Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-14
PROMOTERS co
BACK To WORK
WITH ENERGY
Cement Bids Will Be
Opened Today
Question of Transportation to Be Set
tied by Southern Pacific Build
ing Railroad Into Desert
Country

With the splendid Endorsement given
by Los Angeles voters to tie plans
of the aqueduct commission at their
backs, Engineers Mulholland and Lip
pincott yesterday returned to their
work with renewed vigor. The bond
election out of the way they will now
have time to devote to the physical
problems of the work.
First and most important of these
just at present is the matter of trans
portation north of Mojave. The ex-
pense of freighting materials and sup
plies along the aqueduct route between
Mojave and Keeler by wagon is so
high that other means must be EN-
ployed. A railroad must be built by
someone.
1t is thought likely that the South
ern Pacific will build this road and
will broaden the narrow gauge now
running from Keeler to Nina. The
matter has been taken up with South
ern Pacific officials and is now under
consideration. A reply is expected
within two or three weeks at the lat
est, and there is every likelihood that
the reply will be favorable.
Chance of Cutoff
In addition to the business which the
construction of the aqueduct will pro-
vide-no small matter for new road
the line could be utilized as a cut
off between Los Angeles and Salt
Lake, shortening the haul very consid-
erably and reducing present grades:
This would require the construction or
another short line to fill UP a gap TO
the eastward, connecting with the
Central pacific. but the route is easy
and the line doubtless will be built
some day, anyway.
1t is quite within the bounds OF pos
sibility that the present amicabie re-
lations between the Hartman inter-
ests and the Salt Lake may, at some
future time, be interrupted, and II
that day ever comes Hartman would
be in a vastly better position to fight
Clark with the proposed cutoff a re-
ality.
Open Cement Bids Today
Another matter that will receive
early attention is the cement problem:
Bids for 1,25O,OOO barrels of cement Will
be opened today. If the price is salts
factory the cement will be purchased
for future delivery. If not the city
will proceed to erect it's own cement
plant at Tehachapi All preparations
for erecting plant have been maoe'
not because the city is anxious to go
into the cement business, but merely
turers that the municipality does not
propose to be held up.
SO far as work on the aqueduct is
concerned there is no Immediate need
for any considerable quantity of ce-
ment. However, it was deemed the
part of wisdom to secure bids lar
enough in advance to construct the
plant. should that course be decided
upon. in ample time to meet future re-
uuirements The plant, If built, will
have a capacity of 1000 barrels daily,
which will be sufficient to supply all
cement that may be needed. To do
this, however, will require constant
operation during the entire five years
which it is expected will be required
to complete the aqueduct.
Bid on Machinery
Bids for equipping the, cement plant
with machinery already have been
received and the lowest of them was
5 per cent below the estimate OF the
aoueduct engineers. This is fact that
completely escaped the attention of
those knockers who maintained, up to
Yesterday, that all estimates made in
connection with the work were far
too low and would have to be revised
This cement matter is problem OF
vital Importance. Apart from labor 1t
is the most expensive feature in con-
nection with the aqueduct project
Practically 100000 barrels of cement
will be required before the big aque-
duct is completed, and cement is ex-
pensive.
In the past, manufacturers of the
material have made it considerably
more expensive than the aqueduct en-
gineers believe is necessary. Cons
duently when bids for the cement
needed We're solicited the manufactur-
ers were informed that the city stood
ready to manufacture it's own mate
rial if their bids were too high. They
were shown that the municipality has
acquired title to $3.50 acres of land at
Tehachapi and holds lease on an ad-
ditional 250 acres. And they were
shown, too, that the land in question
contains extensive deposits of clay ad-
mirably adapted for cement manufac-