Where I Stand 1958 — Hank Greenspun: A pointed look ahead toward the year 2000

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 9:45 a.m.

Note to readers: This column by Sun founder Hank Greenspun appeared on May 10, 1958.

Over half the people living today will be living in the year 2000.

The accuracy of this statement will have to be left to my kids to check because if insurance life expectancy statistics can in any way serve as an indication, my concern with worldly matter at the century mark will be purely in the medium of the supernatural.

In 42 years hence, those fortunate to have escaped the ravages of age and atoms will find that Nevada has grown to a population of 1,300,000 persons which is an increase of over 600 percent, and Clark County will contain 600,000 men, women and children which should be about the same proportion of growth as the rest of the state.

This information was given at San Francisco by witnesses for the State of Nevada testifying in the suit before a Special Master in the Federal Court in an effort to get more water from the Colorado River for the southern part of Nevada.

Eric Dodge, a member of the engineering firm representing Nevada, said that studies he had made showed that Nevada has grown more than 66 percent since the 1950 census and has made faster progress population-wise than any state in the Union.

Dodge told the court that Clark County is still in its early stages of development and that only the lack of water could deter its fantastic future growth.

All witnesses in the case agreed that there has been a spectacular trend towards desert living. It is not the bugaboo it used to be because air conditioning has made desert living attractive and comfortable.

James Montgomery, another witness for our state, said that from an industrial standpoint, Southern Nevada had all the elements necessary for continued growth. Among those named were proximity to water and power, mild climate, raw materials and transportation facilities.

Henderson, Las Vegas and the Eldorado Valley were named as sites of vast industrial expansion.

Lawyers for the state of California, opposing Nevada's claim to additional water, asked Montgomery whether or not he had taken into account any effect on the growth of Nevada should there be a change in state law concerning gambling.

Montgomery was prompt with the answer when he told the Special Master that the only way projections can be made is to assume the status quo, which the judge upheld. He further told the court that he had made the original estimates of population needs for the Las Vegas Valley Water District and that all figures he had used in his growth projections were conservative and that since they were made, the growth had far exceeded the forecasts.

It does appear that Nevada is well represented in its choice of engineer witnesses in its effort to obtain greater allocations of water.

The lawyers for the state of California did attempt to trap our witnesses during cross-examination with questions on industrial growth but the fact was brought out most clearly that Nevada is due for its share of industry and as it arrives and creates a nucleus with substantial sums of money invested, momentum will be gained by gathering other industry around it.

It all sounds most interesting and promising. My only desire is that all witness forecasts come to pass and that I will be here to personally check the truth of the testimony.

So who cares if I will require the use of an ear trumpet to hear it and glasses to see it as long as the desert blooms to the mountains and prosperity attends all the citizens of Nevada in the year 2000.