Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-17
RY RRoNsoN 9. KEELER


INVESTORS will shortly be invited
to subscribe to bond issue of about
$25, 1000, 000 made by the city of Los
Angeles, for the construction of a new
water system. While other water
works. in larger cities, have cost much
more money this one will, in magni-
tude of some of it's parts and in novelty,
possess features not had by any other
municipal water system in the world.
1t may not be inappropriate, therefore,
to outline briefly what the propoSluon
contemplates.
The location and growth of cities in
Southern California are determined in
q peculiar degree by water supply. Ii
you ask why Los Angeles is where it
stands, rather than on the seashore
fifteen miles away, the answer is that
the original pueblo, or village, was
placed on the present site because the
Los Angeles river gave the pioneers
abundant water; just as the first set
tiers laid out Chicago where it is be-
cause of the deep river which afforded
there good harbor for heavy draft
lake vessels.
In Southern California no rain falls
from May to October. The precipita-
tion from November to April averages
sixteen inches, which is not sufficient
for agriculture unless supplemented
with irrigation. Consequently, as popu-
lation increases, a struggle arises be-
tween the cities and the country for
control of the water, and in recent
years the Subterranean water plain has
fallen steadily, so that many wells have
to be sunk deeper to reach the fluid.
San Fernando Natural Reservoir
The water supply of Los Angeles in
past years was derived entirely and is
SlE
valley, a district Immediately north and
west of the city about ten miles wide
and twenty miles long, lying between
the Sierra Madre and the Santa Monica
mountains, and having a watershep of
500 square miles. The floor of the val
ley is a rich sandy soil underlaid with
deep gravel beds. During the rainy
season every mountain canyon con-
tains raging torrent which rushes
down into the valley; but instead of
running off to the ocean it sinks into
the sands of the valley, is drunk eager
1y by the gravel beds, is held in Sus-
pension for months and even years, and
seeps slowly to the south until the
water above the bed of the Los Angeles
river is drained into the river, which
thus has its origin, and which, flowing
past the CITY, gives to the residents the
supply they have used The water in
the sands of the valley lower than the
bed OF the river is reached by wells
which are pumped for irrigation and
domestic use. The San Fernando val
ley is thus a vast natural reservoir
with an area of about $50 square
miles and an unknown depth.
Until recent years this has yielded
sufficient water. But while the popu-
lation of Los Angeles in 1890 was 50,-
900, in the next ten years 1t doubled
in the next five years it doubled again,
oh se.
growing at a remarkable pace. With
In the past few years the river has
not furnished enough water; in sum-
mer,. hardly half enough; and the sup
ply has been augmented by pumping
from subterranean sources. But the
limit is now about reached. In 1901
the city acquired from a CORPORATION
the ownership of the water works.
and the average consumption then was
800 gallons a day per head of popu-
lation-the largest in the United
States. By the introduction of meters
this has been reduced to 120 gallons.
and everybody has had enough Mr
William MullhOlland, the superinten-
dent, who brought about the reduction.
estimates the future maximum con-
sumption at $50 gallons per head per
day, allowing everybody an abundance
But the rapidly growing city must
seek Its future greater supply from
some other source; and that source is
found in the Owens river valley. more
than 200 miles, straight as the crow
flies, north of the city, high up in the
mountains.
Remarkable City with a Great Future
Close observers believe that Los
Angeles is destined to become a verv
great city--one of the greatest in the
world; and that water supply for al
least million people should be pro-
vided. This Is not wholly local pride
There are good grounds for the opin-
ION Four-sevenths Of all the land on
the globe is washed by the Pacific
ocean and four-SeVenths of all the in
hab1tants of the globe occupy those
lands. They are In large part lust
awakening to civilization and their
trade Is in its inception. The west
coast OF the United States Is destined
70 absorb large share of that trade
which means large growth in popu-
laflon But the west coast is a narrow
strip Of land, averaging hardly more
than 100 miles i'm width TO the east
as Tar as Denver, 1900 miles. there in
tervene deserts and mountain ranges
which act as a protective tariff and
give IN some degree the coast coun-
try a monopoly Of that trade.
And this congestion occurs I'm two
Ways tatitudinally as well as lonei.
tudinally The Atlantic coast has
many excellent deep water harbors
but not so the Pacific The Pugei
sound gives Washington several Port