The herald., 1895-12-23
ANEW WATER DEVELOPMENT
The Scene of the Operations
Distant Eleven Miles
SEVEN HUNDRED INCH FLOW
The Theory Upon Which the Work
Was Carried Out
Paying Rancher Stiff Price for Allowing
the Liquid to Cross His Land.
An Anomaly

A new water development anywhere in
Southern California can not be otherwise
than work of great and general interest.
When that development is taking place
near to this city it possesses added interest
and greater significance. Such work is
now in progress, and the money that has
been already expended upon it and the re-
suits already attained merit the publication
of the facts in the case.
The scene of operations is distant from
the center of Los Angeles about eleven
miles, and is trifle west of north in direc-
ton. 1t is on the Provdencia ranch, in the
San Fernando valley, and is two miles
from Burbank, on the Southern Pacific
railroad, the same distance from Cahuenga
PASS, and at a point 1000 feet from the
Los Angeles river. Here a flow OF 700
inches of water has been brought into eX-
istence.
Some time in August. four months ago,
John A. Pirtle, eX-poiice commissioner,
and George Hanna secured the water de-
velopment rights on the ranches OF Gou-
cher. Storey and Meyers, and on Septem-
ber 10th actual work was commenced.
These men then purchased fifty acres upon
which development rights had already
been secured, and about the same time
purchased the rights of the Laguna Irriga-
ton company covering 12O acres. The
interests of Hessrs. Pirtle and Hanna were
transferred on November 20, 1895, to the
West Los Angeles Water company, the
incorporation being perfected on that date,
with capital stock OF 81 100000, all OF
which was subscribed,
The San Fernando valley is one of the
main valleys in Southern California. 1t is
bounded on the east and north by the
Sierra Madre and San Fernando noun
tains, on the west by the Santa susanna
mountains and on the south by the Ca
huenga hills, and has an area OF 40 square
miles. Apparently a level plain, it has as
q matter of fact gentle slope to the south
and east. The soil is an alluvial deposit of
sandy loan, underlaid with strata OF sand.
gravel and clay. The rainfall of this drain
age area equals a constant flow of $4,000
miners inches for one year, and the only
surface stream is the Los Angeles river,
which carries $500 inches. The differ
ence-25, 800 inches-is left in the valley,
or at any rate is uncollected. This would
indicate that there must be remarkable
underfiow in the valley, and evaporation
being reduced to minimum. it was only
reasonable to suppose that large percent
age of water crop could be obtained there.
The results show that the supposition was
well-grounded.
The theory on which the development
was carried out was, that if an open ditch
could be carried on an up grade of one in
1000 feet in the water bearing
ground. the surface of which rises over one
foot in 100 feet, the ditch would eventually
cut the gravel bed which held the supply,
provided the gravel bed had the same gen
eral slope as the surface, and was situated
not too far below it. The theory was COR
rect, for the water bearing gravel was struck
at distance of about 1000 feet from
the starting point, and the supply of water
has continued to increase as the develop
ment progressed, until the present time
there is flow of 700 miners inches at
the lower end of the flume.
What one sees at the scene of the work
is large, level field of alfalfa and through
it sinuous excavation 300 feet long.
which gets deeper as one advances from
the starting point. This ditch is kept open
by boxing up the sides to a height of four
feet with two-inch redwood planks kept
apart every three and one-half feet by four
by four frames. The bottom, six feet
across, is without any boarding so that the
passed through was principally sand, with
occasional beds of gravel which seemed to
carry all the water. In addition to the
open ditch which taps the gravel only 30
feet below the surface at the head of the
work, six wells have been sunk. They are
all close to the ditch. They have been cut
few feet above its level and run streams
of from to 9 inches into it.
The elevation of the ditch bottom is 52S
feet. That of the river at the nearest
point is 479 feet and that of Los Angeles
city is 295 feet. This shows the ditch to
be 40 feet above the river and 233 feet
above the city. The water is soft, pure and
without trace of alkali. The Throop
polytechnic is making an analysis and by
that institute it is pronounced as pure
water as there is in Southern California.
The Los Angeles Water company holds
franchise from the county supervisors
to lay pipe lines for the purpose of supply
ing water for domestic and irrigation pur-
poses across all streets in that territory
west cf the city and from the Cahuenga
mountains to Santa Monica avenue, near
Agricultural park. The company will Sc
cure all the reservoir capacity that it can ;
one site is being negotiated for which will
have a capacity OF 1O5, 100000 gallons.
Another, at the entrance to the pass will
have capacity of 50,0O0,000 gallons.
Other sites are in view. The various pipe
lines will require, it is estimated, over
100000 feet of steel pipe of sizes vary
ing from four to thirty-siX inches in diam
eter for the proper distribution OF the
water. The main line will follow the Bur-
bank division of the old Los Angeles
county railroad, passing across the Los
Feliz rancho.
just at present the company finds diff
Guilty in taking care of its large flow. Its
rapid actlon upon the alluVlal soil OF the
valley is disastrous unless watched and
cared for. This has created strange con-
dition of things, and the ,.naly is pre-
sented of a water company actually paying
stiff price to a rancher for the privilege
of allowing water to flow over the latter's
land, which includes, of course, the care in
keeping the liquid within its limits.
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