Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-03
TALKS Of THE
OWENS RIVER
WATER PLAN
W. D. Stephens Dis
cusSeS Project
Feels Certain Entire Bond Issue VIII
Carry and That Los Angeles
Can Assume the Inc
debtedness

geles. but to all Of Southern Califor-
mia. than any other question that pos
sibly can arise, Immediately or at any
time in the near future"
So declared William d. Stephens
president of the chamber of commerce
yesterday as the conclusion Of an in
terview relative to the construction OF
the Owens river aqueduct and the out
look for the continued growth ano
prosperity of Los Angeles and the en-
tire southern section Of California.
Mr.. Stephens links together the
Owens river project with the future
welfare of the metropolis Of Southern
California and the whole of the south
ern part Of the state as well.
With the great water service assureu
the material progress of Los Angeles
and the surrounding country will con-
tinue and it's completion will be the
signal for an influx of people ano
wealth such as will make the Ange
City the metropolis of the west ano
Southern California one of the most
populous prosperous and wealthy sec
tions on the American continent, says
Mr. Stephens.
With the Owens river system rem
dered impossible by an adverse public
opinion, the march of progress sc
grandly taken up by Los Angeles would
CEASE dl OnCtf anu llllS NOulh VI .
disaster to the entire southern section
of the state, as it's fortunes depend
upon the advancement of the former, it
was declared.
No Fear of Adversely
But Mr.. Stephens has no fears that
the project will be jeopardized by an
adverse vote when the election is held
for the purpose of voting bonds to
raise money with which to construct
the aqueduct.
A negative vote would mean indus
trial suicide and Mr.. Stephens ex-
pressed himself as confident that the
residents of Los Angeles are too pa
triotic and too interested in the future
of the city to consent to the overthrow
of the one great venture upon which
the hope of the city rests.
On the contary, he said that it was a
certainty that the bonds would be voted
by an overwhelming majority and that
soon the immense but absolutely feas-
ible plan of bringing to Los Angeles q
river of the purest water would be
under way and making certain the
future greatness of the city.
No doubt exists in the mind of Mr.
Stephens as to the ability of Los An
geles to assume the Indebtedness that
will be entailed in the construction OF
the aqueduct and that the credit of the
city will not be in the least impaired
as a result of the assumption of the
heavy obligation.
AS to the cost of construction, Mr.
Stephens said he had the greatest con-
fidence in the professional ability OF
Mr.. Mulholland whose preliminary es-
innate has been confirmed by three
engineers of national repute and after
a most careful study of the proposed
route of the conduit.
Mr.. Stephens was called upon at his
L.
and informed that The Herald desired
an interview on the owens river pro-
ject the outlook for Los Angeles and
on the question of state division.
Avoids State Division
At mention of the latter subject Mr.
Stephens held up his hands in a
deprecatory manner and shook his
head
Not a word about state division.
he said. in a friendly bur decided man
ner. LAS an official of the chamber
of commerce it would be improper fo1
me to discuss the subject, as my senti-
ments might be taken as an expression
of the views of the chamber.
Il do not deny that l have very de-
cided views regarding state division
and l regret that l am not in a position
to give Them added Mr.. Stephens, but
that was as fay as he would go
4NOWs Oll lllG ONtIlo river project dIlt
the general outlook for Los Angeles.
would be pleased to answer any ques-
tions you might ask, as the water dues-
tion is one which the chamber of com
merce is deeply interested in and which
is in no sense political" he continued
Il feel absolutely confident that the
vote on the question of issuing bonds
will be overwhelmingly in the affrma-
tive and think the people favor vot-
ing on the entire issue at one election
and having them sold in quantities
justified by the progress of the work.
Able to Assume Debt
LOS Angeles certainly is fully able
to assume the burden of $4,000 900 in
debtedness, especially when the con-
struction of the aqueduct means the
continued growth and prosperity OF
the city and the creation or acduisi.
ton through the attraction of outsid,
capital of additional hundreds of mil.
lions OF dollars and which will con.
tribute to the necessary taxation.
with the bringing here of grea
and ever-flowing river of pure water
Los Angeles soon will become tn,
metropolis not only of the Pacific coast
but of the entire west, while without tn,
assurance of this adequate water sun.
ply Los Angeles cannot advance an.
other step in the splendid march O
progress which she has been mallint
for several years. 1t is absurd to thini
that there is even remote possibility
that the intelligent and progressive
residents of Los Angeles, fully real
izing the result Of the defeat of IN,
water project should vote against tn
proposed bond issue.
Faith In Mulholland
Everyone who knows William Mul
holland has confidence in his honest,
and professional knowledge; but in ad
dition TO his estimate of the cost O
the water system we have the assur
ance of three of the most eminen
civil engineers of the country that MI
Mulholland's estimate was within tn
cost as they had computed IT,
"These men, as is we'll known. mad
careful study of the route GOVERNS
the entire distance between Los An
geles and the headwaters Of the owen
river, and their report should be snf
fcient 70 convince the most sl<eDtica
that the cost OF the work will not ex
ceed the original estimate and tha
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