Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-07
R|D|CULUS MUS,
Anaheim Water District Bonds
Fail to Sell.
What an Anaheimer Thinks of the
Methods Used.
The Lord Helps Those Who Help Them
seIves-Methods to Be Reformed.
Cross Purposes to Be
Eschewed.


opening the bids on their irrigation
bonds. However great their anticipa
tions, the expectant hour brought forth
only one miserable little offer for 5000
on bonds, and not another tangible bid
Why is this? 1t cannot be for want ol
money in the state, or that money from
abroad is not seeking investment. The
bank commissioners' reports show a
superabundance on hand, and the state
is overrun with the agents OF eastern
and European capitalists and syndicates
seeking good investments, or pretending
to, though perhaps many OF the so-called
agents belong to that class of harpies
called promoters. But there must be
some latent cause for capital being 90
shy of Anaheim, when everyone knows
that it is the oldest irrigation district in
the state, dating back to 1857, and that
there is not more productive section in
the state of the same area. / think the
great difficulty comes nearer home. AS
Cassius says: "The fault, dear Brutus,
is not in our stars but in ourselves that
we are underlings." The chickering's
and dissentions among neighbors, the
jealousies between the different parts of
our district, are made known to every
stranger who visits our town and vicini-
ty and remains among us as long as two
or three days. The lack of unity of pur-
pose and harmony in action is manifest
in everything we undertake, and it is no
wonder that disappointment and dis
couragement hang over us like pail.
But what has all this to do with irri-
CATION and the sale of district bonds
Much, very much. We all know that
capital is timid, cautious and exceed
ingIy inquisitive, as well as conserv-.
ative; and all the elements upon which
leans of large amounts for local or pub
lie improvements are based must be
harmonious and backed up by the
united will and energy of the people
who want the money. Do we as a COM
munity present these requisite traits of
character or the determination to make
our irrigation system sufficient for our
wants and second to none in the state?
Two years ago, by large majority vote
of the district, it was determined to re-
organize under the Wright law, and
board OF directors was elected. They
the bounds of the new dis
trict, making il nearly I6ur times as
large as the old--something after the
mode OF establishing a town-site in
booming times, on paper. They have
levied assessments and collected nearly
$29 900, and expended it all but about
$4,000 on suits, the employment of law
yers and officers' fees, but have not &C.
quired rod of ditch or an acre OF
ground for reservoir, and rumor says,
very openly, that the majority of the
board, though elected and sworn to
faithfully perform the duties of the
Office, are opposed to carrying out the
wishes of the people as represented by
their vote, or, in other words that they
do not want the new district estab-
lished, but do want the whole irrigation
system of the district to go into the
hands of a few men as the sole owners
thereof, to be controlled by them for
their own personal gain.
II there is any truth in this allegation
as openly talked of, every director op-
posed to carrying out the expressed will
of the majority should resign immedi-
ately or be forced to vacate his office as
unworthy the confidence of the people.
The ostensible excuse given for the nom
action of the board is their inability to
realize from the bonds the amount
requisite to carry out the purchase of
the works and water rights of the old
district and prosecute the contemplated
It is an old saying that
"the Lord helps those who try to help
Now cannot this board
help itself?
Let us inquire into the matter lit
lie. The old company is in debt about
ECO 900, and have agreed to take $3.50, 900
ior it's works and water rights. Bonds
to this amount would be sufficient
guarantee for the debt of O,O00 and
would more than pay the interest there
Oh. The site for the La Habre reservoir
would cost not over $4,000. At the
present time the owners thereof receive
little or no income from it, and would
most likely be very willing to take dis
trict bonds for it, both on account of the
accrued interest and the benefit it
would be to their unsold land. If this
site is obtained enough men using water
in the district stand ready to do all the
work of constructing the dam and
canal to connect it with the present
works, and will take their pay in bonds.
This will absorb about 100000 of the
bonds by the people of the district, and
will show to outsiders and capitalists
that we have confidence in our works,
in our lands and in ourselves; that we
are willing to help ourselves in practi-
cal manner before calling for assistance
from others.
By pursuing the present line of action
two years time and $4,000 have been
vi rt,, o1lv wasted and Our reneated calls
for help have brought US, out of COM
one offer of $4,000 towards
the 100000 advertised for There is
lack of confidence concern
ing our community and its affairs, or in
the resources of our district and the
or ability of our people to
meet 80 large an indebtedness. There
fore. if anything is to be done under the
new organization there must be an en-
tire change of base in the proceedings of
the board and curtailment of unneces-
sary expenses in order to restore lost
Why did the old board, if they had
full confidence in the intentions and
of the new board, require
an expenditure of $l00, 900 in constructing
dams and making other improvements
before esurrendering their works and water
rights? Did the old company intend
this as checkmate on the proceedings
of the new? 70 outsiders it looks very
much like cross-purposes somewhere,
and they ask, how can the people of the
district afford to keep up two organiza-
tions, or why should there be any ne
cessity for it? throw out these state