Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-10
Prophet Potts on the Lacey Fran
chise.


there was ditch constructed for pri-
vate use, and by private capital, from
the canal aud reservoir ditch through
and towards the lands then owned by A.
Glassell, o. w. Childs, VIM. Buckley, P.
Beaudry and j. w. Potts, each one Of
these gentlemen contributing towards it's
construction. This ditch has been used
for an irrigating ditch each year since its
construction. On or about the 18th Of
February, 1884, the first one Of those
parties whose land the ditch runs
through. viz, VIM. Buckley, decided
the right Of way through his land along
this di ch to the city Of Los Angeles, for
public ditch-just what all the parties
concerned would have done had they
known that the city wanted It for an
irrigating ditch. On the 26th Of May
the City Council passed ON ordinance
giving Sidney Lacey the privilege Of lay.
ing down about 600 feet Of 9O.inch pipe
at the head Of the above named ditch,
and also the right to all the hydraulic
power of all the water that shall ever
enter into this pipe, the city to be the
owner Of the pipe when once laid in the
ditch. would like to know what the
City Council wants this pipe for. and
why they require Mr.. Lacey to lay down
. 30-inch pipe. that viii cost him thou
sand dollars, when an s-inch pipe would
be sufficient to convey all the water that
he needs, and would only cost him about
$50. as all the water that runs into this
pipe must have fall in order to give
Mr.. Lacey all the hydraulic power that
is in the water, thereby rendering the
pipe Of no avail to the city. as the water
is in this way thrown back into the same
old cafion that il has been running in.
The above named ordinance, If q legal
one, deprives Mr.. Buckley, a. well a.
all the other parties named, from using
either the pipe or the ditch for the pur.
pose for which they made the ditch.
Notwithstanding the fact that the City
Council are all the while having trouble
with other parties or other franchises
that are not half 90 bad as this one, in
that, that the former ones only give
right to part Of the water. while this
one gives the right to every drop Of
water. not even allowing Mr.. Lacey to
suffer one drop Of it to evaporate until II
ia returned 70 the city, after having run
through his pipe and flume. But the
funny part Of it is that the Council does
not agree to run any water in the pipe.
1t seems, therefore, that the Council has
bound Mr.. Lacey by this ordinance not
to allow them to do what they intended
to do by getting this pipe laid down,
and have left out the agreement to run
water through the pipe. in order to force
him 10 do what they bind him by the
ordinance not to do. Now, Mr.. Editor,
is that not Q very singular ordinance for
a City Council to pass in this enlightened
age. with all the former franchises and
ordinances before them. Unless they
wished by passing the said ordinance to
deprive some party or parties Of the use
of the water that they, the Council,
claim belongs exclusively to the city,
who pay to the city heavy tax on the
land thus deprived Of the use OF the
water.
Now. If our City Fathers will give an.
other franchise to some one on the east
side ditch. and compel the party not to
allow any water to escape, but have his
pipe and Hume rsach Q point that will
throw the water into the river, they will
then have defeated the object for which
the water Improvement was made, and
will thereby have plenty Of water to sell
outside Of the city for six dollars pcr
day and have an immense revenue coming
into the city treasury TO pay city officers.
But these gentlemen claim that the pipe
laid down by Mr.. Lacey is to be Q part
Of grand system of piping that is to be
carried out by the City Fathers. But
this pipe would not come into the line
or system where such large pipe should
be laid, II economy was the object, as
there could be at least one mile Of pipe
saved by taking different route, and
bring the pipe into the city to point
that would be worth one hundred thou.
sand dollars moro to the city than it
would be If carried and Joined to the
pipe laid down by Mr.. Lacey, and also be
q saving Of s7s75 in shortening the route
of the pipe.
ITO be continusd.l
]. W. PoTrs.