Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-12

personal affairs. 1t is not from alarm
over the security of the rights thus
assailed that this communication is
written. 1t is because we recognize the
futility of the course upon which your
honorable body has been advised and
deplore the long and needless conflict
and the profitless expenditure of energy
which might better be devoted by us all
to the welfare of our city, that we now
address your honorable board in a
straightforward manner, seeking a
mutual understanding and harmony of
action.
In addition to the withdrawal of the
Washington protests against our rights
of way, we ask on behalf of the Los
Angeles & Owens Valley railroad that
in common with other property owners
in Owens valley the city give right OF
way of 100 feet across city property in
the valley.
We also ask the moral support and
encouragement of the city administra-
tion and every official therein, just as
we ask the sympathy and support of
all progressive citizens of Los Angeles.
Finally we ask for a frank attempt
to come to some agreement for such or
our property as your board shall finally
decide that the city needs, in lieu OF the
present proceedings before federal offl-
cials, who have no power whatsoever
fully acquired pursuant to the laws or
the state of California.
The matter seems of sufficient I'M
portance to warrant a complete state
ment at this time of everything bearing
upon our project from its inception,
with particular reference to it's pos
sible relation to the proposed city con-
duit. In so doing 1 shall hope Incl
dentally to satisfy you that our plans
it1 fai
entire ignorance of the city's great pro-
ject: and further that had we known
of the city's project and been imbued
with the most patriotic desire to avoid
conflict Herewith, we could not pos
sibly have better succeeded in doing
so.
Inception and Nature of Plans
Referring first to the inception and
nature of our plans 1 have to say that
it was on or about March II or last
year that Mr.. Jewett first brought the
project of water and power develop
ment in Owens valley to my atten-
tion. We then arranged to take va
cation trip to the valley in the follow
ing summer and meantime to nave
filings made on some of the principal
streams. Papers drawn up in April
1905, by my attorney for rights on Cot
tonWood cree. we're not used until
the gath of June, because We thought
we were alone in our knowledge OF
the value of this stream for power ana
irrigation purposes. At that time we
secured the waters of Cottonwood creek
and the reservoir site at the head or
the creek.
On July 10th, Independence and
Shepherds creeks were filed on, and
Lone Pine on July 21st. On the Slst
day of July, Mr.. JeWett and | made
additional filings on Cottonwood ana
a day or so later on Georges creek.
All these filings were Immediately
recorded and my statements can be
Verified from the official records OF
Inyo county. 1t was not until August
LIST or End dt takes some three days
for Los Angeles mail to reach the val
ley), that we saw the Los Angeles
Times of July 29th containing the news
of the citys project; and that was
absolutely the first intimation or sus-
picion either Of us had of the city's
plan.
Upon that trip we became enthusiasts
tic over tho possibilities of a railroad
built south from Owens valley so as
to furnish direct rail connection with
Los Angeles, either Vie Southern Pa
cific or Santa Fe. The valley is ex-
ceptionally fertile and its latent agri-
cultural possibilities are very great.
The finest apples In California are
has very great mineral resources.
Some OF its mines have proven so rich
that forty odd years ago It was pro-