The herald., 1898-02-01


action as may be deemed necessary to ope
negotiations with the Los Angeles Cit
Water company. looking to the taking oNe
of the improvements added to the waite
plant of the city.
On Jan. 90 1897, instructions from you
honorable body. based upon above repor
of this committee, were received from tn
clerk. In keeping Herewith meeting
| of the committe was Immediately called 10
jan "a. 1897, of which the following ar
the official minutes:
Meeting of the water supply committee
Jan. "a, 1897.
Meeting called to order by Chairman
F. NJ Nickel. Present: Messrs. Blanch
ard and Toll of the committee and j. ii
Dockweier, city engineer.
Upon motion. the city engineer was III
lstructed to rent the necessary rooms, EN-
ploy the necessary assistance ana prose
cute to an early completion such plans
and specifications as were required to FUR
nish an estimate of the approximate cos
of a new system of waterworks for the
city.
1T was the sense of the committee that
when the result of the work or the en-
glneer is finally known ii be held IN strlc,
confidence and secrecy by each member OF
the committee. the engineer and the em-
ployes in possession of the same. until
such time as the committee may deem II
expedient to make the facts known 10 the
public This action was deemed necessary
in order that any publicity of the cost OF
new system might not interfere with
pending negotiations with the water COM
pany looking to the purchase OF ther
plant"
| 1t was considered highly probable by the
committee that the preparation of plans
for n new plant would require much more
time in execution than the mere procure
ment of the water companys price Tor
old plant hence the work upon new
plans was allowed to progress until Feb.
a. 1897. before active negotiations were
opened with the old company.
The minutes of the meeting of committee
on that date are as follows:
Meeting of the water supply commit
tee, Feb. "a. 1897.
Meeting called to order by Chairman
F. NJ Nickel Present: Messrs. Blanch-
ard and Toll of the committee
THE secretary was instructed TO pur
chase such record books and supplies as
may be needed to preserve the minutes of
the various meetings of the committee.
Upon motion the secretary was in
structed to indite letters to the Los An
geles City Water company, setting forth
that the committee desire to enter into
negotiations with the respective companies
looking to the purchase of their plant in
the event the city council should deem it
desirable to purchase same for the city"
The day following above-named meeting
(Feb. %. 1880 letters were mailed to the
Los Angeles City Water company. High
land Water company and the West Side
Water company, conveying the desire of
the city to acquire their respective plants
at reasonable price, and asking the re-
spective companies to cooperate with this
committee to the end that a speedy de-
termination might be reached in the prem
ises. Replies to aforementioned letters
We're received as follows:
Under date of March 4, 1897. from West
Side Water company stating they did not
contemplate sale. Under date of March
Q, 1897, from Los Angeles City Water com
pany stating its willingness to sell plant
to city. Under date Of March 13, 1897, from
Highland Water company, signifying
willingness to meet our committee at any
time and place designated.
On March %, 1897. a meeting of the water
committee was held. of which the follow
ing are the official minutes:
Meeting of water supply committee
March %. 1897.
F. NJ. Nickel. Present: Messrs. Blanch-
ard and Toll of the committee and ]. H.
Dockweiler, city engineer.
Letters were received and read from
the Los Angeles City Water company. the
Highland Water company and the West
End Water company.
"The chairman informed the committee
that the city engineer was about ready to
report the result of the estimate he had
been making as 10 the cost Of a new water
plant for the city.
Upon motion it was decided to instruct
the city engineer when he delivers his es
innate of the cost of the new water plant
that it be handed 10 the chairman of this
committee under seal. to be so retained
by the chairman until the information is
needed in determining as to the reasona-
beness of any proposition the Los An
geles City Water company may submit
or until a majority of the committee deem
1t eXpedient to make the information pub
lie.
1T was decided. upon motion. that the
chairman of this committee arrange with
the proper officials of the Los Angeles City
Water company for conference on Tues
day March so, 1897 with this committee.
looking to the opening of negotiations for
the purchase of its plant"
Owing to the absence from the citv of
some of the representatives of the water
company, the meeting designed for March
30, 1897, was delayed until April 0. 1897 of
which the following are the official min
utes
''Joint meeting of the water supply COM
mittee and representatives of the Los An
geles City Water company. held in Presi-
dent Silver's office. April 9. 1897
"Present-F NJ Nickel, L. l.. Blanchard
and c. II. Toll of the committee. and
Messrs. S. II. Mott. w. j. Brodrick Drake
and Minor, representing Los Angeles CITY
Water company.
at was stated by Mr. Nickel on the
part of the committee that the city of Los
Angeles was desirous of owning its own
water plant, either by purchase of the
existing plant or the construction of a
new one, and that the purpose of this
meeting was to open negotiations looking
to the purchase of the plant of the Los
Angeles City Water company, in the event
that a satisfactory price could be arrived
at. and that it was now the desire of the
to know the position of the
water company in the premises.
1t was stated by Mr. Mott of the water
that their company was willing
to sell their plant at fair price and that
they courted the fullest investigation and
closest examination of their properties:
that they would furnish q schedule and
would personally accompany the commit
tee and exhibit their various properties
to them.
at was stated on the part of the COM
mttee that nothing but the most complete
exposition of the company's properties
would serve the purpose of the commit
tee; that they must know what these vari-
Gus properties consist Of where they are
locataH and the length of service up to
the present time of pipe. etc. in order
that they might place before the council
and the council in turn place before the
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