Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-06
BOARD ANSWERS
LEAGUE CHARGES
YELLED INSlNUATI0NS GIVEN
EXHAUSTIVE REPLY
SHOWN THAT NO MEMBER HAS
INTEREST IN LANDS
General Sherman Incloses Personal
Communication Stating He Has
Disposed of Property in
San Fernando

OtIdllG lEdS lC COAAIttAAtAAB =
way for the aqueduct through the San
Fernando valley, the board of water
commissioners yesterday sent a COM
munication to Mayor Alexander.
Among the yelled charges of the DEM
ocratic league was the following ques-
ton: rs any member of the board OF
water commissioners interested, either
directly or indirectly, as owner or
agent. of the corporation which owns
the lands in the San Fernando valley
While no one was specifically mem
toned, the question was supposed TO
refer to Gen. Sherman, who is a bust
ness associate of E. H. Hartman, one
of the stockholders in this corporation.
This question is answered by an en-
phatic negative.
The reply of the water commission Is
as follows:
Full Text of Letter
'Hon. Geo. Alexander, Mayor of the
City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles
Dear Sir: The board of water COM
missioners is in receipt from you OF a
copy of a communication, dated April
19 accompanied by q copy of an
amendatory communication, dated
April 49, to the city council, from the
Democratic league of this city, in which
information is sought concerning rights
of way over lands in the San Fernando
valley for the purpose of conveying
water from the proposed reservoirs at
the southerlv end of the Owens river
aqueduct in that valley to the city, ana
in compliance with your request Tor a
report from this board we beg to state;
seThese communications contain four
specific inquiries relating to such lands
and rights of way. The first three OF
these inquiries have been covered by
report from VIM Mulholland, superln-
tendent of the water department and
chief engineer of the aqueduct, which,
we understand, has been delivered TO
you, thus rendering it unnecessary for
this board to make a separate reply 10
these portions of such communications.
"As to the fourth inquiry, to wit:
whether any member of the board of
water commissioners is interested,
either directly or indirectly, as owner
or agent of the corporation which owns
the lands etc, which was not covered
by the report of Mr.. Mulholland, but
for obviously proper reasons was LEFT
by him to be specifically dealt with by
the members of this board, we beg to
state that no member of the board OF
water commissioners is the owner,
either directly or Indirectly, of the
lands mentioned, or any part Thereon
or is the agent of the corporation own
ing same A letter from Gen. M. H.
Sherman, member of this board, upon
IIilS SuDICCI 10 AAtACNAtAA GAbAfAteNe~-s
Not Asked for Details
1--WE notice in the said communica-
tior the statement that as far as we
can ascertain from the members of the
present board of water commissioners,
no provision has as yet been made for
the bringing of water from the san
Fernando reservoirs to this city Upon
this point we wish to state that the
board of water commissioners has new
er received any communications or in
curry from the Democratic league or
any officer or representative of such
league asking for such information.
said communication also states;
Under the present charter, a contract
entered into or made by the board of
water commissioners, dealing with the
water supply, does not need the con-
sent or approval of the city council or
the mayor and no publicity need be
given to the same We take this state
ment to refer to the sale and distribu-
ton of water belonging to the city by
the board of water commissioners, and,
considered with the rest of the COM
munication, appears to imply that a
secret deal could be made, and may be
made, by this board for the sale and
distribution of water to the owners of
the lands in question. Such statement
is unfounded, both as to its express
language and as to its implications.
The present charter of the city, in sec
ton 191 thereof. provides:
That no water shall be furnished
for use outside of the limits of the city
unless the furnishing of the same, and
the terms and conditions thereof, shall
first be authorized by resolution, adopt
ed BY the board of water commission
ers, and approved by an ordinance of
said city
ut will thus be seen that any ar
rangement for the distribution of water
by the board of water commissioners to
consumers outside of the city must first
be sanctioned not only by the board of
water commissioners but also by an
ordinance, in the enactment of which
the city council and mayor must par
ficipate.
Respectfully, (Signed) John H. Nor
ton, Jno. ]. Fay, Jr., John r. Mathews,
M. H Sherman, r. f. Del Vale, Mem
bers of the Board of Water Commits
sioners Of the city of Los Angeles"
With the reply of the water COM
mission Gen. Sherman enclosed per-
sonal communication giving the facts
of his connection with the syndicate
owning the San Fernando lands. Gen.
Sherman's answer is as follows:
ITO the Honorable Board of Water
Commissioners of the City Of Los
Angeles
"GentIemen: 1 at one time owned
lands on the line of the aqueduct near
Mojave and land in the San Fernando
valley, and at one time l owned tenth
interest in that portion of the Porter
ranch that is now owned by a syndi-
cate in this city. / also owned a large
interest in the townsite at Hollywood,
through which the pipes conveying wa
ter from the southerly end of the aque-
duct to the city will pass. have dis
posed of all my interest in all of the
above mentioned property, and now do
not own any property in the San Fer
nando valley or anywhere else through
which the pipe lines of the aqueduct
will pass, except in this city. I have
always been a large owner of real es-
tate. and have great faith In the future
of all Southern California, and l can
see no improperly in It, Even If I
owned all of the Porter ranch and all
of the San Fernando valley, there is
nothing in the laws of this state that
would forbid or prevent nv doing so
and at the same time faithfully per-
form my duties as water commissioner.
1--WE do not expect the water of the
owens river will be brought to the city
Of Los Angeles until long after the term
Of Office OF all the present water COM
missioners will expire.
: II beg to remain, very respectfully,
M II. SHERMAN
Get your Matted MIX be HoFliek's. Everybody
A nj nfafr