Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-26
BROKEN AUTOS
DELAY RETURN
OF JUNKETERS
Mayor and Party to
Arrive Today
Investigation Of owens River Water
Supply convinees investigators Of
Necessity Of Project and Fea-
sibIllty of Conduit
by HUGH *. HARTUNG

by HUGH II. HAHTUNG
Mayor Harper and his administration
will work with head, heart and hand
for the Owens river aqueduct project
an | for the coming bond issue.
This in substance is the net result
of the trip of the city officials to the
Owens valley as far north as Long
valley.
This excursion north has convinced
those who went that Los Angeles has
an unlimited water supply in the
snow-covered Sierras> which the people
Of the valley can easily spare to en-
rich the rest of the state.
1t has demonstrated that there will
probably be some litigation inspired l'y
interests which oppose the conduit
project because 1t will make competi-
ton In the electric power interests of
Los Angeles.
Mayor on the Way Home
Mayor Harper, Engineer Henry
Dockweiler, Councilman Dromgold
City Attorney Hewitt and Engineer
Lippincott, with two chauffeurs and
two newspaper men, compose all that
remain on the road of the original
party Of eighteen which left Los An
geles Tuesday, a week ago.
They may get into Los Angeles to-
night, or possibly on Saturday.
Their auto, q Stoddard-Dayton, Is
the only one of four which first COM
posed the outfit that remains in trav-
cling condition. The others all gave
out or broke down and are scattered
along the desert for a distance of 16C
anIr IT., de-,
auto which the city rented from g
business man for ten days at $40(
rental was not in good condition wher
it started out. 1t is stalled at Coyote
Holes. The two-cylinder Tourist owned
by the water department was at Mo.
jave Wednesday night, to which place
1t was run on three tires and a rim
awaiting the arrival of new tires. Tht
White steamer, owned by the city
plunged down a canyon yesterda.
morning near Acton, throwing forms
Mayor Fred Eaton, Mrs. Lippincott
her little son and Acting Chauffeu
Fred Fischer, chief of the mechanical
department of the water department
The machine remains there, upsid,
down, awaiting the arrival of team
to tow 1t to machine shop.
AS soon as Engineer Dockweiler re.
turns he will work out his notes and
make an official report for Mayor
Harper giving his opinion of the feas-
ibility of the plan, estimates Of the
work accomplished and any ideas that
occur to him as an expert on water
subjects.
Party Breaks Up
In the original party were Mayor
Harper, Councilmen Dromgold, Lyon
Clampitt and Healy, City Attorney
Hewitt, Supt. Mulholland of the water
department, former City Attorney
Mathews, five newspaper men and foul
chauffeurs. Later Messrs. Lippincott
Of the aqueduct bureau, former Mayor
Fred Eaton, Mrs. Lippincott and sor
and others were picked up, dropping
from the party from time to time.
Councilman Yonkin turned back al
Rickey's ranch with Supt. Mulhollano
and one chauffeur, Fischer. Council
men Lyon, Healy and Clampitt left
at Big Pine, the breakdown of autos
making this advisable. AS Council.
man Healy had made the trip before
and has a son at Oakland he volun-
teered to go back, as did Councilmen
Lyon and Clampitt later, who made
the sacrifice rather than see the news
paper men forced to return because
of the difficulty In getting conveyances
Supply is Perpetual
Los Angeles future water supply will
come from the backbone of the Sierras
the greatest mountain range In the
United States. For hundreds Of miles
this snow-covered range offers a per-
petual supply. AS long as forests are
maintained and renewed there need
never be fears of a decrease in the
water supply. Dry seasons may come
but with reservoirs built by the city
at Long valley and Haiwee meadows
the supply for Los Angeles can always
be regulated.
The present plans provide for sup
plying a city of 100000 inhabitants
The cost as reckoned is $2S000,000, but
this sum does not include the power
plants. from which the city can obtain
electric energy which will bring in a
revenue that ought to carry all interest
and maintenance charges for the aque-
duct, besides wiping out the original
cost.
Much Work Accomplished
The work so far done by the Los
officials in the Owens river
was made strikingly apparent
by the inspection trip. Surveying
stakes could be traced from one end
Of the valley to the other. Lines have
been made, reservoir sites planned,
power stations laid out on paper, tests
of water have been made and every
feature of engineering has been looked
after.
The city has also made an indepen-
dent survey for railroad, so that the
cost of conveying materials will be
reduced.
The work of the city forces has in
duced the Southern Pacific to survey
a proposed line from Keeler, opposite
Owens lake, to Bakersfield through
Owens valley. From Keeler northward
the Nevada & Colorado narrow gauge
line parallels the owens river, though
this line is far back I'm handling the
freight offered It.