Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-20
WATER PROJECT
GIVEN A BOOST
GRAND JURY SAYS PLAN IS
COMMEMORATE
Charges Against Gas Company Are
Received Too Late to Be consld-
ered-street Car Accident
Is Discussed

Probably the strongest Endorsement
'the owens river project could possibly
receive Is contained I'm the annual re-
port of the county grand jury filed
yesterday before Judge Trask of the
superior court, i'm which the river
project is declared not only sane and
safe but also q commendable business
project on the part of the city and the
men who are undertaking it.
The jury was asked to inquire into
the Owens river question by repeated
attacks upon the project through one
OF the evntng papers and the Jurors
went into the investigation thoroughly
Nothing was left undone and the en-
tire course of service from the river to
the city, the facilities, plans and pros
poets were examined by a representa-
tive number of men from both city and
county, and yesterday when the re-
port of the grand jury was received
1t was the owens river project which
received the most complimentary no
tice, establishing 1t as thoroughly
worthy project and one which might be
of greatest value to the city.
After the Gas Company
The proposed investigation of the
methods of the local gas trust, as it,
was called, failed to materialize. Yes
terday morning Attorney Robert G..
Loucks, at the eleventh hour, carried
the complaint of citizens to the grand
Jurors.
At that time the report was about to
be made out and the hurried list Of evil
dence against the gas companies and
their methods failed to impress the
jurors and nothing whatever was said
in their final report relative to the gas
conditions of the city, and it will prob
ably be another year before the people
have any chance to state their claims
against the gas corporations unless
Attorney Loucks carries his complaints
to the civil courts.
In the report the ordinary investiga-
lions o. the county offices are set forth
All are found to be in good order, all
books declared to be in proper condi-
ton except the report of county prop
erty. The property is listed on the
books 1T something. over $4,000, 900,
when. according to the investigation,
the jurors learned that much of that
property was perishable and had grad
ually decreased from time to time
without any deduction of amount be-
ing made on the books.
Discusses Street Car Accident
The accident of August 10, on the
Redonlo railway line, in which a score
of people were injured through the
carelessness of railway employees, is
also treated in the jury's report.
1--WE regret that we cannot indict the
railway company as well as it's en-
ploye, the conductor of one of the
cars reads the report, "but we have
not the authority of law to base such
an action upon"
The indictment referred to is the in
dictment of the conductor Fred White,
Of one of the cars, against whom an
indictment charging manslaughter was
charged and who escaped the county
before the warrant could be served
upon him.
One of the most notable features of
the report is a recommendation by the
Jurors. which may be carried out. In
behalf of the county it is recommended
that permanent, scientific and system
attic roads or boulevards be built be-
tween Los Angeles and Long Beach,
Ocean Park, Redondo and San Pedro
on the beach and to Pomona, San
Francisco, Whittier and Pasadena in
land. If that project is carried out,
Los Angeles will become the paradise
of autoists and drivers and will Incl
dentally have one of the finest road
systems as well as railroad systems in
the world.
To Tax Horse Power
The one clause which may cause a
drawback to the project, however, is
the fourth recommendation by the
board that the automobiles in the
county be taxed with an annual coun-
ty tax, the levy to be made according
to the horse power of the automobiles
The partial reports of the grand
jury relative to county institutions are
also discussed in the final report 1t is
recommended that immediate changes
be made in the county hospital and the
poor farm, that some suitable build
ing be prepared for detention home
and that the records of the county, in
imminent danger of loss by fire, be put
in some safe place, possibly hall of
records, built for that purpose.
The money which was to have been
furnished for all the improvements of
institutions failed to carry at the bond
election and the supervisors state
they will make what improvements
are possible.
Suggestions as to better fire drills in
the schools, the improvements and en-
largening of the cityOjail, commenda-
ton of the stockade proposed by Cap
tain Walter Auble to be built at Elys-
ian park. to be used as den or rock
pile for the members of the chain gang,
are all recommended by the jury.
That, with the various criminal in
dictments filed during it's session, COM
pletes the work of the year.
S$S