Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-25


diate steps must be taken to have the
same put in proper condition"
The city attorney reported the draft
of an ordinance for the opening and
widening of Los Angeles street from
Seventh to Washington street. the dis
trict of assessment being fixed from Sec
ond street to Twenty-third. The rules
were suspended and the ordinance
passed by vote OF 7 to /.
In reference to establishing the boun-
daries of Elysian park, a petition foi
which was sent in by the park commits
sion last week, the city attorney re.
ported recommending survey by the
city engineer. The report and petition
were filed.
A quit claim deed was allowed A. G.
Davis to piece of property on Walnut
street, East Los Angeles, owing to an
error in former deed by the city.
The special committee on water re-
ported as follows:
To the Honorable. the City Council
GENTLEMEN: Your special committee
to whom was referred the subject of bet
ter water facilities for that portion OF
the city commonly referred to as "the
hill district" beg leave to submit the
following:
The present condition of affairs is an
outrage on the people and the fair name
OF our city, from a sanitary, legal, moral
and every other point of view.
The water supplied is unfit for domes-
tic use, and the service positively made
quate in all respects.
The city itself owns the water, which
is fairly good when first taken (the con-
tamination arising from its being con-
Quoted through cattle corrals and fields
in an open ditch), and we believe the
only solution of the vexed question to
be for the city to own the water works
and give an efficient service.
The time will soon arrive when our
people will be called upon to decide this
question, not only for the hill district,
but the entire city, by the expiration of
it's present lease with the City Water
company.
We believe that now is the opportune
time to act, and that the city should at
once construct such water works on the
hills as will be the beginning, nucleus.
and subsequently part of general
If the city of Los Angeles continues a
policy of "masterly inactivity" in re-
gard to this question and allow the time
face to face with the proposition of pur-
chasing the works Of the City Water
company. under our contract, for per-
haps several million dollars, or of con-
tinuing an undesirable lease.
Nature has favored Los Angeles with
hills suitable for for frst-class gravity
system, system eminently satisfactory
and one that can be operated with econ
omy; a system, too, which can be made
to greatly increase the efficiency of the
fire department by doing away with
some Of the steam engines and spending
the same money in numerous hose carts
and an abundance of fire plugs in all
sections.
In dealing with the problem of relief
for the hill district, your committee
soon learned that an important question
to be decided first was, whetherit would
be better to purchase the Wick's system
(Citizens' Water company, or construct
new works.
If the Wick's system is inefficient,
which is conceded by all, why should
the city purchase something they do
not want? While it is a fact that the
city already owns the water, and has
| ample ground for reservoir sites, we
recognize the fact that the reservoirs,
pumping works and engines of the
Wick's system could be utilized, and
are willing to recommend their pur-
chase for something like 100000 or
SIC, 900, but not such sum named in
| a recent report of the city engineer, as
the price for the entire system. Neither
| do we want to pay such sum as might
| be allowed under condemnation pro-
ceedings for the entire system, as the
"system" so-called is just what we do
not want.
Looking to this end, we have, through
the trustee for the bondhoiders. tried to
get them to make the city an offer as to
what sum they would take for those
portions of their plant referred to. but
we have failed to get any response.
AS business proposition it looks as
though this og-in-the-manger policy
OF the Citizens Water company might
be mistake on its part, and result in
making its own bonds worthless. If the
city decides to build reservoirs and
pumping works upon its own
ground, then it will be too late
to talk OF purchasing those Of the Citi-
zens' Water company. Add to this, the
TACT that the down town company
known as the City Water company, are
about to lay large main back of the
first tier of hills from the corner OF
Sixth and Pearl, along Pearl to connect
with another large main at College and
Buena Vista), which will cut off from
two to three hundred customers of the
Citizens Water company (Wicks).
From estimates made, the committee
are of the opinion that two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars would be ample
to construct such system as would an
swer the needs of the hill district, and
at the same time be part of a general
system that can be enlarged and ex.
tended at any time to cover the needs oi
the entire city. This action would also
put the city in an independent position
to deal with the City Water company
which we will be forced to do in few
years by the expiration OF our lease
with them.
In conclusion, we recommend that
the city attorney be instructed to pre-
sent at the next regular meeting of the
council, an ordinance OF intention ano
declaration, calling an election to be
held Saturday, October 10th, 1891, te
vote upon the question of the issue O.
two hundred and fifty Thousand dollart
worth of bonds for the purposes above
stated. Respectfully submitted,
w. HI. BoNsALL,
DANIEL INNEs,
w. HI. RHODES.