The Springfield herald., 1913-05-16

mAuy I08V6Ct3 luo kuOoS WOo-
derful. waterworks system In
w the world will be completed
and placed in operation in the
course Of this month by the City OF
Los Angeles. Cal. The Aqueduct.
with its system of flve storage reser-
voirs. 10 235 miles In length. and is
designed to carry . daily supply OF
7b8.000,000 gallons from the Sierra
Nevada mountains southward across
the great Mojave desert, under the
Sierra Madre range and. into the San
Fernando valley. twenty-five miles
northwest of the city. From here the
water needed for domestic consump-
ton will be carried In six-foot steel
pipe Into, the city's present distribu-
ton mains. The system comprises the
longest aqueduct in the world
The project was inaugurated In
1905. and since 1908 an army Of 5000
men have beer. steadily employed
night and day In its construction. On
the desolate and sun-scorched desert
the summer temperatures have
ranged as high ~ 120 degrees +. In
fact one Of the great problems has
been to provide the men and animals
commodations to Withstand the clima-
tic conditions.
OF Various Forms.
Tho Los Angeles Aqueduct. as 1t il
called, 10 of various forms and de-
signs. The first twenty-five miles IL
unlined open canal. the following
thirty-eight miles IL an open ditch. and
the remainder 10 in covered concrete
conduit. tunnels. and concrete and
nveted steel siphons. the latter being
used to carry the water across deep
canyons. or valleys More than nifty
three miles of the aqueduct is COM
posed Of tunnels driven through solid
grarite. the longest being the Eliza
beth tunnel, under the Sierra Madre
mountains. with length Of nve miles-
The system Of four storage reservoirs
provides for the impoundinx OF nifty
billion gallons. which. at the rata Of
the city's present daily consumption,
would be SUFFICIENT to supply the muni-
cipality for three years.
Much Of the work has been done
from fve to thirty-fve miles from any
railroad Preliminary TO the construc-
ton of the aqueduct II was neces-
sary to build $50 miles Of roads and
trails. four water systems with 100
miles Of mains, three hydro-electric
power plants, telephone system $50
miles lcng. . standard gauge steam
railroad 110 miles into the Aojave
desert, and . cement mill costing
$875.0o0. With the exception Of one
small contract for nine miles of con-
duits and tunnels, the entire work
has been done BY the city.
The system II gravity one through
out. the intake being at an elevation
elevation Of Los Angeles being ON IN
average only 376 feet The cost Of
the work has been $4,000. 900. exclu-
sive Of any power development BY
impoundins the now Of the aqueduct
At its outlet during he rainy season
It will be possible to deliver more
than 800. on. 900 gallons daily during
the dry season-April is to October is
I'm which NO rain falls. This 10
much more than sufhcient to meet the
daily requirements Of the City Of
London. Az the City OF Los Angeles
has q present population of only 400.-
600, and requires but 81. 900. 900 gallons
daily. tho surplus aqueduct dow for q
long period Of years will be devoted
to the irrigation OF $4,000 acres of
orange and lemon lands adjacent to
the city.
Chief Features.
One of the chief features of the
enterprise Is in the generation of
hydro-electric energy. There IL q fall
of 1900 feet In the aqueduct forty
seven miles from the city. with the
possibility Of developing 10000, 900