The herald., 1898-02-01


cost of new plant as a basis for fixinl
a price upon their plant People unac
quainted with the difference In detail nigh
be led into a comparison of prices highl,
favorable to the old company. Hence tn
committee wanted to be in position to Sc
both conclusions before the people at on
and the same time. and have them feel th
assurance that each was arrived at inde
| pendent of the other.
| Representatives of the water compan,
| having stated at meeting of April 3, 1897
that they would furnish the committe,
| with complete schedule of the various
items of their plant, the way appeared opei
| for gaining such definite knowledge al
| will enable the city engineer to arrive Il
a very accurate estimate of their value
| 1t became the earnest desire of the com
mittee to secure this authentic data from
| the company rather than attempt to ar
rive by conjecture or by superficial exam
ination at a knowledge of the kind, loca
tion and extent of use of the company.
properties.
As stated in the report of this commit.
tee of date April 26, 1897, 'it was the con
clusion of the committee that in no other
way could your honorable body arrive al
a correct knowledge of the company.
plant in all its details. Having pur-
sued an ordinary business course and pro
cured from the water company all details
as to quality, extent, location. duration OF
service and price of the component fea-
lures of their plant, it will become the duty
of the council to apply such tests and lines
of investigation as will fully verify the in
formation furnished by the company. The
water company have evinced a Willingness
TO supply all the information desired, and
they are now preparing the schedule asked
for by the committee"
But even this reasonable COSitiOQ of the
committee was assailed by an element in
the council advocating that instead of
waiting few days for Il complete sched-
ule, maps, etc, then being compiled by
the city engineer at the water company $
office, the council instruct the engineer
to go out upon the streets of the city and
by indiscriminate digging find out the very
details being furnished at that time by
the company, without remonstrance or
hindrance.
On May 10. 1897, accompanying Il report
to the council, the committee submitted
complete information to the property
of the water company in schedule, map
and tabulated form. This report recites
that the schedule shows real estate, rights
to develop water. rights of way, conduits,
tunnels, pipe and flume lines, distribution
pipe system, fittings, reservoir sites res
ervoirs, pump stations, stock on hand
water sources ana utNtlOpIlititS, Nliiie
the map shows exact locations of all these
throughout the city and adja
cent territory. This report also carried
the following recommendation:
THAT the city engineer be instructed TO
proceed al once 10 determine. by use Of the
data here supplied, the following conclu-
sions:
First. the correctness of the data fur
risbed by the water company.
Second the cost of a new plant identical
in all respects with the present plant.
Third, the present real worth of the
old plant.
Fourth it's available value to the city
as a part of an ultimate complete plant
At meeting of the committee July p,
1884, a communication from the Los An
geles Water company was read. Offering
TO sell their plant TO the city for the sum
Of $4,000 600. This offer was submitted TO
the council July 26, 1897. at which time
the city engineer also presented his report
showing the estimated present value of
the water company's plant to be 81 ,203. .25O,
including house connections.
Instructions were received by this com
mittee July 81 1897, based upon the reso-
luton of Mr.. Silver. TO make to the Los
Angeles City Water company a formal ten
der of 81 1870 $50 for an option for the pur-
chase of their plant on or before July l,
1885 on the same day a letter was duly
addressed TO the water company making
known the desire of your honorable body,
rendering the amount above
and asking an immediate reply.
BY letter dated the following day. July
2S. 1897. the water company communicated
its refusal to accept the above named
offer.
BY this refusal to accept. the citys offer
cd . a
least. the effort of this committee act
ng under instructions from your honor
able body. 10 acquire the Los Angeles
Water company's plant by purchase be-
fore the expiration of the existing lease
This effort having its inception in the
'eport of this committee of date of July
3. 1897. had been prosecuted with all the
liigence consistent with the magnitude of
he transaction and the convenience of the
arge number of interested parties. and the
outcome after so much labor and so great
sacrifice of time. was deeply regretted
)y this committee. In order that no time
should be lost by inactivity of the COM
nittee or the council meeting of the
committee was held Friday evening. July
o. 1897 at which the following are the
minutes:
"A call meeting of the water supply com
nittee held in the committee room of the
'lty nall frluaN evening, July SUN.
Present. Messrs. Nickel and Toll of the
committee and City Engineer Dockweiler.
Chairman Nickel stated that the object
If the meeting was to consider the adVS
ability of reporting to the council in favor
If immediate work upon the headworks
;ystem included in Mr. Dockweiler's re-
lort for a new water system for the city.
II was Mr. Dockweiler's opinion that this
portion of a new system should be built
,ntirely Independent of the entire plant, |
md could be used in case the city pur-
.hasd the old plant or ultimately built a
new plant. and he strongly urged the
aking of immediate steps looking 10 the
of work upon this portion
If the system. furnishing figures and data
n support of his position.
Upon motion it was ordered that the
ommittee make a report on the following
Monday recommending:
The appointment of a consulting board
If engineers to pass upon the correctness
and feasibility of the city engineers
)lans for new water system in so far as
hey pretain to portions embraced in the
leadworks system.
The beginning of work upon this sys-
EN-. providing no legal objections existed
hereto, and the taking of immediate steps
o open negotiations with the water com
lany looking TO the settlement by arbi ra-
ion of the price TO pass from the city o
aid company for the purchase of said
)lant."
As a rpsult Of This maatino report of