Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-09-22
THE "HERALD" MAIL BAG.
A Citizen who Wants m ere Water
other COrresp0ndence.

A Citizen Who Wants More Water.
Other COrrespOndence.
EDITORS HERALD-The question touch
ing the formulation and construction of a
system of sewerage for Los Angeles City
ought to be preceded by that of supply
ing the city with an abundance of water.
To construct sewers first and provide the
water necessary to their efficient utiliza-
ton afterwards would be putting the cart
before the horse. 1t is notorious that in
many parts ct the city-East Los An
geles, Boyle Heights, the West End, and
nearly all the suburban foothill localities
the present water supply is insufficient
for the ordinary demands of the resi-
dents. There are times, extending over
periods from few hours to a few days,
when even this inadequate supply is cut
off altogether, and the householders, in
some places, left to shift as best they
may for the all-important fluid. What
would be the condition of these people
with the water demands of a sewerage
system superadded to those household
demands now go lnsufhclently
supplied -? Without water, or with
an inadequate supply of water, sewers
would be useless, or speedily become q
source of disc comfort, if not disease, to
the people for whose comfort and con-
venience and by whose money they are
to be built.
The experience of other communities
in this behalf should teach us that the
water supply of q city is satisfactory only
when controlled directly by the city it.
self, AS a rule city water company or
corporation, from some cause. good or
evil, has never been fully up to the just
demands Of all its patrons. Its Intentions
may be god, but there is always hitch
somewhere o the disadvantage OF this or
that part of the city directly interested.
But, be that as it may, it is poor econ.
omy, bad financial "form," in munich
pal government to turn over to private
corporation the water supply of the city.
No private company or corporation
should be permitted to prosecute an en-
terprise, even for the benefit of the citi.
zens, at the expense of the citizens, when
the city itself controls the means OF sup.
plying the desired benefit for much less
expense per capita than that charged By
the enterprising company in question.
Every body knows this, and every body
should insist on its practical application
to city politics.
And every body knows, too, that there
exists in Los Angeles, in abundance, the
means of furnishing it's citizens with an
unfailing supply of pure water, if those
means were only utilized by the city.
The city press has frequently pointed
cut the way in which this may be done.
The city government cannot plead ignor-
ance of the n,odus in quo. Then why
have not the city authorities moved in
this matter? The construction of reser-
voirs among the hills around the city in
which to store the water of the Los An
geles river for city use, now running to
waste, would afford remunerative work
for the hundreds of idle workmen &C.
knowledged to be in the city. The PEG.
pie demand water; the idle men de-
mand work. Why do not the city au-
thorities take the necessary steps to sup.
ply both demands? MACCABE.