchase purchase pur pur- chase in August of 1957 Since that time a water development and storage project financed by bya a voted bond issue of ha has has' been completed and an ade- ade Qu te water supply and storage system Installed Moab for the tha ranch in the purchase from Lloyd Somerville of Moab Mr White who has been operating the ranch during the past two years purchased the cattle and 1 d grazing permits of the ranch last fall faIl for Since that time he has developed a water supply separate from the water water water wa wa- ter properties sought by Moab City when the original purchase was made The finalizing of the sale places a price tag of around on the water acquired Although the complete extent of the water resources on the ranch are not completely explored explored explored ex ex- it is the cheapest water this arid add community has been able to obtain At present approximately approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately gallons per minute minute min min- ute of pure flowing water is I emanating from the spring developed developed de de- de the past spring by Stratton Brothers Construction company The spring water added add ed to an additional ad spring on the ranch ran runs by gravity flow to a one million gallon storage tank above Moab The combination combination combination of storage and supply furnishes Moab with a system unequalled anywhere in southeastern southeastern southeastern south south- eastern Utah The sale has many ramifications Interest on the amount owed by the city In fn their purchase pur chase is virtually cut In half Also the payments are naturally natural natural- ly affected The use of the gravity gravity gravity gra gra- vity flow water Is in Itself a L saving Pumping of or the wells wens previously furnishing the city water is now not necessary Even the spring is on ona ona ona a part time basis The ranch now goes back on the tax rolls rons of Grand County Much of the water properties remain undeveloped engineers say Water at least in the amount now developed Is In n reserve It is not needed now although the city has been usIng using us us- ing water at better than a a million million mil mil- lion Hon gallon a pace during the past month There is plenty of water available and Met yc you U are am encouraged t to use it according to Moab officials Moab Mayor l K E E. McDougald ant and the Moab City Council expressing ex ex- 1 pressing Dressing their pleasure at havIng havIns having hav hav- ing Ins the sale concluded reiterated ed that they have never never felt it their place to speculate In land landor or be in the ranch business For these reasons the sale Is a successful sue suc conclusion to the search for water undertaken four years yeal'S ago |