Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-05

supply-rhe New Reservoir OF
the City Water COMPANY and
Other Valuable improvements.
Saturday afternoon last, IN company
with Mr.. Kelly, an employe OF the Water
Company, the writer OF this article, IN
conjunction with Chas. Miles, County
Recorder, and DR.. French and Frank X.
Day, members Of the City Council, aud
the President and Secretary OF the Com
pany, visited the new reservoir located
In recess Of the hills about two miles
north OF the city. The location is not
nlone excellent for its proximity to the
river, aud its elevation, but also for It's
beauty, and reflects great credit on the
foresight and judgment of that practical
engineer and water genius, Chas. Miles.
This reservoir, excayated by MIR. Mills
some twelve years ago, was soon hiied,
supplying the town through small
eight inch main.
The shape Of the reservoir 10 exactly
ly the shape OF right -hand'mitt, with
the thumb pointing to the south and the
hand partially north and west; the wa
ter flows into il through ditch or aquo-
duet from the river several miles above.
The reservoir Ia surrounded by n stone
cementod wall very solid and beautiful,
IL Is IA feet thick at the base and some
Of the stones fastened there are very
large, the largest weighing $500 pounds.
Mr.. Fred Eaton, the present engineer,
through whose skill the reservoir has
been brought TO its present perfection,
has also taken the precaution to build
ditch around and outside Of the wall.
10 that In case Of overflow the water
may have proper and natural means Of
escape, thereby lessening the tendency
towards bursting the reservoir. No bet
ter site could have been selected with a
view TO the future increased supply that
will naturally result in this growing city
Of ours, for the reason that thesurround-
ing hills in such cioseness can be utilized
as auxiliary reservoirs and the water
pumped from the main reservoirs into
them and by such means preventing any
possible chance of shortage OF the
water supply; and wo eau say, without
fear Of successful contradiction, that 1t
is the handsomest public reservoir in the
State.
SUPPLY.
The reservoir has n capacity OF TO-.
100000 gallons; 1t contains at present
about 7,000,000 gallons, and the water
is now running into IL from the supply
ditch at the rate OF million gallons
day. Tho water comes In al open ditch
at present from the river on the Los
Feliz rancho to the gate. where It passes
through screens before entering the res
ervoir, where all refuse matter is cleaned
from IL. From the reservoir the water
passes through a tower arranged with
four gates to flush the reservoir, and
here IL passes through screens before en-.
tering the supply pipes. A large ~.
iuch main is now connected with this
supply tower, which runs through a
brick and cemented tunnel; in the centre
Of this tunnel the pipe widenp to 30
inch, so that when the water Is turned
on the force Of spool through the pipe is
materially increased. Some distance
down the ravine from the reservoir, and
connected thereby by system Of pipes,
is q large blow, of, by which all tho ac.
cumulation Of dirt and other refuse Is
blown into the river. Perfect arrange
ments are here completed, when the res.
ervoir is dry, to have no interruption in
the supply OF water TO the city.
CONSUMPTION.
The residents Of Los Angeles consum o
on an average OF over million gallons
Of water from this company daily, and
It'll presumed that when the connection
Of the large pipe is made and the water
turned on, which will be. in about q
week, that the consumption will be In
creased at least Ave hundred thousand
gallons more. The supply pipes to East
Los Angeles and Boyle Heights are
to be increased so that those localities
may reap the benefits also Of the new
improvements.
PROMENADE.
For several miles along the course Of
the ditch to where the river supplies it,
the company have graded the walk, and
as it runs along the side Of the meander-
ing hills covered with light growth of
small oaks and other shade trees, dotted
here and there with luxuriant beds OF
beautiful wild flowers, and high enough
above the valley, as it extends upwards
along tho hillside, to afford magniii-
cent view, there can be no question as to
Its popularity in the. near future as a
promenade Here panorama of beauty
spreads out before you; the cultivated
fields. the ripcning orchards, the prolific
gardens along the Arroyo Seco; further
away the beautiful San Fernando valley
opens out with its highly cultivated
farms and its residences. and in the dis
tance the Los Angeles river slowly wind.
ing its weary march to the sea.
COST.
The improvements OF the reservoir
have so far demanded an outlay of $2S,
600, and with the other necessary i'm.
provements laid out to be made, when
perfected, will have cost the company at
least 5000, 900. The improvements,
however. are OF such a character as to he
permanent and built with view to easy
enlargement of the facilities for an in.
creased supply. The residents of Los
Angeles can now have no further un-
sasiness in regard to water, for as soon
rs the new connection is made and the
water turned on from the new reservoir
the supply will be fully adequate to the
consumption and will be consta ntly in
creased.