The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-07
The Move Made to Compel the
Payment of Increased
Rates.
PLIGHT OF NATIONAL CITY
Inhabitants Must Draw Their Supply
From a Few Scattered
Wells.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Jan. 6.-The San
Diego Land and Town Company, owner of
the great Sweetwater irrigation system,
took heroic methods to-day to secure the
payment of it's new irrigation rate of 81
per acre year,
Suit was begun in the United States Cir
cult Court at Los Angeles by Charles D.
Lanning, receiver, against all consumers
outside OF the town of National City who
have not accepted the new rate, praying
the court for decree that the rate of 81 is
reasonable, and that the company has au-
thority to impose the rate, apd also pray
ing for an injunction restraining the con-
sumers from beginning suit in the State
courts to contest the charge.
To back up this suit and to bring con-
sumers to realizing sense of their con-
dition, the company this morning shut the
water off at Sweetwater dam, leaving 1000
acres of cultivated land, most of it in
lemon and orange orchards. without a
drop of water. The town of National City
is included in the system, and It's inhabi-
tants are without water, except such as
may be found in wells here and there.
The move came as complete surprise
to all, as no one was prepared 20 believe
that the company would go to such an
extreme measure. Last summer, when
the new rate was to 60 into effect, the peo-
pie of Chula Vista, which is the most thick
" settled community in the system, got
together and refused to pay the rate,
threatening to incorporate into a munich
pality and thereby gain the right, through
the board of trustees, to impose the town
rates. The company agreed to postpone
the time for fixing the new rates until
January 1, and this was done.
In the meantime measures had been
taken on each side for protection, the con-
sumers having employed attorneys to ad-
wise them. The latter advised that con-
sumers refuse to pay the new rate, but to
offer the old rate of So 90. The company
has refused TO accept the old rate and the
suit and the shutting off OF the water is
the result.
1t is not Pic bable that the flow will be
withheld for any length of time as the
company has $50 acres of orchard itself in
the prescribed territory, and arrangements
will no doubt be made to patch up the
difficulty temporarily. AT this season the
trees will not suffer greatly, even if the
shut-off continues for some time.
The company in this complaint alleges
that the total sum expended on the sys-
tenn to date is 81 ,O22, Alb 81, and values it
at S1,10o,000 The annual expense of
operating and paying the interest on
bonds is $50, 034 80.
1t alleges that it received $25, rs last
year, and adds that, to yield per cent on
/ its investment, it should receive $119,-
791 sc, which cannot be collected while
the rates are only So SO per acre per year.
1t alleges that the rate of 81 is reasonable
and that it has the right to impose it.
The consumers are indignant at the
course of the company and express them
selves as confident that they will beat it in
court. They point out that the company
has no right to fix rates, and that where
the Supervisors have failed to fix rates, as
in the present case, the rates first fixed by
the company shall govern.
They allege that purchase of water
rights released them from paying interest
on bonds. which the company alleges is
part of its expenses, and they claim that
to extort interest on bonds from owners of
water rights, is to really sell the system
twice over. A mass-meeting is to be held
at ChuIa Vista this week, and it is prob
able that spirited fight will result.