Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-10
TN IT'S OFFICIAL BED.
-rHE SUPERVISORS ASKED TO PUT
SAN GABRIEL RIVER THERE.
The Duarte Residents Object to the Santa
Fe Roads Bridge-A Temperate An
.swer from Judge Brunson.


peared, to request that body to take such
action as may be necessary to compel
the California Southern railroad COM
pany to erect proper bridge across the
San Gabriel river in place OF the trestle
recently carried away. A petition
signed by 105 residents and tax payers
OF Duarte was presented and read, as
follows:
To the Board OF Supervisors of Los Angeles
Cou ity, California:
GENTLEMEN The undersigned, citizens
and inhabitants of Duarte, in Los An
celes county, respectfully submit for
your consideration the following facts !:
That Duarte is situated on the west
bank OF the San Gabriel river.
That said river, during heavy rains,
becomes great food with swift cur
rent, bringing down vast quantities of
drift wood, trees, logs, etc.
That the Santa Fe railroad bridge at
this point is composed of narrow spans,
of less than Is feet openings, which are
liable to be choked by drift wood and
debris.
That during the late heavy rains OF
the 21st and 22d of February, said
bridges did become so choked up, the
result being the damming up of the water
above the bridge and the breaking of
the bank of the river, which swept
through part OF Duarte, causing the
loss of three lives, also much suffering
to those unfortunately located in its
course, together with destruction of
many thousand dollars worth of prop
-erty.
That the said Santa Fe railroad bridge,
if allowed to remain in the same condi-
ton, is constant source of danger to
the lower lands of Duarte, as also to that
section OF the country lying below, in
cluding Ell Monte and vicinity.
We therefore respectfully but earn
estly urge your honorable body to take
such action as may be necessary to COM
pei the Santa Fe railroad company to
erect a bridge at this point on their
line. which shall not endanger the lives
and property of hundreds of citizens of
Los Angeles county.
The railroad company was represented
by General Manager X. H. Wade and
A. Brunson, Esq, its attorney, who pre-
sented the following reply to the pc
tition:
TO the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles
County, State of California:
GENTLEMEN We hereby acknowledge
receipt of copy of the petition pre-
sented to your honorable body from the
citizens of Duarte, wherein they ask you
to take some action with reference to
the construction of bridge on the line
of our road in such manner as to protect
the property of the persons residing in
that neighborhood. While we cannot
for moment admit the disastrous re-
suits as attributable to any work upon
our line, it is nevertheless our desire to
live in peace and harmony and good will
with the people, not only of Azusa and
Duarte, but of whateverssportion of the
country over which we may operate our
line of road.
Our washouts this year have princi-
pally occurred at points where the least
danger was expected. We now have
bridges of many feet in length standing
with dry ground beneath them, the
were constructed having entirely
changed during the last storm. AS
your honorable body is already advised,
a bill has Just passed the legislature
authorizing the establishment of official
beds OF rivers by boards of supervisors
of the different counties of this state.
Whenever investigation has been had
by your honorable body and the official
bed established, so that you may direct
us where to put our bridge, we will en-
deavor to put in such structure as will
meet the approval OF all the parties
petitioning in this matter. At least,
we will endeavor to put in a bridge con-
structed according to the best scientific
and mechanical ability we can COM
mand, not only for the protection of the
people of Duarte, but for our own pro-
lection. But until such time as the
official bed of this stream shall be de-
fined and established by your honorable
body, we would be working in the dark.
Our judgment might not be yours,
and we would find ourselves with a
bridge half a mile from the stream as
established by your honorable board
under the act to which have already
referred. In the meantime, gentlemen,
it will be necessary for us to operate our
road, therefore, we respectfully ask your
honorable board to take this, our
answer, under advisement, to accept our
best efforts for the temporary running
of our trains, and to continue the hear
ing of this petition in this case until
such time as, under the law, the official
bed of the stream shall be established,
and your honorable board can make an
order which will, for all time, settle the
location OF our bridge, and OF the nature
of the structure to be placed across the
river, whenia permanent bridge shall be
put in place. Very truly yours,
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RAILWAY Co.
BY A. BRUNsoN, Solicitor.
After hearing the statements OF both
parties, the board took the matter under
advisement in accordance with the re-
quest of the railroad company.
Mr.. John A. Bullard, who recently
purchased the old court house, appeared
before the board in person, and paid
over the $S0,400 balance due thereon,
which was turned over to the county
treasurer. Mr.. Bullard informed a
HERALD reporter that he had not as yet
formed any plan as to the disposal OF
his new acquisition, as the board of
supervisors had stipulated with him
that the county should retain the use OF
she building until July 1st next, or for
three months longer. should the new
court house not be ready for occupancy
at that time.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.