The herald., 1897-04-20
CAME AS A
SURPRISE
The Water Question in the
City Council
WAS NOT LOOKED FOR
A Preliminary Report Sets Off
the Whole Matter
HOW IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
HOW 1T WAS ACCOMPLISHED
THE CITY ENGINEERS REPORT
IS MADE PUBLIC
Despite the Vigorous Protests of the
Committee, Who Insist That the
Action Is Premature - An
Interesting Debate

u
1he water question was sprung in the
city council yesterday, and from this
time until the matter is finally settled,
st will be the paramount issue before the
people.
1t is by far the greatest public question
in the history of the municipality; the
last.city election was fought out square
ly on the issue of municipal ownership
of the water works, and from now on ev-
ery move will be closely watched by the
neople. 1t was not expected that the
matter would come up in any definite
shape foa' some days yet, in fact. until
after a proposition had been received
from the Los Angeles Water company
on the proposed purchase of their plant
by the city, when the program was TO
make public the report of the city en-
eineer on the estimated cost of new
system, which had been prepared under
the direction of the city council, and then
the negotiations were to proceed on
business basis
But the whole matter was sprung WIFE
a rush Yesterday morning when the COM
mittee on water supply, consisting OF
Messrs. Nickel, Toll and Blanchard, who
have had the matter under consideration
for some weeks. presented preliminary
report for the information of the coun-
Gil, as follows:
To the Honorable Council of the City
of los Angeles Gentlemen - Your
water supply committee. in response to
reouest. beg leave to submit the follow
ing report
Under date of January 49, 1897, the
following authorization was transmitted
TO the committee by the city clerk, to
wit:
"On motion, which was adopted by
the council on the 18th day of January,
1897, 1 am authorized to notify you 20
confer with the city engineer and re-
port to the council as to the best pro-
cedure for acquiring water plant TO
be owned by the city"
,Afterwa r<is. and under date of Janu-
arv 90. 1897. the following additional au-
thorization was conveyed to this COM
mittee by the city clerk, to wit:
"At meeting of the city cHuncil held
January IS, 1897, you were authorized TO
draw such necessary acquisitions as the
city engineer may from time to time re-
uuire during the progress of his work
in reference TO preparing estimate or
the cost of water works for the city. You
were also empowered to take such ac-
ton as may be necessary to open nego-
tiations with the Los Angeles City
Water company looking to the ultimate
purchase of their plant, in the eveA that
1t shall appear advantageous to pur-
chase the same. in accordance with the
existing contract
Acting upon that portion of authority
relating to estimate of new plant
the city engineer was, on the oath day
of January, 1897, instructed by this COM
mittee to rent the necessary rooms, en-
ploy necessary assistance and prose-
cute to an early completion such plans
and specifications as were required to
furnish ar estimate of the approximate
cost of a new system of water works for
the city.
At a meeting of the committee March
25. 1897. it having been reported by the
chairman that the city engineer was
about ready to render his report on es-
timated cost of new plant.it was, upon
motion, decided to instruct the city en-
Eineer that when he delivers his esti-
mate of cost of the new water plant.
It be handed to the chairman of this
committee under seal. to be so retained
by the chairman until the information
fs needed in determining as to the rea-
sonableness of any proposition the Los
Angeles Water company may submit,
or until a majority of the committee
deem it expedient to make the infor-
nation public
The committee in taking tiiis action
was impelled by an ordinary sense of
business precaution, deeming it much
more conducive to the attainment of
an honest, unprejudiced result to pre-
sent simultaneously the cost of a new
as well as the price of the old water
plant 1t is the object of the committee
to treat these two sets of figures in a
comparative sense, hence the knowl-
edge of one without the other is unavail-
ing and naught but an undue sense of
curiosity can find an excuse for the
premature exploiting of the figures in
either case.
Afterwards and on the 5th day of
April, 1897, the report OF City Engineer
Dockweiler was delivered to Chairman
Nickel of this committee under seal. as
directed. and it is now in that gentle
mans custody, its contents unknown
TO anyone outside of said engineer and
one confidential employe. The commit
tee feels see in this knowledge. since
by action taken January "a. 1897, the
engineer was instructed to hold in strict
confidence all information concerning
character or cost of work contemplated
By virtue of that other portion of the
authority conveyed to'this committee by
your honorable body which contem-
plates the purchase of the existing water
plants under favorable circumstances
the following letters were indited by this
committee under date of February 25,
1901;