The San Francisco call., 1898-02-26

pie should ever contemplate the deveI- opment of water in such a place, when but few miles distant there is an abundance of sparkling water direct from the SnOW-capped mountains in an abundance that cannot be exhausted. There are sites in the mountains for storage reservoirs and places for devel- opment that can and undoubtedly will furnish a storage for an abundance of pure water for the citizens of Los An geleS. This water from the mountains can be easily led down to and connect ed with the mains that are now laid from the swale lands of the Crystal Springs to the reservoirs of the city of Los Angeles.
 The mountains immediately above these marshes are all Government lands, and have been by proclamation of the President created into a forest reservation. These mountains will neV- CT be Settled-in fact, are not capable of settlement, and the strong hand of the Government will forever protect the watershed from the intrusion not only of settlers, but of cattle, sheep and other animals, and will forever protect and preserve the natural purity of the melting snows that fall thereon during every winter season.
 But this discussion is hardly ger. mane to the original point of this arti- cle.
 As to these low marshes again: Think Of this water seeping through the roots, decayed branches and underwood into the Subterranean channels. Think of the amount of surface water which flows over this, and much of that sur face water will undoubtedly find it's way into these underground conduits Notwithstanding any precautions that may be taken. hundreds of cattle are continually grazing over this land and the adjacent territory, and horses, hogs and other animals wander about at their will. This water can never be considered healthful and can never be made of use to the citizens of Los Angeles.
 The valley through which the river flows is called the San Fernando Val ley, and it is very productive and ex- ceedingly rich. New farms are con- tinually being started along the entire valley. Thus the number of cattle. farm houses and barns are continually increasing and the entire flow of the water which drains this section must find its way to the ocean through the only course. the Los Angeles River
 There can be no stop or limitation as to the amount of herding done in this section. The only place whereat to obtain this underground percolating system must be along the borders of the river. Hence if the site were to become the head works for the city of Los Angeles it must in a very few short years change it's source of sup ply or lose it's credit for being a citv for health and recreation and find source of pure water for it's domestic purposes.
 It has been a question in the minds of the people of the city of Los An geles for long time as to who was the real owner of the Pomeroy & Hooker Tract The nominal owners are both wealthy men and amply able to make a long and strenuous fight if they should see fit and if their interests so dictated, but the contest has been such one and the circumstances have been of such nature as to indicate that there were forces at work other than that of the ownership of the land in- volved.
 At the time of the first negotiations the city had voted bonds to acquire a water works system. These bonds were carried by a majority of or to l. and it looked very much as though the day of doom for the City Water Company had arrived.
 In these desperate straits something had to be done. The head works were about to be acquired when the little in- 
 cured. Then the Council immediately changed front and instead of purchas- ing this site instituted a condemnation suit, which by delay after delay has resulted in five years of litigation.
 Who has been benefited by this de- lay? It certainly has not benefited Messrs. Pomeroy & Hooker. It is said that they have been to an expense of $50, 900 in conducting the litigation, and tbair ind pD1anf fO1. q m CaS uyl, oo1.y exists and from which they are prose- cutting an appeal, is for only 3O,00O. Manifestly they have not been bene- fited by the laws delays.
 The City Water Company, on the other hand has been able to collect $2,000,000 in water rates and the trivial sum of $50,000 expense has amounted to very little with it. It is noted by the people that the attorneys that repre- sent the water company represent Messrs. Pomeroy & Hooker It is ob- served that the expert engineers in the pay of the water company advance their opinions on the trial on behalf of Mesrs. Pomeroy & Hooker also. Talk ing the facts together, first, as to who has the money, second as to where the interest really lies, and third the fact tnat the engineers and attorneys are the same, and the people are led to be- ! lieve that the City Water Company has some interest in the condemnation suit or the Pomeroy & Hooker tract, and that the selection of this tractor rather the selection of the means by which it was to be obtained-was one of the biggest steals from a munici- pality that has ever been instituted in Western America
 steal of s2.0OO, 900 has already been eff fected, and now the City Water Com pany is laying it's plans deep and mys- terious and is controlling the press of this city for the purpose of effecting another steal of about the same mag