The San Francisco call., 1898-01-21

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 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20.-The people of Los Angeles to-day had the fact brought forcibly home to them that the water service of this city now given by the Los Angeles Water Com pany was not only inadequate, but the further fact that such of the pipes and mains as the company had in operation were out of repair, worn out and not fit for village of 5000 people. Owing to the fact that not even ordinary gar den-hose pressure could be obtained through the water mains on Pfco Heights, one of the most imposing school buildings in the city is mass of smoldering ruins and the lives Of hundreds of innocent school children were jeopardized. The homes of the substantial workingmen who reside on Pico Heights, one of the most closely populated residence districts of the city, were all in danger at one time of being consumed by the condagration, and two of them were reduced to ashes as it was.
 It was 2:15 this afternoon when the l fire alarm was turned in. The fire l started in the school building in which l there were some 300 school children. The blaze was fortunately discovered early and the little ones were marched | out in safety, without panic. The build ing was an eight-roomed, two-story structure, and the loss to the city is s10, 900.
 As a high wind was prevailing and the firemen, who turned out promptly had absolutely no water to work with, l the flames spread to the adjoining cot tages and three of them were con- sumed The Chief of the Fire Depart ment was forced to send two miles to Vermont avenue to cause the water to be turned on in the old zanja, relic of the adobe days. It then percolated | down near the scene of the conf1agra- 1 tion. In the bed of an old creek, wells were dug and here in the holes the water collected. The fire engines were usd to pump the water upon the flames and thus was a spread prevented and | the Pico Heights district saved from devastation.
 AS to the inadequacy of the water service, the Chief of the Fire Depart ment, Walter s. Moore, said tonight: with the pressure of an ordinary gar den hose we could have saved the three residences. But we absolutely could not get water in buckets to prevent the sparks from igniting the houses adjoining We finally dug wells in the bed of an old creek and thereby cut off | the flames as soon as we could get the water forced by our engines"
 The water service in that district is a disgrace to the city. The homes of | hundreds of working men are entirely at the mercy of any fire that may start If the flames had not been dis covered when they were, so that chill dren could. be marched out of the schoolhouse, there would have been a frightful catastrophe.
 Yet in the face of this presentation the syndicated press of Los Angeles Is advising delay in the settlement of the water question. The three combined dailies advocate a policy of procrasti- nation when, if the city were to come into the possession of it's property on July 22 next, 1t could at once proceed to improve the plant so that every DOT tion of the city would be adequately protected.
 The sentiment and feeling of thou sands of taxpayers is vorced by Mayor M P Snyder, who this c--ening said: "The fire on Pico Heights is an un- answerable plea for the early settle ment of the water question. The three syndicated dailies can now continue their policy of defending those officials who are blocking the city's acquisition of its water plant if they wish, but | every time they bolster up procrasti- nation in this matter they are jeopar- dizing the lives and property of hun dreds of people. Until the water ques- tion is settled we can not have an ade- quate service for this city. The longer settlement is delayed, the longer we will be without it.
 Every day of delay that could be avoided by the City Council taking up this question and treating it intelligent ly, honestly and fearlessly as represen- tatives of the people and not as special pleaders of the water company would be a great boon to the people. Just think of those innocent school children whose lives were in danger this after noon. Why, the contemplation is ap- palling. If anything was needed to arouse the people to action, my opinion is that Providence has sent that thing.
 For this old. battered, worn-out, de- pleted plant, with forcible evidence of its inadequacy at hand, the water con- pany asks sS,O0O.O0O of the city