Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-06-10
Special Meeting Of Council.

Council met in special session
yesterday afternoon, President
Beck in the chair.
The President stated that the
meeting had been called to take
some immediate action to put a
stop to the taking of water from
the Los Angeles river by uuauthor-
lied persons. In despite of the or
dinauce adopted at The last meet
ing of Council these persons still
continue to unla wfuily divert water
from the river.
The Chief OF Police reported that
the mounted policemen whose duty
it is to prevent depredations on the
water, on Sunday had been APP
preached by party of twenty-five
or thirty armed men and driven
off.
Mr.. Butler moved that commit
tee Of three be appointed to invite
the Mayor to deliberate with Coun-
Gil. Messrs. Butler, Lawlor and
Workman were appointed said
committee.
On motion Council went into
Committee of the Whole, Mr..
Buchan in the Chair.
Mr.. Beck called attention to the
the fact that In some portions of
the city orange trees are alre ady
suffering for want OF water, and
took the ground that determined
action must be taken at once to pro-
tect the people Of this city in the
right guaranteed to them both by
charter and by treaty. He continued
at length, urging that too much
time had already been wasted by
dilly-dallying.
Mayor Toberman stated that, as
chief magistrate, he proposed to
maintain the rights of the city.
With the exception of the four
heads awarded to the owners of the
Feliz ranch, the waters of the Los
Angeles river belong to the city
and he was prepared to do all in
his power to protect the citizens In
their rights. A similar dispute had
arisen when he filled his present Of
fee some years ago, but effective
measures were then taken and
nothing more had been heard of
the matter until now.
| Mr.. Francis offered the following
resolutions, which were adopted:
Resolved, BY this Council, that
the Chief Of Police, armed with
warrants OF law, proceed with a
posse of officers detailed for that
purpose, to patrol the river and ar
rest all persons caught obstructing
the free flow Of the waters of the
Los Angeles river from its source
to the city, excepting such waters
as have been decided adversely by
the Supreme Court of the State of
California.
Resolved, That said Chief of Po-
lice be deputized as u Deputy
Sheriff and his posse as Deputy
Constables.
Mr.. Judson appeared for the irri-
gators of the Corraiitos rancho. He
stated that the ditch on that ranch
has been in use for from thirty to
sixty years and that the right to
use water from 1t had never been
disputed until about five years ago.
He denied that his clients had re-
sisted the patrol with arms fthe
only weapon in their possession
being shovel. They were law
abiding citizens, and he would sug.
gest that tbs Zspja Committee hold
a conference with them, when, he
had no doubt, matters could be ar.
ranged amicably.
Mr.. Workman moved that the
ZaDja Committee confer with the
users of water on the Corralitos
rancho. within the city limits.
Adopted.
Mr.. buchanan addressed the Com.
mittee, urging that action be taken
to definitely determine the rights
of the city to the use of all the wa.
ter of the river, except such as has
been legally diverted.
Mayor Toberman took the ground
| thdt oo tuo City3 uuuHI tilt law HAS
a right to all the water flowing In
the river, that it is the duty of all
who use the water, whether resid-
ing in the city or outside, to go to
the ZaDjero and obtain water reg
ularly and by paying for it as the
other irrigators do.
The Committee rose and reported
progress.
The resolutions offered by Mr..
Francis were adopted; also the mo-
ton of Mr.. Workman.
Mr.. Lawlor moved that the
Mayor de requested to issue a proc
lamation calling mass meeting of
irrigators on Wednesday evening
at Z o'clock. Adopted.
Also, that a committee of three
be appointed to secure hall for
the meeting. Adopted.
Messrs. Lawlor, Francis and
Workman were appointed said
committee.
On motion, the Clerk was in.
structed to notify the Board of Pc
lice Commissioners Of the action OF
Council.
Adjourned.