Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-09
rAvoRING CONSOLIDATION

FAVORlNG CONSOLIDATION
on all sides It Is evident that the out
lying towns are coming to a better and
saner understanding Of the city and
county consolidation plans which Los
Angeles is formulating.
The Municipal league dinner and the
remarks made there indicated very
plainly that San Pedro, one place most
desired by Los Angeles, is the most
eager to come into the plan, and has
the most thorough comprehension of
it. San Pedro Is a harbor-something
Los Angeles needs; Los Angeles is a
railroad terminal and competing point
something San Pedro must be- to OBJ
tain its share Of ocean traffic. The
union OF the two Is logical and
inevitable.
The chief recalcitrants so far are
Long Beach and Pasadena. The lat
ter we do not need and in many ways
would find an incubus. But 1t does
need Los Angeles woefuly-especially
Los Angeles great owens river water.
The advisabillty of burdening Los An
geles with Pasadena merely for the
help the latter might be in bearing its
share Of the cost of this water is a
thing not yet voted on as desirable.
As to Long Beach, much the same
argument holds.
with San Pedro favorable may be
listed Hollywood and the whole Ca
huenga valley. The formers board of
trade, at meeting in the Hollywood
hotel Thursday evening, unanimously
favored union with Los Angeles If the
borough system were provided, en-
abling 1t to continue its own self
government As this is just what is
proposed, Hollywood may be counted
QUESTION; almost as certain are the
sister beach towns, Santa Monica,
Venice and Ocean Park. All these
places have kept their heads and their
tempers, have waited the will of the
committee in announcing the plans,
and have seen the advantages proposed
by reason of the calm, judicial views
they have taken of the whole
One serious point that confronts all
the towns and cities of Southern Cali
fornia is the uncertainty of sufficient
water supply, under present conditions.
Renewed light on that subject is cast
by the official communication sent to
the city council on Thursday by the
city water commissioners. Here is a
tions made at various points in South
ern California show that the existing
of supply are becoming ex-
the entire surface flow of all
streams in the territory surrounding
the city is appropriated to divers uses
and. in addition, waters are being very
extensively pumped from the available |
er-bearing gravel beds" And then |
the startling statement that "At some |
places in Southern California the water |
plane in these gravel beds has, within
the last few years, fallen as much as
one hundred feet"
1t is just as certain as sunrise that |
the constantly increasing drain upon
the underground gravel beds will
decrease the supply of water
and, in the not distant future, practi- |
cally exhaust it. A moments thought |
is sufficient to convince on that point, |
as repeatedly shown by The Herald.
There is no increase in the annual pre-
cipitation in the nearby mountains
which constitute the watershed of this
section, and there is no other near
source of supply.
1t is as vital to the neighboring COM
munities as it is to Los Angeles that
they should be in touch with the boun-
tiful water supply afforded by Owens
valley. To reject the opportunity now
offered for ample future supplies is sug-
gestive of shutting the gate of
prosperity.
This consideration alone, although
there are others of Importance, should
cause thoughtful people in the neigh
boring towns and cities to grasp at |
once the golden opportunity to in
sure their permanent progress.