Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-29
MULHOLLAND ANSWERS QUESTIONS
OF DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE IN LETTER
TO AQUEDUCT ADVISORY BOARD
Right of Way Down County Road, Through San
Fernando Valley. Under Discussion, Is Left to
Generosity of Supervisors in Granting
Favorable Terms Years Hence

of the city government in large sums at vari-
GUS times of stress in the city's finances.
When 1t came to the purchase OF the
lands for the reservoirs 1t found that.
with the exception of two small parcels
which were bought at about the norma
market value of the lands. the owners or
the other portions required, which repre-
scented by far the largest acreage were I'D
eral in the terms offered by them to the
city. The allegation that large body OF
this land was purchased by certain partes
following the announcement OF the city
purpose to bring the owens river water here,
is not true as the land In question was IN
the possession of these parties for quite
long period before the owens river project
was even thought of.
1t needs little engineering knowledge
to understand that in the building or such a
structure as the adueduct or It's appurte
nances It is necessary to rigidly consider anu
follow the topography of the country, whetr-
er for the construction of the canal ltseH
or in the selection of the reservoir SITES
wholly disregardng whether the land neIohgs
to Jones' Brown or Robinson The condl-
lions In mountainous country In southern
California are arbitrary and the engineering
department took no congnizance OF lahu
ownership in selecting the route.
AS to the second proposition. why az the
same time the board of water commission
ers neglected to purchase those lands De
tween the San Fernando reservoirs and thls
city necessary for right of way2 The an
swer is that no such right of way was re-
quired, nor any lands. as the county poaru
offers almost a direct route from the reser-
yoirs to the headworks of the present water
works and It is not apprehended that the
county supervisors will be disposed 10 make
harsher terms with the city for the use OF
this road for the purpose of carrying pipe
line three years from now than at present
AS to the other matters contained IN TINS
same second proposition relating TO the OWL
ership of the reservoir lands etc" the
writer has no definite knowledge as such
knowledge has no bearing on the engineering
features of the aqueduct.
Question of Cost
As to the third proposition asking what
tho propable cost of conveying the water
from the San Fernando valley to this cry
will be- etc. 1t Is presumed this means wnde
the cost will be to connect the r .s .1tv
Estimates have been made for this work
The distance is about thirteen miles, anu .ie
fall Is such that a sixty-inch pipe VIII oe
liver about 115. 900, 900 gallons daily OF aoo1e
three times the present consumption OF this
city. The cost of such pipe, laid comPlels
would be- even II 1t were all steel, ABOUT
$3.50. 900. II IS possible. however. 10 I'm
struct more than half OF this line OF rem
forced concrete which would reduce the COST
to about s400. 000 a sum which can reauiy
be set aside from the water revenue tuno II,
the two years preceding the complexion OF
the aoueduct On this point 1t may pc salo
here that had half the quantty Oh
water which the aqueduct will denver peen
available at the head OF the san r hnnn an
issue of bonds made TO cover the cost OF
bringing 1t here, as the water department
would have readily undertaken inc proDien'
of its conveyance to the city.
The writer will not undertake TO answer
the fourth proposition regarding the per
sonnet of the board of water commissioners
or any other board OF the city of Los An
geles as it is not engineering function.
and as to the enhancement of the value OF
the land 1t is the devout wish and nope OF
the writer that every acre OF land, whether
irrigated or not. and every foot OF real
property within the city will be enhanced in
the manner seemingly deplored In the com
nunication In fact it may be said that
this was one OF the primary purposes OF the
aoueduct and It was with the hope OF adding
10 the general prosperity of the country that
the people so nearly unanimously ratified the
project. $500.
At the proper time means will no doubt be
devised for properly adjusting the manner
of equitably assessing the direct benehciar-
les but as this is purely business matter
there is no occasion for Its discussion here
Very respectfully,
(Sgned) VIM MuLHOLLAND,
Chief Engineer.