Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-21
EXPERTS CHOSEN
FOR OWENS RIVER
PROMINENT ENGINEERS WILL
PASS ON WATER PLAN
Frederick P. Stearns, John r. Free
man and James D. Schuyler to
Determine Feasibility of
Plan

Frederick P. Stearns of New York,
John R. Freeman of Providence, r. l.,
and James d. Schuyler of Los Angeles
will compose the board of engineers to
investigate the feasibility of the Owens
river project.
This was decided yesterday afternoon
at meeting of members of the board
of public works, water commission,
chamber of commerce, finance commit
tee of the city council Merchants and
Manufacturers association and Mayor
McAleer in the rooms of the water COM
mission.
William Mulholland acting in con-
junction with the water board, sub
mitted the names of seven men, and the
selection was made after an investiga-
tion of the record of each as a builder
of water works.
The board will meet in Los Angeles
October Is, and in company with Will
liam Mulholland and j. B. Lippincott
will go to the Owens river country for
thorough investigation of conditions
there.
May Take Three Months
The work will probably occupy a
period of three months, and it is
mitted early in the new year, though no
time limit has been placed. The salary
for the service of each will be $7500.
Upon the report of this board will de-
pend the next request for a bond issue.
If the report is favorable the people will
be asked to vote another issue.
Since 1895 Frederick p. Stearns has
been chief engineer of the Metropolitan
water board, and its successor, the
Metropolitan water and sewage board,
and has had charge of the Metropolitan
water works, which is one of the most
elaborate systems of domestic water
supply in the world.
In addition to his regular engage
ments, Mr.. Stearns was in 1889 a men,
Ter of the board of sanitary engineers,
TO devise a system of sewage for the
District of Columbia. He was one of
the consulting engineers of the first
rapid transit commission of Boston in
1892; also consulting engineer on the
Baltimore sewage commission.
Is Canal Commissioner
He is now the president of the Ameri-
can Society of Civil Engineers and has
also been president of the Boston So
ciety of Civil Engineers. He is at pres
ent one of the Isthmian canal commits
soners and is also one of the commits
soners in charge of the new water
supply for Greater New York, which
supply will be derived from the Catskill
mountains at an estimated cost of
$3.50, 900, 900.
John r. Freeman also has a national
reputation as a civil and mechanical
engineer. He was appointed by the
finance department of New York to
make extensive studies of water supply
for Greater New York and was also the
chief engineer investigating the Charles
river dam and Boston harbor in 1908
He has made hydraulics his speciality
and has been extensively employed in
Northern California making hydraulic
Investigations during the last two
years.
Schuyler Knows Country
To people on the Pacific coast James
ID. Schuyler is well known as an en-
gineer. He came to California in 1873
and was for several years assistant
state engineer. He was consulting en-
gineer i'm the water right litigation and
water works construction from Hawaii
to Ohio and from -ritish Columbia to
the CiCy of Mexico.
At present Mr.. Schuyler is engaged in
constructing an earthen dam in
Mexico. which, when completed, will be
the highest structure of it's kind i'm the
world. This is for a joint domestic
water supply and power development.
He is also engaged at present in i'm
portant irrigation works In Brazil. 1t
was considered especially important to
have one member of the commission
which is to pass upon the Los Angeles
water supply acquainted with the phys
ical conditions In the southwest