Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-28
LETTER BAG.
Suggestions About Sewers.

Suggestions About Sewers.
EDITORS HERALD: Zone Thing at
Time. Sewer Before Water. ."-[From
the HERALD March Goth.
Yes, good and we'll said, Mr.. Editor.
Why leave half million rusting under
ground when go much needed as our
sewers are in this city, needlessly lying
idle for the last year; and why? Only
because some one has gotten his head
set in the wrong direction.
Of course the intercepting sewer can
not be used until the outfall Is COM
pleted, which, therefore. has not been
commenced or even located with GER
tainty.
The site located by Mr.. Eaton, on
which the city voted and rejected, unfor-
tunately was on the north side of
the Ballona creek, through section ex-
pensive for right of way and increased
length, which swelled his figures to
$685., 900. If he had gone on the south
side of the creek, he could have pur-
chased the land and put in the sewer
for less than $500, 900, and had strip of
land by the side of the sewer belonging
to the city, wide enough for a railroad
clear to the ocean.
By commencing at the terminus of the
present sewer on Jefferson street and
following the electric road to Park sta
tion, he could have gone thence on the
south side of the Santa Monica railroad
to the old Sanchez ranch, now
owned by Lucky Baldwin, thence across
the Cienega ION trestle work for quarter
or half of mile) to the bluff, around
the bluff to the Machado fat and
through the lake into the ocean, dist
ance OF about ten miles in all, with a
uniform grade.
But, Mr.. Editor. why not call for bids
for an outfall sewer to the ocean and let
the bidders furnish sewer and right of
way for a fixed sum, the work to be
turned over to the city in given time?
If it is sewer we want, that is the
cheapest, quickest and best way 70 get
it. Let the party that constructs the
sewer select the route. The entire
length of the aforementioned route does
not exceed ten miles, all of which is
through cheap, uncultivated land. This
should be secured at once, thus giving
the city strip of land through to the
ocean. Some day, in the near future,
this strip, if wanted, will come at high
price.
The bluff around Messrs. Baldwin's
and Machado's is 80 situated as to allow
any grade desired with uniformity, (by
putting the sewer on trestle over the
Cienega) 60 that no clogging need
occur anywhere in the entire length.
Parties would take hold of this, put it
through complete in six or eight
months, and open up at once our now
useless, though much needed, sewers.
1t is suggested that putting the out
fall through this route the water could
not be utilized for irrigation. There are
taken out at different points along this
route, for there are many thousands of
acres that can be reached, and parties
will not be slow in taking it when it is
the time to use it, but when it is not
needed no one will receive it, and it
must 60 to the ocean.
The city is paying large price to the
Vernon company to take care of the
present sewer water, but if it should be
taken from them the tables would turn
and they would be glad to pay the city.
It seems that the time for this change
ought to come soon.
There ia all of the present Vernon dis
trict, together with Nadeau, Florence,
Green Meadows, Compton, La Dow,
Arlington Flats, Half Way House,
Palms, etc., that can get this water and
will want all of it, and more too, most
of the year, but without an outfall to
the ocean all are afraid of it, fearing
it will be turned on them when
not wanted but an outlet with
branches to these several places running
parallel with zanjas may be slushed and
diluted to order with clear water and
in many cases artesian wells can be
supplied, thus extending the fertilizing
contents of the sewer to all of these To-
calities.
The best way to construct such a
sewer from Park station to the ocean
is to use redwood slaves 8 inches thick,
6 inches wide and 161a feet long, dip
ped in hot crude oil, butted one against
the other with dowels, bound by l.inch
round iron hoops and laid on ties above
ground. Once year put a new coat of
ochre and oil on the sewer and it will
last for ages. G. H.
When q man takes to bulling the money
market, expecting to profit thereby. he gets left