Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-06
NJ, & NJ. ENDORSES
OWENS PROJECT
COMMITTEE SAYS PLANS ARE
FEASIBLE
QUANTITY, QUALITY RIGHT
After Thorough Investigation Menu
bers of Merchants Association
Urge Necessity of Securing
This Water Supply
QUANTITY, QUALITY RIGHT

After thorough investigation the
special committee appointed by the
Merchants and Manufacturers associa-
ton reported yesterday that the Owens
river valley project Is the only solution
of the water problem which confronts
Los Angeles. The committee finds thai
the Owens river Is the "only safe and
available source Of a permanent, ade-
quate and pure water supply" The
text of the report is as follows:
after considering vast amount OF
evidence as to the sources of the water
supply, the engineering difficulties in
bringing the water to this city and tht,
condition of the water, as to its purity
and flow, we are convinced that the
project, as submitted to the honorable
board of water commissioners by the
experts, is the only solution of the
water supply as far as this city is con-
cerned.
at is generally conceded that the
water supply is totally inadequate at
the present time and with our rapid
growth and development it is abso-
lutely necessary to bring water to this
city from new sources.
Plenty for the Future
after numerous conferences with
the board of water commissioners, also
terested photographic engineers, ce-
ment, iron and excavating contractors,
and consultations with eminent attor-
neys. we have reached the conclusion,
after a thorough investigation of such
data and information as could be OBJ
tanned, and from the report of a special
committee of three that visited the
Owens river valley that the Owens river
valley project is the only safe and
available source of a permanent, ade-
quate and a pure water supply for this
city at the present time and for its
future.
1.-The special committee of three, COM
posed of H. c. Wilmer, M. Lissner and
Fred A. Hines, each representing one
of the three organizations-the cham
ber of commerce, the Municipal league
and the Merchants and Manufacturers
ssociation-examined and tested the
purity and quantity of the water sup
ply, viewing CGie drainage basin, MAX
ing inquiries into the annual snow and
rainfall, and secured samples of water
from the river at various points. The
csfh
mitted to the director Of agriculture Mt
the state university at Berkeley, Cal,
and to local analytical chemists. The
result of the analysis in both cases was
absolutely satisfactory.
Legal Rights Protected
1.-THE city's legal rights have been
apparently carefully protected. The
engineering features in conducting this
water are not such as to place any ma
terial obstacles in it's conveyance to its
proper distributing point. The esti-
mates of competent contractors and
engineers and the construction and con-
duit necessary for the transmission OF
the water are well within the estimates
made by Superintendent Mulholland.
",rhe communication of the honorable
board of water commissioners to the
joint committees of your association.
the chamber of commerce and the
Municipal league, under date of Sep
tember last, stating that it is the in
tention of the board that independent
experts shall at once make critical
examination OF the entire project and
that it shall be the policy of the board
to expend no greater amount of money
than shall be necessary at the present
time will greatly strengthen the con-
fidence of the taxpayers and voters"
The report is signed by Joseph Mes
mer, C. C. Desmond, Frank Simpson
and Byron Erkenbrecher.