The herald., 1897-08-12
TO ARBITRATE
Proposition Made to the
City Water Company
THE BOILER MEMS FIGHT
WAXING WARMER AND THE END
NOT IN SIGHT
THE BOILER MEMS FIGHT
Fire Commissioners Consider the
Proposition to Consolidate Sew
eral Companies

The water supply committee of the
council yesterday formally submitted
10 the water company a proposition to
arbitrate the question of the value of
the company's plant.
The committee requests an early con-
sideration of the matter, and that de-
cision may be reached by the water
company's officers without delay.
THE PROPOSITION
S. H. Mott, w. ]. Brodrick, H. H. Miner,
committee.
Gentlemen-At a meeting of the City
Council held August 9Th. 1897, the Water
Supply Committee was instructed TO
communicate to the Los Angeles City
Water Company the desire of that body
TO submit to arbitration the question OF
the value of the water plant of said
Water Company.
AS you are doubtless aware the deter
animation of the citizens for the munich
pal ownership of water works system
10 constant and unanimous, leaving open
for discussion naught but the ques ton
as to the manner of acquiring said sys-
tenn. This tendency toward municipal
control of a system of public works is
In full harmony with the practice pre-
vailing in European cities and dominant
in the progressive cities of our own
country.
The wide variance between the figures
reached by each party in the recent at
tempt Of the city to make a direct pur-
chase of the plant renders hopeless any
further attempt to acquire the same
along that line, but leaves the desire for
municipal ownership just as firm as
ever. The direct parties in interest being
unable to agree, it appears meet and
proper to leave to a competent board of
arbitrators the question of values.
Hence, as representatives of a city
whose citizens are unified on this subject
of municipal ownership, and actuated in
the requirement of a plant by hu-
mane desire to treat in a broad, fair
minded business spirit the rights and in
terests of those already occupying the
field, we submit to your committee, and
through you to the Los Angeles City
Water Company, the desire of the body
whom we have the honor to represent, to
Immediately submit to arbitration the
question of the amount of compensa ton
to pass to said company for the turning
over Of their plant to the city of Los An
geles.
The instructions given this committee
call for a report whcih shall embod Y
yourreply hereto to be made to the Coun-
Gil on Monday, August 16, 1897. Wew would
therefore request your early consdera-
tion of the matter and would be graf
fled to have you make it possible for us
IN W 10 ezYn a yie,, Of y,
Council.
This committee Is without the assur-
ance that it Is within the province of
your committee to render an immediate
decision regarding the new proposition
for arbitra ton, and in the event it ex-
ceeds your authority we would respect
fully request that the matter be sub
mitted to the directorate of the Water
Company at the earliest opportunity, and
that this committee be furnished with
Information as to progress to embody
in its report on Monday next.
THE ANSWER
Stephen D. Mott, secretary of the
Water company, was asked what an
ewer, in his opinion, would the company
return to the proposition to arbitrate,
and he answered:
Il am sure l cannot say now. The city
attorney has said that the water bonds
of the city could not be sold; in such an
event 1 am wholly unprepared to an
swer your question. The city has no
money, you know, ard an immediate
answer is not mandatory. have no
doubt but that when the two commit
tees meet we can have full under
standing of the situation but we have
not received the communicate you re-
fer to, and the council is busily engaged
in the task of equalizing property valu-
atiors. However, we may get together
very soon"