Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-07
ASK CHARTER CHANGES TO
HANDLE WATER SURPLUS
To Empower Council to Distribute
Owens River Flow

At a meeting of the Federated I'M
proVement association last night in
the assembly rooms of the Chamber of
Commerce building a resolution was
adopted affecting the disposal of the
surplus water from the owens river
and an amendment to the city charter
drafted which will be presented to the
city council for adoption. 1t calls for
the adding of a new section to ar
ticle IS, to be called section 193a.
Judge c. f. McNutt, in an address
before the association, advised the en-
largment of the city charter and the
expansion of the powers of the city
council.
The amendment offered reads "It
shall be unlawful for the city of Los
Angeles, through the city council or
through any of its departments, of1-
GERS, or otherwise, to sell, convey
transfer, mortgage or lease the whole
or any part of the water system,
canals, reservoirs, pipe lines, water
water rights, water power, electric
plants, electric lines, electricity, elec-
trio power or any property used in
connection Herewith, now or hereafter
owned, held or possessed by the city
of Los Angeles, unless first authorized
thereunto by a two-thirds vote OF the
voters of said city, voting at any cleo
ton at which such matters shall have
first been submitted. Provided, that 1t
shall be lawful to furnish and dis
tribute water, water power, electricity
or electric power, in the manner here
matter provided in this section and
not otherwise"
RATES SET EACH YEAR
"All water, water power, electric
power and electricity now or hereafter
owned, held or possessed by the city
of Los Angeles and it's inhabitants so
far as required from time to time,
and the surplus not required in the
city shall be distributed for territory,
municipalities and persons outside OF
such city, and the whole thereof,
whether furnished or distributed with
in or without the city, shall be so fur
nished and distributed under the
schedules of rates established yearly
in the month of February of each year,
by ordinance of the city council. Such
schedules of rates shall be of UNIFORM
operation as near as may be, and shall
be fair and just, taking into CONSIDER
alton the value of the plant, Its cost
price, the expenses of maintenance,
operation and depreciation, quantity
delivered and value of the service; pro-
yided, however, that such schedule
rates to be paid by the outside users
of such water, water power, electricity
or electric power, shall never be less
than those charged the city of Los
Angeles and the inhabitants thereof,
for the same or similar uses.
1.-THE city of Los Angeles. as now or
hereafter constituted by increase IN
population, by addition of territory or
bv consolidation with contiguous mu-
inequalities, shall perpetually have
from year to year the paramount right
to take and distribute for the use OF
said city and the inhabitants thereot
all or any of the said water, water
power. electric power and electricity,
as may be determined by the city
council, and all such furnishings and
distribution of water, water power
electric power and electricity to ter
ritories, municipalities and to persons
outside Of the boundaries of the city
of Los Angeles shall at all times be
subject to such paramount rlght OF
tbe citv of Los Angeles, and under
such schedules of rates fixed from year
to year."