The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-13
IT IS A PARALYztR
ASKS $500, 900 FOR THREE YEARS
USE OF CRYSTAL SPRINGS
NO CHANCE FOR SETTLEMENT
Water Supply Committee Considering
Ways and. Means to Do Without
the Springs-A Conference

The Los Angeles City Water company
through its legal representative, submitted
to the water supply committee yesterda!
its proposition to lease the Crystal Spring
property to the city for term OF thre,
years for rental Of 500 900 year. Wher
the proposition had been read one Of tn,
councilmen ventured query whether thi.
was not asking a rather big rate of inter
est on the amount invested. The waite
company's representatives replied that tn,
price to be charged was a matter solel,
within the discretion of the Crystal Spring
Land and Water company and the Los An
geles City Water company would merel,
turn the rental money over to them for dis
tribution among its stockholders. This de
NAL that the Los Angeles Water company
and the Crystal Springs company are no
Identical caused smile to quickly stea
over the countenances of the assemblage
even the water company's attorneys them
selves indulging in broad grin.
The proposition in detail is as follows:
Los ANGELES, July 70, 1898.
To Messrs. W. E. Dunn, City Attorney and
Messrs Leo & Scott. Attorneys for the
City Of Los Angeles. and to the Wate,
Supply Committee Of the City Council
Conference.-The Crystal Springs Land
and Water Company and the Los Angelo.
City Water Company have had under con.
sideration the various propositions which
you desired US to submit to those companies
as expressed in our last interview with you
We take up these propositions as we under.
stand them, and reply to them:
I.
CO., For what rent will the Crystal
Springs Land and Water Company lease
to the City OF Los Angeles its properties fol
a term OF three years?
(A.) We will make a lease to tho city
for three years at an annual rental Of $100, :
900 per annum. payable either monthly, OF
quarterly, as the city may desire. This
lease. however, will be made only for a
term commencing when the Los Angeles
City Water Company has been paid by the
city for Its works; and the right Of pos
session OF the Crystal Springs property to
accrue only at the same time.
II.
co., For what rental will the Los An
geles City Water Company lease Its prop
erty to the city per annum. such rent to be
paid monthly, quarterly. or semtannuafly
as agreed upon, but to be returned by the
company to the city In the event that II
should be adjudged IN some tribunal, ir
some action. that the city was entitled tc
the possession from and after the 22d day
of July. 1882
(A.) We will not lease under those terms
at all.
III.
(Q.l Will we enter into an agreement
with the city to rescind the present contract
between the Los Angeles City Water Com
pany and the City Of Los Angeles?
(A.) We shall decline to make such an
agreement.
The answer TO the last proposition we
might modify to some extent and say that
we would not be disincnned to agree to
rescission, provided that the agreement by
which It Is rescinded should distinctly and
unequivocally state what should be the
rights of the parties after such rescisslon'
and that that agreement must recognize the
ownership by the Los Angeles City Water
Company of Its properties. AS we feel quite
sure that we should never agree upon the
of rescission, We have not
thought II worth while to negotiate about
1t at all.
The time is too short for negotiation, and
we might say here that It is useless to pre-
sent any proposition for discussion that
does not rid US Of litigation. We have been
willing to make some agreements leaving
the ownership OF the water In the Crystal
Springs pipes to be determined in the judi
cial proceedings that are already pending;
but we will not enter into an agreement that
opens UP further litigation, or new forms OF
or raises new questions. Were
we to agree to lease the Los Angeles City
Water Company's property. the rent to be
repaid upon a certain determination, II is
by no means certain to our minds that that
litigation could take place at all. At any
rate, we cannot now enter upon the investl-
cation Of new questions and the principles
of law by which they might be governed We
have desired to avoid litigation. but If thai
be impossible we prefer to meet such as
arises from the contract already existing
to beginning again to lay the foundation fol-
future strife.
We again repeat that we would prefer tc
make longer lease of the Crystal Springs
property, say ten years, at a less rental
Resnectfullv YOURS. etc.
WHITE & MONROE,
]. S. CHAPMAN,
Attorneys for the Compapy