El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-01

reservoirs. These, conserving the sold
en- flood during the time OF winter
rains, when there is least demand, will
assure a withdrawal of more than $780,.
100000 gallons daily during the five
months of the hot. dry summer season.
than half of the aqueduct'S capacity
can be devoted to irrigation for a very
long term of years.
In the San Fernando valley and
spreading out directly beneath the two
great reservoirs, government reports
show that there are from $4,000 to 49,
900 acres of fertile lands which can
be made highly productive if water
can be brought to them. IN the San
Gabriel the Cahuenga, and other val
leys. this area is increased to more
than 100000 acres-an area furnishing
a market for larger amount of water
than the city will have for sale for ir-
rigation purposes This several hun
dred square miles of territory, which
for years has been included in a few
great ranches. each comprising thou
sands of acres, is being broken up into
small ranches averaging not more than
40 acres, in anticipation of the coming
of waters.
These ranches five years ago could
have been purchased a from $40 to $40
an acre, which is the average value of
lands having no prospect of water. To-
day they are being sold in the San Fer
nando valley at prices ranging from
$50 to $500 an acre Under irrigation
and with citrus orchards in bearing,
they will command prices ranging from
$1,000 to $500 an acre, which in the
citrus fruit belt is considered an aver
age price
The increase in the value of these
lands has been brought about solely
through the city's construction of the
aqueduct
Power Possibilities.
The discussion of electric power pos
sibilities has been left for the last for
the reason that it deals with revenues
and possibilities of civic greatness
which are larger than those of either
domestic use or irrigation. N
The total output of electric energy
in a report made March 4, 1910, by
three of the foremost electrical engin-
GERS in the United, States, is placed at
10000 horse power peak. load. OF this
amount, $4,000 horse power can be de-
veloped within so miles of Los Ange-
les. April 10, 1910, a bond issue of
sS,50O,0OO was voted by large majori-
ty for the purpose of partially develop
ing this large source of income, esti-
mated at $4,000 porse power. The hy-
dro-electTic plants are TO be construct
ed and ready for operation at the same
time that the aqueduct is opened to
the flow of the Owens river
The present consumption of power
for all purposes in the entire county of
Los Angeles is estimated as not exceed
ing $4,000 horse power, of which $1,000
horse power is consumed within Los
Angeles city. 1t will require a long Sc
ries of years to find a market for such
a large amount of power as the city
has at it's back, and this is recognized
by the development of only a fraction
of the possible output just at this time.
e. F.. Scattergood, the auueduct's
chief electrical engineer, prepared esti-
mates in 1906 for the DEVELOPMENT of
81 600 horse power at a total cost of
S4,490, 900, the power to be delivered at
the city's gates. With the sale of DOW
er figured at the low wholesale rate of
eight-tenths cents per kilowatt hour,
on a so percent load basis, and account
ing for all costs of operation, mainten-
ance, interest on bonds, sinking fund,
and depreciation of plant, he placed the
net annual revenue at $1,4O6,00
Repay Whole Cost in 20 Years.
Mr.. Mulholland, in a public utterance
on this subject, said: L believe that the
people have in the possible power de-
velopment from the aqueduct an in
vestment which 20 years hence will
turn back into the city treasury the
entire $24,500,000 provided for the con-
stroction of the aqueduct, with inter
est" His declaration is borne out by
the hydraulic and electrical engineers
who have been called upon to examine
the plans and estimates