The herald., 1898-12-02
That Fee Explained

| To the Editor of the Los Angeles Herald:
Noticing in your paper of today and yes
terday articles rejecting on Fred Eaton,
in regard to his charge of $l00 for services
rendered to the city in advising concerning
the possibility Of doing without the Crystal
Springs Land and Water company's works,
it has occurred to lis that simple Justice to
that gentlemen required that we, who were
particularly acquainted with the transaction,
should explain the nature of Mr.. Eaton S
services in that matter.
On the evening of July 18th last, after
the water company had practically refused
to entertain a proposition from the city
to lease the works of the Crystal Springs
company, by demanding yearly rental of
$4,000 for property which had been ap-
praised at less than 5000, 900, the water sup
ply committee of the council met with us
and the city engineer to discuss the situa-
ton and determine what steps should be
taken by the city with reference to enforc
ing its rights to that property.
After discussion, it was resolved that the
committee would advise the council to re-
linQuish the Bellevue reservoir and pipe line,
if sufficient supply of water could be pro-
cured through the power ditch; and, as the
time for action was drawing very short in
which the city had to elect whether or not
it would give up its claim to those portions
of the Crystal Springs works, it was con-
cluded to call in Mr.. Eaton (who was moro
conversant with the water company's sys-
tenn than any of our other enginecrs) and
Mr.. Schuyler, and have them examine and
report to us the feasibility of dispensing
with the works just referred to- for the COM
mittee and attorneys were not willing to
take the responsibility of deciding the Ques
tion for themselves, nor did they feel COM
petent to do so.
This was late at night, and Messrs Eato,
and Schuyler, upon having the matter en-
planned to them, at once began their in
vestigations, which were concluded before
daylight of next morning, when they nand
ed in their report, TO the effect that the
city could do without the works in question,
with the exception of short pipe line. The
question submitted to Mr.. Eaton and his
colleague was very delicate one, the deter
mination of which involved the possibility
of water famine, had an erroneous conclus-
ion been reached, and the responsibility i'm
posed upon the engineers was lieavy one.
What they thus did in few hours was
done only through Mr.. Eaton's intimate
acquaintance with the water comrany's sys-
TEN, obtained by weeks of previous exam
ination, for which no charge was ever made.
But, outside of this we consider the charge
a reasonable one, taking into consideration
the engineering knowledge and the respon-
sbility assumed.
In addition to this, Mr. Eaton, in order
to confirm his opinion, continued his invest-
cations for about two weeks longer, going
into facts and figures and doing an immense
amount of work, Mr.. Schuyler having left
for the east on the day when the report
was rendered
We make this statement without any de-
sire to reflect on or criticise the course of
any person, and especially discaiming any
wish to enter into political discussion or to
do anything further than to correct mis-