Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
LOS ANGELES WATER
A History of the Water Sup
ply Systems of the City.
A Complete Description Given of
Each in Detail.
How the Los Angeles City Water Compa-
ny Was Organiz1d-The Proposed
New System for Which Bonds
Have Been Voted.
Lsz CITY Engineer ]. II. pockweilec. |

Los Angeles was supplied principally by
water brought to the different residelcss
in barrels by teams OF oxen.
This water was taken from the irri-
eating bitches which ran through tie
city, and which were supplied by the
waters of the Los Angeles river. Some
few houses were supplied by means OF
wells on the premises, and sometimes
when the city's sewage was turned into
these irrigation channels, these wells
were taxed rather heavily by outside
consumers. A residence was considered
as having bathroom attachment II an
irrigating ditch ran through the lot of
the same, which state of affairs did not
tend to improve the potability OF the
water.
In 1864 the first water works were con-
structed by the city. Tnese works con-
sisted of dam built across the river in the
vicinity OF the Buena Vista street bridge,
at one end of which q water wheel was
placed in such manner that the water
falling upon it from the top OF the dam
raised a portion OF the water some 80
feet and discharged the same into
wooden fume which conveyed it into
service reservoir. This reservoir had
capacity of about 700, 600 gallons, and
was situated on the aide of the bill lying
north of and ad joining the Catholic Gem
etery. The water was conducted from
this reservoir in wooden pipes through
the city as far south as Third street.
These pipes were made OF pine logs hol-
lowed out.
After the works were completed the
city leased the same to Mr.. David Alex.
ander, reserving the right, however, to
fix the water rates Owing to the
bursting of the pipes Mr.. Alex snder as
signed his lease to Mr.. J. L. Sansevain.
"The pipes continued bursting and
Sansevain cancelled his lease with the
city, and s. Lazard, DR.. j. S. Griffin and
Prudent Beaudry went into contract
and lease with the city to furnish il
with water. A freshet in the Las An
geles river carried away the dam, which
left the wheel without water to propel
it, which cut off the water supply for
the city and caused water famine
and they had to resort to water carts to
supply the inhabitants with water.
The city refused to rebuild the dam"
These gentlemen made some tempo
rary arrangements to supply the city
and then incorporated the present Los
Angeles City Water company.
This company purchased in Deem
ber, 1868, piece of land known as
Crystal springs, situated on the west
bank of the Los Angeles river, in the
Los Feliz rancho, about seven miles
north of this city. The water was di-
verted from the river at Crystal springs,
and carried in an open ditch along the
h nnsI ID - hA hnx
next to the Catholic cemetery.
About the year 1871 the present eer.
vice reservoir of the company was con
structed, from which point the water
has been continuously distributed IN
iron pipee. The old reservoir has long
since been abandoned.
The lease which was granted to the
Los Angeles City Water company on
July %, 1868, will expire on July %,
1898. In the lease the company was
granted the right to take 10 inches of
water from the river. At the expira-
tion OF the leases of the Los Angeles
City Water company and the Citizens
Water company, both of which expire
on the same day, July 22 1898, the city
is required to pay for the value of the
improvements made. upon the water
works of the companies. In case the
parties can not agree upon the value
thereof, it is to be settled by arbitration
in each case.
During thu year 1864 W. G. Dryden
obtained the right from the city to sup
ply water to it's inhabitants. His source
Of supply was the water developed from
springs on the land lying north of and
adjoining the present Naud's warehouse.
He led this water from the springs to
his pumping station, located at the cor
ner of Alameda and Marchessault
streets. At this point a large water
wheel was built in the zanja Madre, the
waters of which operated the Wheel
which in turn supplied power to the
pump. This spring water was pumped
into reservoir built on the site of the
present plaza park, whence it was dis.
distributed by means of 4inch cast iron
pipes as far south as the Temple block
Dryden also built masonry reser
voir on the ride of Fort Hill. which
however, he never used. Part of this
reservoir still remains and is used as g
foundation and yari for residence
located on the east side of Buena Vista
street, just south Of Rock street. These
works were purchased by the present
Los Angeles City Water company in
. l00Ss lu6 ldId pdik lhu DSSu SCaHiCU
to Dryden by the city upon condition
that he would construct a reservoir upor
the same. When he sold out hiE
grantees returned the p aza to the city
and abandoned the works.
In the year 1874 Mr.. p. Beaudry
erected pumping plant on the site
which had been used by Dryden as early
as 1864, to develop water. A large re
ceiving reservoir was excavated and ths
water was collected from numerou;
springs in the vicinity. This plant was
located on the esst side of Alameda
street about opposite College street, and
pumped the water into the present ser
vice reservoirs of the Citizens Water
company. The water was distributed
over the bills lying west of the river By
means Of sheet iron pipes leading from
the service reservoirs. The erection o
these works was made necessary from
the fact that the Los Angeles City Water
company's mains could not deliver The
water owing to the high elevation OF the
district to be served, and the company
would not install plant to raise tht
water to the requile ed height.
At the time that these works were pro
jected there were hardly dozen familie
living west of Pearl and north of Sixtf
streets. Mr.. Beaudry was the owner 0
nearly all the land in this district
which he partly subdivided into resi-
dence lots, and was of necessity com
nalled tn erect the WOrka himealf If h,