The San Francisco call., 1906-05-27
WATER LEGISLATION Will
NOT BE- SATISFACTORY
Joint Committee on Call for Special Session Of the
Legislature Receives Terse Telegram
From Southern City.
1t Will Stand by It's decision to Recommend to the
Governor the Adoption Only of Amend
ment to the Statute of 1903.

an amendment permitting the south-
ern city to secure rights over inter-
vening territory. The leading lawyers
of San Francisco and California be-
lieve that this will relieve Los Ange-
les, and under this decision the mat
ter was so recommended for insertion
in the proposed call.
On the day the reconsideration took
place Chairman Ford received letter
from the Consolidation Commission OF
Los Angeles. in which it was stated
that there was no desire on the part
of Los Angeles to cOerce any munich
pality or community to become a part
of Greater Los Angeles" and that
there would be no effort of that ma
ture made in the future. The aSsur-
ance was given that there is nothing
political back of the move and that
the principal object of getting the sew
eral municipalities Into one form OF
government is to strengthen the
chances of securing the Owens River
water.
ACTION RECONSTRUCTED.
In response TO this letter Chairman
Ford, on behalf of the committee, re-
piled in part as follows:
1t is the belief of every member of the
committee that the early acquisition of
a sufficient water supply by Los Angeles
/ is a matter for emergency legislation
/ The committee is of the opinion, how
II. a
/ ficient unaninity of local sentiment in
/ favor of the consolidation of the county
and municipal governments, as a means
toward the end sought. to warrant the
| committee in recommending that plan
of procedure. Indeed. from the numerous
verbal and written protests made, to the
committee by representatives OF the sew
eral municipalities adjacent to Los An
geleS against any measure tending to
merge tnelr Tespeety,e r,fv s1VSsEnSnes Win
/ fest to the committee that there is a well
defined antagonism to general consolida-
| ton.
IL is the sense of the committee that
| il cannot. in fairness. pass with its rec
Ommendation to the Governor a matter
relative to which there IS so great dif-
most directly concerned. nor does IL feel
| justified in asking 70 have presented to
/ the Legislature subject that Is. appar-
emily, likely to precipitate prolonged dis
/ cuSsiOn and probably dlSSenSion upon the
| floors OF that body.
committee that all that Los Angeles city
and county desire, namely. legislative
provision enabling the immediate acquisi-
ton of a water supply by its mun1c1pa1-
| ties and the territory Intervening. can be
more expeditiOuSly and readily obtained
| by an amendment of a statute now upon
the books, and this is gladly and heart
| ily recommended.
These are, briefly. and without any ref
erence to the personal views OF the
committee to reconsider its action or
some DAYS ago, and to take the course in
dicated in the copy of the inclosed reso-
In conclusion permit me to say that San
Francisco. temporarily crippled as she Is.
and sincerely anxious to cooperate with
YOU in the movement to add to the SAFETY
of your beautiful city and 10 preserve It
from even the possibility of such a dis
aster as that from which we now lie
stricken. and If there be anything that
San Francisco can do to enhance the
Sister metropolis in the south, she has
but to make il known and we are with
her in spirit and in deed
REASON FOR CHANGE
To place the matter in the clearest
light before the people of the State
of California the joint committee
adopted the following resolution in
respect to the reconsideration ana me
change of opinion in regard TO the
legislation that has now been demand
ed by Los Angeles:
There being now before the COMMITTEES
for reconsideration the recommendation
to the Governor that he include in his call
for a special session the subject OF sub
mitting to the people a constitutional
amendment enabling the city and county
government for the purpose Of securing
an adequate water supply. II was. upon
motion. duly made. seconded and carried-
Resolved. That. whereas, in view or the
fact that the people of Los Angeles Coun-
ty are plainly divided upon the plan for
J securing a water supply through con-
solidation of the municipal and county
governments thereof. as has been made
apparent to this committee by protests
filed in writing and also made personally
by representatives of various communiueS
of Los Angeles County against the action
heretofore taken by this COMMITTEES faVor-
ing such project; and
Whereas, Upon further examination or
the subject mater it appears 70 this COM
mittee that there now is a complete stat
ute in force covering all the subjects con-
corning the obtaining OF water supply
bv cities acting collectively within coun-
ty. except. perhaps the power to include
territory intervening between cities or
cities and towns. which statute had un-
doubtedly been provoked by the genrle-
men from Los Angeles; now, therefore,
be il
Resolved. That this committee. in its
recommendations to his Excellency the
Governor. as to subjects Of legislation TO
be inserted in his call for special SeS-
sion. should one be called. include tnereln
the subject of the amendment OF the acts
entitled IAN act to authorize cities 20 ac-
quire and operate joint system or Sys-
TENS of water supply. approved Marcn Z,
1908 so as to embrace within the provl-
sions of said act territory intervening be-
tween any two or more cities. cities and
counties towns or municipalities. so that
such act may effectually cover the re-
ouirements of the city of Los Angeles and
the municipalities and territory adjacent
thereto relative to water supply