The herald., 1896-04-22

sumption of water for this city presents
some considerations unknown to cities
of equal population in the east, which
are in great measure sustained by man
ufacturing interests. In cities of that
class population Is housed very largely
in boarding and tenement quarters. and
the population per foot front Is COM
paratively large. This congestion cur
tails the length of streets relatively,
and the garden and lawn areas. 1t
affects. also, the length of sewers. and,
in a measure, varies the quantity of
water required for flushing purposes.
In all of these matters the city of Los
Angeles occupies an exceptional posi-
tion. This is city of wide avenues,
individual holdings and scattered popu-
lation. 1t covers thirty-six square
miles of territory. There is no conges-
ton Of population within its limits.
Without further extension its popula-
tion might be doubled, while the re-
quired increase of water to supply Its
street sprinkling. gardens, lawns and
sewers would show but slight if any
advance. This is an especially import
ant consideration when 1t is remem-
bered that the sewers and streets alone
now require IL per cent of the entire
supply for their proper care. OF the
sewer flushing water 40 per cent is lost
outright, thus leaving only 80 per cent
of this volume for irrigation. With
IneSe IdCtS III IIlluu lllS CITY iiidy Wcit
felicitate itself upon it's present water
supply.
In this connection a word as to the
quality Of the water supplied by the Los
Angeles Water company may not be
amlss. AS Is well known, the
water which is used for domestic pur-
poses in this city comes direct from the
foothills of the mountains. 1t comes
from the innumerable springs which dot
the declivities hereabouts, and is sup
piled ultimately from the snow and ice
Of the highest attitudes. 1t finds rest
ing place in the gravely strata of the
wide holdings of the company, In which
it is filtered perfectly From there it is
pumped directly to the consumer by a
series of reservoirs, conduits and pumps
which are maintained at the highest
scientific sanitary and mechanical eff
ficiency. The quality of the supply Is
impossible of improvement.
AS to the.nrics collected. by the COM
pany, while Il per cent of the supply
is given to the city without price for
fire, sewer. sprinkling and fountain pur-
poses, still the rates are over 20 per cent
below the average rate for all cities
throughout the country. For Los Ange-
les the' charge. reaches the unsurpassed
figure Of only cents per 1000 gallons,
while for other coast cities the rates are
as follows: San Diego. 80 cents; Sacra-
mento % 2-3 cents; San Francisco, q 1-3
cents, Portland. 16 2-3 cents.
Since the chief determining factor in
entering populations is now, and has
been, since the earliest history of man.
the supply of adequate and healthful
water, it is we'll that the citizens of Los
Angeles and of Southern California
should know and appreciate the condi-
tions of their ultimate water supply. It
is the most important consideration pre-
sented relative to the fuure of he terri
tory Of which this city is the Industrial
and commercial center. The quantity,
quality and price of the water supplied,
and that may be supplied upon increas-
ed demand, constitute a factor In the af-
fairs of the city which determines, to
great extent, its future progress and
iXelfare.