Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-24
NEW Committeeman TO
HANDLE WATER PROBLEM
PaSadena's Tangled Question Is
Worrying Many Citizens Who
Want a Greater Supply

PASADENA, Aug. 24.--"Come on in,
the waters fine" is the cry of many
Pasadenans who seem determined to
keep the water question before the peo-
pie until something comes Of the
proposition of acquiring more water
for the anticipated growth of the
y Crown city. Old settlers here claim
that the matter has been before the
citizens in one form or another for the
last twenty years. Some Of the new
comers claim that they never saw
question with so many sides to it. Here
is the situation as it seems to sum up
at present:
The directors of the board of trade
have rescinded their former action in
appointing a committee of twenty-five,
including the seven directors, to In
voice the property of the existing
plants with the idea of asking the city
council to call the fourth bond election
for the purpose Of buying the plants
A new committee of twenty-five citi-
zens has been authorized, exclusive of
board of trade directors, and with
free rein, to recommend any plan which
will secure for the city a more ade-
quate supply of water This is con-
strued to mean by purchase of owens
river water, by consolidation of the
local plants into one public service cor
poration to be regulated by ordinance,
or the purchase Of the plants by the
city.
The Pasadena Civic association, com
posed principally of members who have
openly opposed the purchase Of the
local plants at the price asked, still
adheres to its platform of acquiring
Owens river water even If consollda-
tion with Los Angeles is necessary.
Their letter to the Los Angeles city
council asking upon what terms the
water can be purchased remains un-
answered.
COUNCIIATEN'S PLANS
John Kernaghan and Judge II. w.
Magee, who constitute committee ap-
pointed by the city council to look into
the water question and who advanced
the plan Of bringing about the consoli-
dation Of the existing plants, by public
sentiment or otherwise, which plan was
unanimously adopted by the council,
insist that their scheme is the most
feasible of all.
With those and divers other phases
of the situation to consider, President
Geohegan of the board of trade seems
to be at sea as to who to appoint on
the board of trade water committee.
He stated last evening that no appoint
ments will be announced for several
days President Geohegan interprets
the action of the directors in forming
a new committee to mean that the
eighteen men who were appointed on
the former committee will be expected
to "stick" and that the only appoint
ments necessary will be seven men to
replace the directors on the committee
and such others as are necessary to
fill vacancies.
Judge EIagee. who declined service on
the first appointed committee says he
may accept a position on the reorEan-
ized committee, but will put Off his
decision for a day or two. George
Kernaghan, who also refused service
before. states that he will decide in
few days as to the new committee.
Edmund Barry says he sees no reason
to reconsider his withdrawal from the
former committee
CITIZENS COMPLAINING
In the meantime residents Of Linda
Vista are sending in complaints Of poor
service and scarcity of water; fourteen
citizens Of North Pasadena protested
to the city council against the charges
Of the North Pasadena Land and Water
company and are talking Of getting an
injunction to prohibit the company
from charging what they claim are
exorbitant rates. Fire Chief Clifford
has been instructed by the city council
to Investigate the alleged scarcity Of
water on the north side and the suit
Oh LuO NlIlLSlS 1Geb6 GG eSetlll9L NllS C'L-
tonwood Canyon Water company and
the North Pasadena company is in the
superior court.
A number of leading citizens, includ-
ing some Of the board of trade direc-
tors, claim that there IS enough water
in the mountains around Pasadena to
supply a city twice its size if the COM
panies would get together and develop
it. Others claim that all the available
supply IS being utilized.