The herald., 1898-01-11
Annual Report of City En-
gineer Dockweiler
STATUS OF THE CONTROVERSY
PARKS AND DRAINS SCIENTIFIC
ALLY CONSIDERED
Street Work Completed During the
Year-Undergrou Conduits.
House Numbering

CITY Engineer Dockweiler filed his an
nual report to the city council yesterday
and according to the rule adopted some
weeks ago it was referred to the city
auditor. He begins his report with
statement of what has been done on the
water question, in which he says:
In briefly reviewing the work accom-
plished by this department during the
past year, the reports to your honorable
body on the proposed water works for
the city, and the report on the valuation
of the properties of the present city
water works are the most important.
THE WATER WAR
AS outlined In the plan for the pro-
posed water works, it is designed to take
the water out of the river at two points
one where the present main supply oltch
taps the stream, and which site Is known
as the upper headworks on the Pomeroy
& Hooker lands: the other point OF
lower headworks site contemplated, taps
the river at Crystal springs where the
Los Angeles City Water Works takes
the river water which supplies the city
at present.
The city has won the suit for the con-
domination of the Pomeroy & Hooker
lands and paid the amount of the Judg-
ment (S25, 000) into court. The owners
of the land, Messrs. Pomeroy and
Hooker, took an appeal to the supreme
court of this state, which appeal is now
pending, but it is confidently expected
that a decision in the case will be handed
down at an early date. If the case is de-
cided in favor of the city, then the city
should Immediately call an election for
bonds sufficient to build the headworks,
main supply conduit, middle level and
high level reservoirs, pumping station,
force mains and main trunk lines of the
distribution system and commence the
actual work Of constructing the same as
soon as possible. This work must be
done whether thee ity acquires the pres
ent plant or builds an entirely new sys-
tenn. Until the headworks site is set
tied nothing can be done. 1t certainly
would not be policy to expend any
money in conformity with a plan and
then after perhaps the work is half fin
ished be confronted with the alternative
In case the city lost the case Of either
paving an enormous sum for the land or
abandoning the work already under
way Neither is it good policy, just for
the purpose of being able to build
works. to locate the same on less favora-
BILE ground, whilst the question of the
site best suited for the city's interest is
being determined in the courts.
In accordance with the lease between
the city and the Los Angeles City Water
company, the present waterworks
owned by the city should come into the
citys possession on July 20, 1898. I'm
DER this lease the city is to pay for the
value of the improvements made by said
lessee on said works. AS the case may
take some time to determine, and until
1t Is determined the amount SO fixed.
either by the arbitrators or which is
the more likely the courts, no bond cleo
ton can be called therefor. In the mean
while the works should be improved to
the extent at least of doing the work as
outlined above. This work should not be
delayed until the sum to be paid to the
Los Angeles City Water company for its
improvements is determined. 1t will
therefore be necessary to call two bond
elections, the first to build the head
works. etc. as outlined above, as soon
as the case is finally decided in the
city's favor, and the second to pay for
the improvements on the present water
works, when the value of the same shall
have been finally determined.
AS TO PARKS
The survey, map and description Of
Griffith park are completed. Mr.. Grif-
fifth has informed me that there are one
or two minor details to finish up, when
he will sign the deed particularly de-
Il. II a H1-iI1
also include n strip Of land purchased
by him for road purposes, so that the
park can be reached from San Fernando
road across the river.
] would suggest to your honorable
body that the services of Mr.. Fred Law
Olmstead the famous landscape en-
gineer who laid off the Worlds fair
grounds at Chicago, be secured to lay
out the general design for Griffith and
Elysian parks. This becomes all the
more imperative from the fact that no
general design has been adopted for
these parks, and ordinarily speaking
the permanency and harmony Of any
improvements and embellishments can
not be depended upon.
A plan designed by his master hand
would render these parks world-famous
and be a guarantee that whatever time
and money were expended on lines thus
laid down would be permanent.
In this connection I would. urge the
expediency Of the city's outlining a
system of boulevards connecting the
various parts of the city. These boule-
wards should be at least 125 feet wide
Apart from the manifest advantages of
wide streets, the danger Of fires spread
ing is in great measure lessened.
While these boulevards could not all
be built at once, the fact that the city
had adopted a general plan would be q
notice to all property owners along the
route outlined that such work was con-
templated, and it would be q notice to
them so that they could shape their i'm
provements accordingly.
STORM DRAINS
After every rainfall the streets of the
city are cut up, and during the actual
rainstorm a great many are rendered
impassable by reason Of the enormous
quantities of storm water which flow
thereon. Owing to the topography of
the city, it is impossible to arrange any
system Of grades by which this water
can be taken care of on the street sur
faces. Take, FOR instance, the corner of
Second and Figueroa streets: At this
point the storm drainage of nearly 1906
acres of land centers, and the volume is
so great that nothing apart from a