Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-21
Leave the city Free.

Leave tnc CItY ENees
five had Council that could get two
ideas into its head, the outfall sewer
Question would be solved at once on SEN
sible principles. But, like the 1rishman's
pig. they have got headed towards Kin
sale. when reason, common sense ana
interest requires them to go to Cork.
Indeed, they have 30 persistently set
tbemselves upon the Ballona route. that
they are deliberately about to commit
one of the most incomprehensible and
expensive follies ever committed by
n deliberative body. rather than
do a reasonable and wise
thing. 1t is no email mater to subject
the taxpayers of this city to the frultless
waste of between four and five hundred
thousand dollars for work which will
carry the sewage to land where it is not
wanted, and which will meet with the
imped:ment of protracted litigation and
the indignation Of neghboring communl'
ties.
There is nothing in the law or the
charter which requires the city to COM
NIT itself to any particular route to the
sea, vet the Council have 80 framed the
ordinance for the issuance OF bonds
that they will only be available
for the Ballona route. This is the
most asinine feature of the whole busi-
ness. The city will be in strait
Jacket. It will be able to move only
in the direction mentioned, even al
though it should be shown afterwards
that to do so would be ruinous. and to go
by another route would be of inestimable
advantage to the work and the city.
The Council ties up the city to the Ba-
nona route, without having obtained 8
foot of the right of way. A great
deal has been said about having
secured the right of way as far
as the Southern Pacific railroad goes.
But the railroad company has not
granted the city the right of way for the
outfall sewer, and what is more, it will
not grant it. Well, in what condition
will the city find itself, after the bonds
have been issued, with this as the only
route upon which they can be used? 1t
will have to pay fancy prices for every
acre of land through which it passes, or
enter upon course of litigation to con-
denim that will last for years. In the
meantime, the city will be compelled to
seek another outlet at whatever cost, or
find the health of the city placed in con-
stsnt jeopardy.
Reconsider your ordinance, gentlemen
of the Council, and omit mention OF any
specific route for the outfall sewer. If
you do not do that you will commit the
most egregious error of your administra,
tion. We know that you have been ad-
vised by the City Attorney that the
route must be mentioned and fixed 10
the ordinance; but he gives you no
reasons of law or letter for it. 1t is a
mere question of opinion with him.
Against his judgment and his knowledge
Of law and legal construction, we place
the mature opinion of such men IS A.
Glassell, Stephen NJ. White, and others
of that rank in the profession, that the
city is not required to designate in the
ordinance the route of the outfall sewer
in order to legalize the bonds.
1t would doubtless be very proper in
the general plan to provide for carrying
q portion of the sewage in the direction
of the Ballona. There is large area Of
land this side of the Cienega rancho
which for blight months in the year
would be benefited by the sewage. But
the great bulk of the city sewage should
be carried in the direction of the Los An
geles river. The present outfall near
Vernon should be enlarged and continued
through the sandy and porous lands be-
low and east of Vernon. At whatever
point it would be deemed necessary to
reach the river, sufficient fall could be
had fer that purpose. During the four
winter, or non-irrigating months, the
surplus sewage, carrying with it Of
course, a great amount of rain water,
could be discharged into the river,
whilst, during eight months OF the year
every drop of it would be required to
irrigate the shin lands through which it
would pass.
If the Council desires to do the right
thing by the people of this city and the
irrigators beyond its bounds, they will
leave the question of route entirely out
of the ordinance.