The herald., 1895-11-11
OUR CITY WATER system
Plans for Its Construction
Laid in 1868
A PERFECT EQUIPMENT
Only Crystal Pure Water Supplied
Consumers
Plant Built In Duplicate, So That Nothing
Short Of Eruption Could Cause
Failure Of Supply

OF first i'm portance to the material and
sanitary welfare OF a great city IS the
matter of its water supply. Compared
Win 1t all other considerations sink int
insignifioancs. Without perfect service
there can be no municipal growth as
omparsd with modern standards. 1t
protects and induces Investment, guards
the public health and furnishes the
native force for all Mechanical operations.
Happily for the city of Los Angeles 1t has
q system not only adequate for the pres
ont and future population, but one which
furnishes crystal pure wat er from the
unfailing sources OF abundant mountain
springs.
No corporation has done mos TO- the
development of the city OF Los Angeles
than that above mentioned. It was or
gained ana incorporated in IL % Tor sne
purpose of supplying the Inhabitants q
this city with water for domestic ana
supply was the Los Angeles river. the
stream being partially diverted at q point
some distance north OF the city. The
7rssent supply is from the company's
water bearing lands, severa! miles north
OF the city. Thes. lands while not form s
flow of water which is tapped by an d.
less system Of blseding pipes loading in
all directions through the lands. These
pipes are laid with loose joints. thus AL
lowing the water to percolate into the
pipes tie whole length OF the line. Sew
eral miles of these pipes form ganGlion,
the output bang about ten million gallons
per day of pure spring water. From the
main source the mains lead to two i'm.
mense supply reservoirs located rsspec-
lively 375 and $50 feet in elevation, and
having a combined capacity of b6,0U0, QUO
gallons.
Within the last years the city has been
growing rapidly toward the south and
west, and the largely increased drauehs
OF water in that direction seriously al
fected the pressure upon the old system
OF mains IN the business OF the city, rem
dsring the service in the high buildings
unsatisfactory The question resolved
itself into whether it would De more sat
istactory to enlarge the old conduit and
pipe system, or depart from the old con-
duit by a tunnel and rome into the west
ern boundary of the city to meet tho
d .rection OF the new growth. The feature
which finally determined the course pur-
sued was the availability of several fine
sites for reservoirs along the new route.
Accordingly reservoir was constructed
upon this line. having n capacity OF about
A, 900, 900 gallons, ana from 1t mains were
Lard connecting with tho business district
and thereby making it auxiliary to the
old lines Of mans. The old, or Buena
Vista reservoir is the site nc which Is
located the pumping station OF the sys-
tenn. The latter is used solely for the pur.
pose CT supplying the hill district OF the
city. which is at a very high elevation.
For this purpose pair OF Pelton wheels
of 200 horse power capacity ars used,
moved by tho water from the old river
conduit. To make certain continuous
power under all possible contingencies.
a steam plant. built in duplicate, was
al nd fbia nnipt COnSiafVnO n
a Corliss engine directly connected with
the water pump. and also by Worthing-
ton pump of attn pie power and capacity to
do the entire work should all other means
fail. By this plant 100000 gallons are
lifted 240 feet daily.
From the Buena Vista reservoir a 80.
inch main extends to the Buena Vista
street bridge and is there divided into two
mains of % inches each, one OF which
travsrses Broadway and the other Main
street. From the new, or Bellevue, feser-
voir a main As inches in diameter extends
along Hoover street II distance OF 5000
feet to the intersection of Seventh. At
this point it is tapped by a "a incn line
which runs along the latter thorouk mare
connecting with the large NUNS from
Buena Vista at The Broad way and Main
street intersections, thus terrifying the
lattor and at the Same time supplying the
entire northwest portion OF the city.
In the near future M-inch main will DO
extended along Hoover to Washington
street, and from 1t across mains laid.
This III insure ample service to that
entire portion OF the city, present and
prospective.
A bout 750,OUo gallons OF water are daily
drawn from the Arroyo 6sco bottom by .
system of bleeding pipes similar 10 the
ones at Los Fsliz rancho and discharged
into the Hazard reservoir. This water,
OF equal purity with the main supply, Is
h. &c af In
Angeles.
At present this company IL supply.
ing about IL, 900, 900 gallons to the inhab-
ltants OF this city daily. All Ut this water
comes from its water bearing lands lar
up in the Los Feliz rancho, seven miies
from the city and beyond the possio'nrssy
OF contamination from any source. Ine
supply is ample for the needs OF the city
ior ali time to come. The original source
Is the vest water shed of the Santa Monica
mountains, whose uDfailing snow-fcd
springs pour out crystal flood unintsr-
ruptedly.
The entire property Of the company Is
under the care of the able engineer, Mr..
William Mulholland, q gentleman OF wide
research in the science OF hydraulics ..
TO him the vast system Of reservoirs, con.
duits, tunnels and mains of the com pany
are rs an open book. He guards them
with conscientious care and preserve:
them at all times from the possibility 81
contamination. Every accessory OF the
great plant is kept scrupuIously ciesn
to the end that the highest possibility q
sanitary efficiency may be reaLsed.
was in accordance with the plans ana
specifications Of Mr.. Mu!holland that the
great extensions of the system made
within recent months we're perfected.
The mem bers OF this company are
among thp leading business men Of
Southern California. They are: prest.
dent, W. H. Perry; vice. president, ". II.
Broderick; treasurer. Herman Hsllman
secretary, 8. II. Mott. The latter gentle-
man has entire charge OF the business
office Of the orporation, and upon him
deyoives the :ditticult task OF managing
the affairs OF the institution as related to
the public. He is a gentleman who came
TO California upwards OF thirty years
ago aud 10 familiar with all the projects
which have made for the upbuildinR OF
the territory as is a parent with the faa-
lures of his children. In all the projects
which have measured the progress Of
the city from town OF 1000 inhabitants
to city of 100, 600, he has had CON.
spicuous part and of all successes which
have attended such efforts he has been
accorded generous credit.
The character of this plant ID worthy
more than passing comment. Its con-
structi on has involved many engineering
profile ms of great importance and has
cost millions of dollars. From the main
supply in the Los Feliz rancho a tunnel
ok1nn e. - t. Ia ~At ~