Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-02
Because They Have no Pro-
lection from Flames.
No Water ON the Hills Because
the Companies Quarrel.
Insurance Agents will Not Issue Any
More Policies.
Here's Pretty How De Do-The Alleged
Arrangement with the City Water
Company all Fudge-The Two
Companies Qusrreling.

Inc HERALD reporter VINO visited the
scene of the fire in the hill district on
Friday night heard numerous express
sions of opinion on the part of the by
ISLANDERS, which would indicate that the
people of that section did not SO much
blame the elements for their work of
destruction as they did the city council
for Allowing the work of destruction to
become possible. Accordingly, yester-
day, reporter was sent out to inquire
into the state of affairs, with the result
as here given. As this is the fourth fire
that has occurred recently in that dis
trict at which it was quite impossible to
obtain water, the matter is regarded by
the people of the district in general as
being quite serious.
The reporter first sought out the
members of the council. Mr.. Rees was
encountered on his way to take train
out of town, and in reply to questions,
replied to the following effect
| Doesn't the council propose to do
anything about these fires? In the
name of goodness, tell me what we can do.
Let the people show us feasible plan
and we will adopt it at once. We have
been doing all we could to consummate
the arrangement recently made by
which the Citizens Water company
were to tap the City Water company's
pipes at Buena Vista and College streets,
and pump the water up to level which
will make it available for use on the
hills. But, just as we seemed to have
some good prospects of water, the two
companies got into a quarrel as to the
amount the Citizens company were to
pay for water from the City Water COM
pany's pipes. No one now knows when
the difficulty will be settled. In the
meantime the district suffers. fires are
liable to occur at any moment, and the
two companies are quarreiing over the
water which really belongs to the CITY,"
Councilman Innes was encountered
on the city hall steps, and in reply to
the same question addressed to Mr..
Rees, responded: Eyes, sir. The
council does propose to do something.
We have been urging forward this
scheme of the Citizens Water company
for pumping water to the high levels,
and l was informed today that the
pumps will commence work tomorrow
We can safely say that there will soon
be plenty of water if. the people
will be careful in using it," Councilman
Nickel, Afford and Rhodes, who stood
near, confirmed the statement that the
council intended to see the hill district
fairly treated, but did not make any
special statement as they were just
about taking car to a distant section
of town.
The next man seen was Mr.. E. A.
Clarke, agent for several eastern fire in
surance companies, who has his Office
on Main street. In reply to questions
he SAID:
eyes, we have several risks over on
the bills, and for my part I wish to
gracious we didn't; but the policies all
expire soon. and you can rest assured
that they will not be renewed at any
such rates as they were issued for a year
ago. A hill district is bad enough at
the best, owing to the difficulty ex-
perienced in Transporting engines, but
when the engine can't do any good after
its arrival the difficulties of the position
are enhanced thousand per cent. I'm
der existing circumstances l hardly
think I should be justified in insuring
any building in the hill district
except at such rates as would
utterly shut out the ordinary property
owners. think the property owners
who have recently lost their places
through fire would be justified in bring
ing heavy damage suits against the city
tor their losses"
George w. Tyler, another insurance
mon, stated that he would most posi-
lively refuse to insure any house in the
waterless district under present circum-
stances, and he was happy to state that
his company had but one risk in the
district, and that one was we'll provided
with special fire apparatus, which,
rightly used, would be as efficient as the
city department. under the most favor
able circumstances.
The reporter next took an electric car
to the neighborhood of Friday nights
confagration, and interviewed several
of the small property owners in the
vicinity. They were found mostly as
excitable as possible on the subject of
fires, and were mostly thirsting for the
or anyone else who had anything to do
with the water supply.
@. r. Eber, who keeps a small store,
has collection of eight tumblers on his
counter, filled with water from the water
pipes in his store, when the water hap
pened to be running, and each one con-
life that had come through the pipes
with the water. One glass contained a
diminutive frog of a bilious complexion,
number two has leech IN remarkably
vigorous health, number three is q
swimming bath for the creatures that
look like tadpoles, and the remaining
glasses serve as receptaoles for creatures
which look like miniatares of the crea-
tions of delirium trenens. Mr.. Eber
calls this collection of tumblers his psi-
vate menagerie, and they stand directly
under sign which says: ''If you dome
see what you want. ask for it.'' On be-
ing asked his opinion on the water ques-
ton, Mr.. Eber's eyes flashed and he said
to the reporter: "Young man, if I ex-
pressed my opinions freely on the water
question, you would have to represent
| it with lot of dashes in your paper, and