Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-12-18

economical and lasting is required.
A careful examination of the compar-
ative merits of the different materials
that are available for street construc-
ton should be made, and that one
adopted which Is the most economical
and durable.
SEWERAGE.
The matter of sewage is one which
merits your closest attention, and inn
mediate action. We cannot violate
the elementary rules OF health by al
lowing deposits of filth and garbage
to accumulate in our midst, and fill
the air with poisonous gases, unless
we undergo the penalty which out
ragged nature Is certain sooner or later
to infiict. Disease is the inevitable
result; even our climate will not pro-
tect US from the effect of so reckless
disregard of sanitary drainage. We
should adopt some general plan of
sewage-One which will be compre-
hensive enough to meet the wants of
the city when it attains for greater
proportions than now. Such sewers
as we do construct should be parts of
this system. Thus, instead of having
a makeshift, that will answer for the
present needs, we would gradually
construct complete and thorough
system of sewers. At present, the
whole sewage matter of this city that
is not kept penned up in the number
less cesspoOls that abound, is. carried a
sholt distance below the city and de-
posted on tract of land about 10
in h;a1, 10, r.,
that purpose. This cannot last, though
it may answer for the present. In
European countries, it has long been
the practice to sell this material to
persons who can use it on their land,
and in many cities considerable rev.
enue is derived from this source. This
may be done here. / am informed
that there would be demand
far exceeding the supply, providing
the destructive drainage of the gas
works was excluded from the general
mass of sewage matter, the excel
lent fertilizer thus obtained being cas-
lily disposed of to parties owning lands
below the city. That this great ques-
ton should be solved Immediately is
very important, and 1 would recon-
mend that your Honorable Body, af-
ter careful investigation into the
merits of the different plans that may
be developed, adopt and act on that
one which will in your judgment be
OF the greatest benefit to the greatest
number. The Main Street sewer is al
most completed-it is substantially
built at cost of $21, 900, and is u long
step in the right direction.
WATER.
1t has been satisfactorily demon
strated that the water supply of Los
Angeles is susceptable of great i'm
provement, and as to the proper means
of obtaining the desired end, your
best judgment should be brought.
For several years it has been general
ly admitted that a submerged dam at
some point in the Los Angeles river
was the essential basis of any great
and permanent increase OF the water
supply. This idea has been elabOra-
ted by the City Engineer, and accord
ing to the estimates of that officer, a
dam sufficient to answer all practical
purposes can he built at cost of not
more than $4,000. The mere con-
OVuStiOu vi ouCit u udtl dS Is DTOUOS-
ed, while in itself Of great Importance
must not be regarded as the end, but
the beginning of the great work. And
It Is your duty to adopt the best means
for raising the necessary money to
carry to a successful termination such
works as may be determined upon. 1
desire tosuggest the propriety of fium-
ing, or cementing the Zanja madre,
in order that the loss by evaporation
and seepage may be reduced to the
minimum. And also, of constructing
a system of "sand boxesn at conven-
lent points along the bank of the riv-
er, by means of which the sand, now
carried in the water as it is taken from
the river, may be deposited in boxes,
and at intervals sluiced out upon
places which it will not injure. TN
der the present system, all the sand
carried by the water is either deposit
ed in the zanjas, or what is worse, up
on the valuable land where the water
is used for irrigation. In the first in
stance number of men are kept en-
ployed in cleaning the zanjas, that is,
shoveling out the sand deposited by
the water which by the use of boxes
properly constructed could be taken
from the water near the head of the
ditch, and the expense to the city of
constant cleaning would be saved and
the owners of irrigated lands be re-
lieved from the continually increasing
sand deposit on their lands. During
the season for irrigating the water
would not have to be shut off for sew
eral days at a time in order to clean
the Zanias. therehv cansinn ininrxr