The herald., 1894-05-13
WATER FOR CAHUENGA Valley
City Water Now Used to Build
Up Chinese Barbarism.
1t Is Needed to Build Up American
Civilization.
The Future of This Valley Made by d.
vertIng a Portion of the River
Through the Cahuenga
Valley.


padres who located and built the old
missions in Southern California knew
this country better than any one else,
as was evidenced By the fact that they
selected the very best locations for their
missions when establishing their new
civilization on this coast.
To certain extent this was true, but
mot wholly so. The Les Angeles mis-
sion became the nucleus OF the metrep-
oils OF Southern California. The Santa
Barbara and Ventura missions were
each surrounded in the course OF time
by thriving cities, but in many other
cases the immediate localities of the
missions have been slow to develop.
For instance, while the San Gabriel
mission is in the midst of one of the
finest valleys of the state, the center OF
civilization and development in that
valley is located at the Grown OF the
Valley" several miles distant from the
m ission. The San Bernardino mission
wen to decay years ago, and its imme-
diate locality was one OF the latest sec-
tions to be developed. The Pala mis-
sion is today in valley through which
the whistle of the locomotive never re-
verberates. The San Diego mission
country is az yet undeveloyed, and San
Luis Rey and San Juan Capistrano are
not surrounded by extensive develop
ments.
The facts of the case are that the early
settlements in Southern California were
made either where the soil was natur-
ally moist or where it could be irrigated
at the least cost possible, for the land
was low-priced and hence would not
stand expensive irrigation systems.
The moist lands and semi-moist lands,
and the lauds along the rivers that could
be irrigated easily, are the least valuable
lands in this country, while the foothill
lands, that require large expenditures
of money for irrigation systems, are not
only the most valuable for fruit culture,
bat they also furnish the finest residence
tracts in the state.
Since the price of land has advanced
to comparatively high figures, these
choice foothill sections are being brought
under cultivation by the building of irri-
CATION systems to reach these frostless
belts.
Pasadena is good illustration of this
idea. Although the water supply at
Pasadena is very limited, the demands
there for water are very limited also.
was very much surprised last week,
while taking drive through the valley
with Mr.. and Mrs. G. G. Thompson,
during the session OF the Southern Cali
fornis Pathological society, to see the
great work being done there with abso-
lutely no water Tor irrigation purposes.
And while decidueus fruits are being
successfully grown without water, still
more water would be desirable for lawns,
shrubbery and for beautifying the land
Hcape.
Another illustration of the principle is
found right around Los Angeles. The
waters OF the Los Angeles river are
owned by the city OF Los Angeles. Mr..
Refugio Bilderrain, superintendent Of
water supplies for this city, last Septem-
Der sent me a report OF the city's supply
of water and what was done with it.
This report was made at my request, to
assist me in making up review of the
irrigation interests of Southern Califor-
mia, to be laid before the irrigation con-
gress through the Rural Californian. He
stated that the city had 1000 inches Of
water in the Los Angeles river that was
capable of irriaating, if the water was
properly saved, 80, 900 acres ofland, and
yet at that time only 5000 acres were I'M
der irrigation. Most OF this area was
outside OF the city limits. Ii the water
were properly saved q, 100 more acres
could be irrigated.
This water was used on the valley
lands to the south of the city where the
land has the least value for agricultural
or horticultural purposes. A large por-
ton of that land is today covered by
vegetable gardens which are cultivated
by the Chinese. And while VEGETABLES
are necessary for the human race, one
cannot ride through that section with
out feeling that curse had fallen upon
it-that civilization had taken wings
and left US; that American enterprise
wac myth; that Chinese barbarian
was taking possession OF the country
and that deEolation would soon reign
supreme.
The water of the Los Angeles river ia
worth $1,000 an inch, and it can easily be
placed where the land owners would be
glad to pay that price for it. The 1000
inches are worth at this valuation $4,
100000. Two-thirds OF that water is
today wasted-sbsolutely wasted-snd
the bulk OF the other third is being used
to build up Chinese degradation that is
o blight upon this fair valley.
II 1000 inches of the Los Angeles river,
which ia allowed today to be absolutely
wasted, could be taken through the pass
in the hills just north of the northwest
corner of the city, and could be put into
a piped system under pressure and
spread out ever that beautiful and
naturally fertile valley of the Cahuengs
extending from the city to the sea, what
would 1t be worth? Perhaps that water
could not be thus diverted without the
building OF an extensive pumping plant
or the running OF long tunnel. An
examination by engineers could settle
this Question. Either would pay if the
wateroould be had. Not only could
these improvements be made but il
would pay to put the waters of the city
into piped system to be saved and
used below the city so that portion OF
tbs water could be diverted ae indicated.
Ii 10 difficult to estimate the wealth
that could be created by 1000 inches of
water turned through the pass into that
valley. Instead of Chinese gardens and
Chinese barbarian and Chinese degra-
dation, we would have here reclaimed
not only the finest section of Southern
CalifeSnIA for the cultivation of the lem
on-that'most profitable OF all fruits
but we would have the wealthiest Sec
ton for beautiful homes to be found in
America.
Let Us look into details little on this
proposition.
What about lemons2 Mr.. Hnrd ct