The herald., 1898-10-20
ARE NOW THREATENING MAR
TINS CAMP
Alpine Tavern Out Of Danger@Ths
Fire Fighters Commanded BY an
inexperienced Nan

Mount Wilson, from which point it 10 now
about one mile away. 1t is burning just the
other side Of the summit of the first range
and makes q grand sight from Pasadena, az
the fierce flames roll skyward and the dense
clouds of smoke obscure the heavens. AL.
pine tavern, the men report, is now out OF
danger. The fire fighters claim that the man
who is at the head of the work is mex
perienced, and as soon as the wind dies down
he thinks he has the best of the situation;
then when the breeze springs up again the
fire is soon beyond control. He sent sixteen
OF the men down today, leaving about sixty
tive still fighting the flames.
The Water Question
There are lively times ahead before the
water question is settled, and it is feared
that there will be much hard feeling before
satisfactory solution is reached. As stated
in this mornings Herald, the directors OF
the two water companies failed to respond
to the invitation OF the city council and the
committee for municipal ownership to meet
them last evening and discuss the matter in
friendly spirit. Today the latter commit
tee has handed in for publication the fol-
lowing statement, prefacing it with the let
ter received from the directors of the water
companies, which is as follows:
"PASADENA, CAL, Oct. l8, 1893.
ITO H. q. Reynolds, City Trustee, and
Mr.. j. s. Torrance, President Water Com
mittee-Gentlemen: The committee on mu-
nicipal ownership of water, having had under
consideration the matter of furnishing ad-
ditional water for the use of the city OF
Pasadena for the past two months, and have
not during that time deemed it necessary to
confer with the management of the water
companies now supplying water TO the city
of Pasadena and vicinity, but have formu-
lated plan for furnishing water for the
inhabitants of the city without reference to
the present sourse of supply or system of
pipes and reservoirs now In use, which plan
has been accepted by the city and active
steps taken to carry such plan into effect,
we do not consider it advisable to hold the
meeting proposed in your invitation, as it is
likely to result in unnecessary discussion and
without any satisfactory results. Respect
fully, :, A. X. MQUILLING,
President Of the Joint Boards.
FRANK d. STEVENS,
Secretary Of the Joint Boards"
in view of this communication the COM
mittee makes to the public the following
statement of facts:
"There have been two public meetings Of
the board of trade to- discusS thesquestion
of municipal ownership of water. The senti-
mously in favor of such ownership and this
committee Of eleven was appointed to fur
ther the object. The city board Of trustees
by formal resolutions has decided that the
city should own and manage its own water
supply, and has asked this committee to CO.
operate with it for the securing of options on
water-bearing lands and the employment Of
a competent hydraulic engineer.
"No suggestions have been entertained
by this committee of any plan of action
|antagonistic to the two principal water COM
panies now supplying the city, but rathe'
adding to their praiseworthy effofts to in.
crease the deficient water supply by still
further effort on the part of the city it.
self under expert advice and direction, with
la view to final consolidation of all inter
ests under city ownership and control.
IAN unworthy feeling of antagonism
having arisen between these several parties,
it was suggested that a conference be held
by this committee and the directors OF both
water companies and the city council and the
chairman of this committee. To this invi-
tation the above letter is the reply. Its
Misrepresentation of the sentiment and &C.
tions OF the council and of this committee
is the undoubted cause of the misstatement
|of facts. We regret the Misunderstanding
which the invitation to a conference, 80
|curtly declined, was intended to remove. We
fear that the spirit of antagonism SO mani
festly displayed to this committee and to
the conucil will mislead them into actions
detrimental to the best interests, both OF
the city and of the stockholders of both the
water companies, whose interests they tenn
formed and believe that private company
is negotiating with both boards of directors
for the leasing of water at great expense,
being an amount equivalent to the interest
on over half million dollars, which the peo.
pie of Pasadena will have to bear, which can
ionly result in the payment by the people oi
a vast sum of money for few years and
having no property to show for II at the end
Of that time, with renewal then Of all the
present difficulties.
I'VE believe that the boards of directors
Of these water companies have no right "a
take any action without full and detailed
information to their stockholders and OBJ
tanning their approval thereto.
I'VE also believe that the city of Pasadena,
If necessary, ought to prevent the boards ol
directors of these water companies from
taking any important steps that will in any
way impede, delay or complicate the con
summation of the efforts Of the people to
secure municipal ownership of water"
Pasadena Brevities
The union parties will hold another meet
ing Saturday night of this week at the wig
wan on South Fair Oaks avenue near Colo
RADIO street. Jud Rush and j. L. Murphey
will be the speakers. Troop D will turn Out
and there will be music.
The ladies of the Red Cross are requested
to meet Friday morning to finish thei ban
dages to be sent to Manila on the first trans
port.
HonA j. H. Blanchard Of Los Angeles will
speak for the Prohibition club this (Thurs
day. evening at the Salvation army hall on
North Fair Oaks avenue.
Lafayette Day" was celebrated by
Thropop institute this morning with inter
esting exercises. Speeches and essays on
the life of the great friend of America were
! interpreted with patriotic music. The