Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-16
THE SEWAGE QUESTION.
How the Sewer Committee viii
Report on Monday.


Councilman Michael Collins takes a
lively interest in the solving of the sew
age disposal problem, and has, ever since
the fight against the South Side Irriga-
tion Company was inaugurated by dwell
ers along the line Of that company's
ditch, taken an active part in endeavor-
ing to heal the existant breach between
property owners and the company.
Mr.. Collins on Thursday took trip
along the line OF the Irrigation Com
panys ditch and extended his excursion
out along the proposed extension of the
sewage ditch, distance Of about three
miles from the city's southern boundary
line. In the course Of his Journey Mr..
Collins says he saw and talked with
many of the people antagonistc to the
further maintenance OF the ditch. These
holders live at what is now the terminus
of the ditch and in that immediate vicin-
age. He says the settlers in and about
Vernon district want the city to expend
some $4,000 in piping the sewage
from point north of the Bal
Iona branch railroad to connect
with the end of the present pipe
line of the South Side Irrigation Com
pany. They strenuously object to the
carriage of sewage by their places in
an open ditch One citizen, Mr.. Ran
kin, Mr.. Collins says, agreed with him
that he would permit the passage of
sewage by his place if the city would
put in 450 feet of pipe. Mr.. Collins en-
deavored to have the Irrigation Company
agree to this and saw President Ent-
whistle, of the company. Mr.. Ent-
whistle agreed to the proposition, but
when Collins returned to Rankin the
latter demanded that the sewage ditch
be piped all the way over his property, a
distance Of something like 1900 feet.
This would cost about $4,000. The Irri-
CATION Company, of course, refused, and
should the city take upon itself the work
OF piping the ditch to the extent de-
manded the cost would approximate
$4,000.
Mr.. Collins said the scheme proposed
to solve the problem was to extend the
ditch three miles. He states that should
this be done people at the end of the
ditch could not be supplied with sewage
without the aid of zanja water during the
summer months. During the winter the
necessity for transmitting sewage into
the ditch would be entirely obviated. as
it could be then turned into the river.
Asked if he favored the scheme of
piping the ditch where demanded, the
city to pay for the work, Mr..
Collins replied that he did not.
He said he did not believe the
city should pay for the work. Asked
what solution he had to offer for the
problem, he said that if the Vernonites
would only be reasonable the ditch could
be extended past them, and any excess
Of sewage carried on to those desirous of
using it. Mr.. Collins seems of the
opinion that the people are not reason
able, and cites an instance wherein a
man near Vernon, who owns stock in the
Irrigation Company, was legally en-
joined from irrigating, with sewage, his
five acres Of orchard, while his neigh
bors, either side of him, when Mr..
Collins drove by, had their places flooded
with sewage. Mr.. Collins thinks that.
ultimately, the matter will have to be
settled by the courts.
The Sewer Committee of the CITY
Council will report on Monday that 1--WE
agree that the only way the sewer system
can be carried out is to divide the city
in sewer districts, but whether the lines
shall be drawn in the manner proposed
remains to be decided. The visit to the
sewer farm satisfies the committee that
the South Side Irrigation Company can
remedy the matter good deal, but we
think the people in Vernon District ought
to apply to be annexed to the city in
order to receive river water for their
farms, else the city is not obliged to run
wafer tO that locality -