The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-30
ONE CALIFORNIA TOWN.

Monrovia is only small settlement in
the southern end of the State, but it has
some peculiar features that are worthy of
very close study. These were described in
Sundays CALL, and now it is interesting
to inquire into the reasons for its being so
utterly unlike other California settlements.
Why, for instance, should the South
ern Pacific and Santa Fe roads be erecting
each $4,000 station at this small place
when it had stations there already, and
when in many much larger towns in Cali
fornia the railroad companies maintain
cheap and shabby stations?
From 200 acres of orange trees the Duarte
Monrovia Citrus Association shipped last
season 234 carloads of oranges, which
yielded 100000 to it's Ill members; a
private company shipped forty carloads
more, bringing $4,000, and another
private company paid 900 for fruit and
labor at its dryers. This makes $4,000
distributed among the people. The idea
of organization is thus made apparent at
the start.
A higher operation of its benefits is seen
in the remarkable plan by which it has
solved the water problem. Water is a
scarce commodity in that section, and the
people of Monrovia wanted an abundance
of it, and the best to be had. Accordingly
the municipality bought 100 acres of
water-bearing land away back in the
mountains. Then the people voted bonds
to the amount of $4,000 with which to
construct the supply system. A wonderful
feature of the election was that not single
negative vote was cast. The bonds were
promptly bought by Chicago firm at a
premium of $500. 1t is we'll to remember
this, for most communities are glad to sell
their bonds at par. But the Board of City
Trustees was composed of high class, pub
Iic-spirited, honest men, and that makes a
difference.
They then drove nine tunnels into the
mountains, thus securing a supply of
water sufficient to serve city of 10000 in
habitants, and instead of running the fine,
pure water from the heart of the noun
tains into reservoirs, where it would be
more or less contaminated, they proceeded
to serve it directly through pipes. Hence
the water is not exposed until it is deliv-
cred for use. Some fine engineering was
required to lead these pipes to the city
across canyons and other obstacles, but
that was accomplished.
The most interesting feature of the water
supply is that the residents are served
without charge. They may have all they
| want for domestic use and for lrrigating
their orchards. All the expense that the
| water is TO them is that represented by the
interest and redemption fund of the bonds
and the slight cost of maintaining the
works, and all that is covered by taxation.
| 1t is not surprising that the surplus
water developed by the tunnels has in
duced an electrical company to enter the
| field. A company with capital of $100 600
has been formed for the purpose of utiliz-
| ing this surplus and supplying the settle
ment with light and power. This will
bring a revenue to the municipality which
will assist in paying off the bonded debt,
and the people will enjoy the advantage
which an electric plant will secure.
| If there were many such towns in Cali
! fornia as Monrovia it would be immeasur-
| ably better for the State. 1t is the people
of Monroyia, not any special natural ad-
vantages which they enjoy, that have
| brought about these wonderful results. 1t
is certain that the population of Monrovia
will increase more rapidly than that of
| towns showing a less progressive spirit,
that the property of the people will be
| greatly enhanced in value, and that the
! investment which their bonded debt repre-
sents will prove the most profitable they
| could have made.