Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-27
MAYORS PARTY
REACHES HOME
AUTOS STICK IN STREAM; ALL
HANDS WADE
Mr.. Harper Holds a Conference with
seoreysry-Taokles Big stack
Of Pressing Business at
City Hall Today
ny HUGH *. HARTUNG

Mayor Harper's party of returning
Owens river excursionists, with two
automobiles, reached Los Angeles last
night
After a series of delays and mishaps
in the San Francisquito canyon and the
| Tejunga wash the tour of inspection
| by city officials over the proposed route
of the new aqueduct was finally con-
| cluded at nightfall, the tired excur-
sionists seeking their homes to rest
and to minimize the effects of the ex-
posure on desert and mountain In their
long automobile trip.
With Mayor Harper were Cit Attor-
ney Hewitt, En- ineer Henry Dockweil-
er of San Francisco, Engineer J. b.
Lippincott, chauffeurs and news
paper men. The big Stoddard-Dayton
machine of the aqueduct department
and the two-cylinder tourist machine
of the water department. which had
been quickly repaired at Mojave,
brought in the wanderers. Chauffeurs
Silas Christofferson in the big car and
Carl Bell in the smaller one got their
machines through largely by their
knowledge of how to circumvent mo-
toring uncertainties.
Visit Falrmont Reservoir
The party left Mojave early Thursday
ervoir site at Fairmont. The elevation
here is 1925 feet. This point is at the
end of the Antelope valley and marks
the beginning of the five-mile tunnel
one of the costliest pieces of work in
the entire project.
Below this tunnel are the two power
conduits, which constitute a source of
immense power for Los Angeles.
Below the two power conduits is an
other regulating reservoir. These con-
duits pass through the San Francis
quito canyon.
All spring the road through the can
yon has been in bad shape, due to the
rains and washouts, and it has been a
terror to motorists. The mayors party
had been warned to use Mint canyon,
but this would have made it impossible
to examine the costly work projected at
the lower end of the conduit Engineer
Dockweiler was especially anxious to
note and study these features, so Mayor
Harper gave the order to go through
the San Francisquito regardless of diff
culties.
The water was high in the streams
which had to be crossed scores of
times. The worst place was point
where three feet of rushing water
threatened to put the machines out of
commission.
The chauffeurs decided to place rub
her hose over the carburettors and
dash through the water. The plan
failed and both machines held fast.
Forced to Wade
Mayor Harper and the others imme-
diately took off thoes and stockings in
order to reach the banks, and thus
lightened, the machines were pulled out
with the aid Of beams.
The same experience resulted at Te-
junga creek.
A party of motorists from Bakersfield
sought to make the crossing just as the
Los Angeles officials did. and they too
were caught fast till released by out
side help.
The mayor hastened to his home as
soon as possible and held a telephone
chat with Private Secretary Kennedy.
He was told that the park commits
sioners intended to give a barbecue at
Griffith park this morning at which the
mayors presence was asked. The may
or will go if possible, though not until
II o'clock, as he Is anxious to clear
away any pressing business at his
sanctum.
City Attorney Hewitt did not go to
his home, as his wife is absent in the
north, but spent the night with rela-
tives.
Engineer Dockweiler repaired to his
mothers home.
The entire party is enthusiastically in
favor Of voting the t27, 100000 bond issue
on June IL.