Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-05-16

derfuI, waterworks system In
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 five storage reser-
voirs, is 235 miles in length, and is
designed to carry a daily supply of
25S, 100000 gallons from the Sierra
Nevada mountains southwark 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 a 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
1906, and since 1908 an army of 5000
men have been steadily employed
night and day in its construction. On
the desolate and sun-scorched desert
the summer temperatures have
ranged as high as 120 degrees F. In
been to provide the men and animals
with food and water and proper ac-
commodations to withstand the china
tic conditions.
OF Various Forms
The Los Angeles Aqueduct, as 1t is
called, is Of various forms and de,
signs The first twenty-five miles Ne
unHned open canal, the following
thirty-eight miles Is an open ditch, and
the remainder is in covered concrete
conduit, tunnels, and concrete and
riveted steel siphons, the latter being
used to carry the water across deep
canyons, or valleys. More than fifty
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 a length of FIVE miles.
The system of four storage reservoirs
provides for the impoundins of fifty
billion gallons, which, at the rate of
the city's present daily consumption,
would be sufficient to supply the NUM-
cipality for three years.
Much of the work has been done
from five to thirty-five miles from any
railroad Preliminary to the construc-
ton of the aqueduct it was neces-
sary to build 800 miles of roads and
trails, four water systems with 100
miles of mains, three hydro-electric
power plants, telephone system $50
miles long, standard gauge steam
railroad 100 miles into the Mojave
desert, and a cement mill costing
$SI5,0Oe With the exception of one
small contract for nine miles of con-
QUITS and tunnels, the entire work
mas been done by the city.
The system is a gravity one through
out, the intake being at an elevation
Oh 1872 feet above sea-level, and the
elevation of Los Angeles being on an
average only 276 feet. The cost of
the ork has been $20,00O,O00, exclu-
sive Of any power development. By
impounding the flow of the aqueduct
at It's outlet during he rainy season
VIII be possible to deliver more
IMAM 30O,000.000 gallons daily during
IN which no rain falls. This is
much more than sufficient to meet the
uaily requirements OF the City OF
London. AS the City of Los Angeles
mas present population of only AGO.
VOO, and requires but $4,000, 900 gallons
daIly, the surplus aqueduct flow for a
long period Of years will be devoted
70 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
hyufo-electric energy. There is fall
VI l'Soo feet in the aqueduct forty
seven miles from the city, with the
possibility of developing 10000. 900
horsepower. OF this amount. 27,5oo
horsepower are now being developed
a. a cost OF $3,360,000. The power.
uouses will be ready for operation
%'1nin several months after the aoue-
uuee Is placed in operation, and their
output will be devoted to lighting the
IVY streets and boulevards. The
designer and constructor of this great
NOlA. which in point of magnitude
anAs as the third largest hydraulic
~OFh under way in the western hemis.
pnere, Is the City's Water Engineer.
al William Hulholland.
Inc accompanying picture gives a