Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-31

upon an exclusive municipal ownership
and control
At this time the United States recla-
nation service was investigating the
Owens valley project and had with
drawn all public lands there, including
reservoir sites, and had filed on the
water.
Mr.. Eaton's program was presented
to the officials of the reclamation serv-
ice. including F. H. Newell, chief engi-
neer, and j. B. Lippincott, supervising
engineer, for the first time in the fall
of 1904. Both these officers of the recla-
nation service took the stand that they
could not aid the city of Los Angeles
unless the project was exclusively a
municipal one.
Early investigation
The board of water commissioners
detailed the superintendent to make an
investigation of the water supply in
the Owens River valley in September,
1904, at which time of the year the wa
ters of the streams in that valley are
usually at their lowest ebb. This was
followed up by a careful reconnaissance
of the route, to determine the practical
bility of the constructing of a canal to
bring the water to the city of Los An
geles.
About three months was spent on the
reconnaissance work. The superintend-
ent reported favorably on the adequacy
of the water supply and the feasibility
of constructing a canal to bring it to
the city, and the board of water COM
missioners then asked him to make a
preliminary estimate of the probable
cost of such an enterprise, with a view
to getting data on which to base bond
issue for the purchase of the Eaton
water rights
In April, 1906 Messrs. Fay and Elliott
of the water board accompanied by
Mayor McAleer, City Attorney Math-
eWs and Messrs. Eaton and Mulholland
made visit to the Owens River valley
for the purpose of further Investigate
ing the project and of considering a
proposal from Mr.. Saton to sell to the
city certain options and contracts foI
the purchase of lands and water rights
along the owens river.
Only Adequate Supply
After carefully considering all avail
able information concerning sources OF
water supply sufficient eor the needs of
the city, both in and outside of South
ern California, the board became thor
oughly convinced that the Owens river
afforded the only adequate supply that
could be obtained by the city at a cost
which it would be justified in incur.
ring.
! Having reached this conclusion the
! board entered into a contract with Mr.
| Eaton for the acquisition of the prop
erty embraced in the proposal submit
ted by him, and devoted the available
funds Of the water department for thai
purpose.
In this transaction the city acquired
all lands controlled by Mr.. Eaton In
what is known as the Hickey ranch, ly-
ing south of the north line of TOWNSHIP
10 south, range "a e., M. d. NJ, en-
! bracing 22,670 acres together with all
| water rights appurtenant thereto, in.
Guiding about sixteen miles of frontage
on the owens river; also an easement
permitting the use perpetually of 26S.
acres In the Long Valley reservoir site
for storage purposes, and in addition
thereto, options held by Mr. Eaton OF
| large tracts Of land with extensive
frontage on the river below the Hickey
property.
The commercial organizations Of the
city were taken into the fun confidence
of the water commissioners and eaci
step in the affair was fully considered
by them. The minutes OF the board OF
water commissioners were public docu-
ments open to inspection.
The chamber Of commerce appointed
a special committee to investigate the
J plan Of the water commissioners for an