Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-27
coaTaolL,nc 1lls RlvlR.
The Meeting Last Night Opinions
Wise ana Otherwise Committees
TO be Appointed.


A meeting Of citizens was held last
night at Judge Howard's Courtroom to
consider some plan or plans for controll-
ing the water In the Los Angeles river.
Mayor Thom was chosen Chairman and
W. ]. Brodrlck Secretary.
Mr.. II. d. Barrows made motion
that the meeting listen to suggestions
from gentlemen present on the proper
mcnner Of protecting the city from over
flow.
Mr.. P. Beaudry called for the views
Of Hon. A. F. Coronel. MIR. Coronel
had embodied his ideas in writing and
they were read by the Secretary. He
favored moving the Southern Pacific
Railroad track from Alameda Street to
the bank of the river and let the rail
road fight the battle against the water,
instead of having levee built by the
citizens.
The objection urged against this plan
was from Gov. Downey, who stated that
the people would have to build the rail
road first, at an expense Of $3.50, 600, be-
fore they could get the railroad to aban-
don their present track, which had been
conveyed to them and had been occu-
pied in good faith. That startling item
Of expense staggered the people, who
seemed before to think that Il would not
cost lruch to build railroad along the
bank Of the river.
Mr.. Barrows agreed with Mr.. Coronel
that The river must have more room and
wider channel, and that our bridges
across it must have long spaus or be sus-
pension bridges.
Col. j. J. Warner was called on for
lis views, and in response said that he
had nothing new to offer in addition to
what he had written and published
within the last fifteen years. He said
that the recent freshet was but mod
crate one, and not to be compared to
those of former years. That we must
give the river more room and q sloping
bank Of smooth, homogeneous matter,
which will not wash or cut away. He
favored au embankment so feet wide,
planted with species of black willow,
which was valuable tree.
Governor Downey called attention to
the great food Of 1852, when steamer
came up to the Dominguez ranch house,
now eight miles inland. He thought the
damage had been very much exagger.
ated, and that the people had gone into
the flooded district at their own peril
and probably had NO title 10 their lands,
and might have lost SIC, 900.
This brought Mr.. J. F. Humphreys to
bis feet, who said that one firm. as was
well known, had lost oyer SO. 900, he
had himself lost $4,000. and the most
careful experts placed the loss at $780,
600. He did not care for himself, but
he did care for Others who had bought
their land with an abstract Of title war.
ranted perfect His reply to the Gov
ernor was spirited and met with ap
plause.
Councilman Hamilton favored levee
on both sides of the river, with wide
channel and truss bridges.
Mr. Humphreys thought channel
800 feet wide should be made 1000 feet
long. with levee sixty feet wide and
seven feet high at cost of $40, 600, and
p!.ntea with trees.
Mr.. L. d. Gavitt presented his wing
dan scheme which was Published in the
HRRALD yesterday.
Gen. Mansfield favored mating will
lows together for an embankment. He
thought the meeting then and there
should adopt a policy Of improvement
and go ahead. which probably meant t.
adopt his willow bank scheme.
| Col. c. H. Howland suggested tina
plans had to be prepared by committees
and must include cost ways and mean
for raising the money. and an examina
ton Of the various systems suggested by
engineers and experts. At his sugges
tion committee Of five was ordered ap
pointed by the Chair to devise finan
cial plan, and another committee Of the
same number 10 prepare plan fol
protecting the city from further over
fiow At future meeting to he called by
the Mayor.
The amount Of engineering Ignorance
displayed at the meeting was Of the mosi
amusing character and showed very lit
tie knowledge Of hydraulics.