The herald., 1894-04-02
IS THIS ANARCHISTS WORK I?
The City Irrigation Pipes
Stopped Up With Cement.
Thousands of Acres of Fruit and
Vegetables Imperiled.
Business Men Have Their Cellars
FIOoded-A Large Amount OF Dam
age Done-Water Ovsrseer Bill
derraIn's Opinion.

A dsstsrdly concerted attempt to de-
stroy the entire zanja system of this
city, which has been only too euccessful,
came to light yesterday morning when
Water Overseer Bilderrain made the dis
covery that the main zanjas had been
effectualIy blocked by malicious mis-
creants.
An effort to accomplish this end had
been attempted ON zanjs No. 2, but the
scheme failed in this instance. The at
tempt was made at Millken's old ice
works on Ann street, where the zanja
passes under the building. An ordi-
nary barrel bad been placed in the
stream, containing large can filled
with cement, and it was the evident in
tention of the conspirators that the bar
rel should De washed into the large pine,
where it would stick fast and hard by
reason of the action of the water on the
cement contained in it. The barrel,
however, struck cross wiee at the open
ing of the pipe, 80 their design in this
instance was frustrated.
Yesterday morning the zanjero, Mr..
Bllderrain, discovered that the miscre.
ants bad been successful during Satur-
dag night in completely blockading the
Ianja Msdre-the mother drain-Rnd it
is supposed from the effectual shutting
off OF the water that a similar contriv-
ance had been used for the purpose
This large zanja, which is used for irri-
eating thousands of acres of land eouth
and west of the city, runs into the west
side of Alameda street, sad then along
Los Angeles street. From the corner of
San Pedro street the zanja runs essterly
to Second street, where 1T divides into
bitches and 4, the first running into
and supplying the San Pedro street dis
trict, while branch No. 3 runs along
Central avenue clear south and serves
all of that territory west OF Alameda
street to the east side of Main sire 1T
eouth, taking in also ditch No. 4. This
mother zanjs is virtually the sole de
pendence for irrigation of all the
orchards and vegetable gardens along
South Main street, San Pedro street,
Central avenue aud other thoroughfares
in that section.
Water Overseer Bilderrain, on making
an investigation yesterday, found that
the mother zanja is blocked between the
junction of Alameda and Upper Main
streets, and as far south as Commercial
street. AS result of this blockade the
water has backed up until ths pressure
has burst the large pipe and flooded the
cellars OF all the wholesale houses along
that eide OF Los Angeles street from
Also to Commercial street, the whole
sale liquor store of M. Levy being ons OF
the principal sufferers, W hile 1t will take
hundreds of dollars to make good the
damage done to goods of other whole
sale houses, il not thoussnds. Several
OF the fire department engines were
called into play to pump ont number
OF the cellars during the day.
A second attempt and a more success
full one was made to blockade zanja No.
2 on Saturday night. Having failed to
accomplish their purpose on the preced-
ing evening they made sure Of their
work on the second effort. This zania
runs under the old Milliken ice works
on Ann street between New Main and
San Fernando streets, and this large ir-
rigating drain is completely useless at
the present time, as it ia h,ockaded from
Milliken's ice house to point en- New
Main street opposite the Llewellyn iron
works, where the pressure OF the water
in the pipe burst it open and flooded the
street This zsnja irrigates all of the
| territory south and east of Alameda
street and is the source of supply for all
OF the orchards aud vegetable gardens in
that section. Taking both of the main
zanjas that have been blocka led it will
be Impossible to supply irrigating facil-
tiles to thousands OF acres of orchard
and vegetable garden for an in
definite length OF time. and at
this critical period without rain
the crops will be practically lost. The
lrrigating bitches were only opened last
Monday fer the season, after having un-
dergone a good deal Of repairing, and
those who are dependent upon the city
for irrigating water have been clamosing
for supply which is now shut off by
the work of designing and malicous
mecreante.
AS to the perpetrators of these wanton
and dastardly acts, Water Overseer Bill.
derrain is satisfied that they are the
anarchistic element in the army of un-
employed. He believes they have q
double purpose in view in the destruc-
tion of the zanjas, one being to create
work ior the unemployed labor and the
other to ruin the Chinese renters of
vegetable gardens south and west of the
city.
That there is a wild, lawless foreign
element mingled with the honest un-
employed workingmen here there can
be no question. as they have written
several letters to the newspapers which
have been suppressed, in which they
have threatened destruction to the
council and city officers if work is not
speedily provided Tor them by the un-
employed. Mr.. Bilderain is satisfied
that attempts will next be made by the
miscreants to blockade zAnja K and
zanja No. in the western section of the
city, and there are likewise apprehen.
stone that an attempt may be made to
blockade the new outlall sewer with the
purpose of creating work in repairing it
and the zanjas, thus making an opening
for work for the unemployed. Mr. Bill
derain is taking all possible precautions
to protect the remaining zanjas and will
aek the council to put the whole de-
tective force at work to find and punish
the guilty parties. In the meantime
every possible effort will be made to re-
49, H.. ;.L. - l. 4