Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1913-05-16

"a 81 derful, waterWorks system in
~ the W I'd 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 daily supply Of
Z58,OOO,000 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
1905, 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
fact, one of the great problems has
been to provide the men and animals
with food and wafer and proper ac-
commodations to withstand the china.
tic conditions.
Of Various Forms
The Los Angeles Aqueduct, as it is
called, Is OF various forms and de-
signs. The first twenty-five miles is
unlined 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
granite, the longest being the Eliza
beth tunnel, under the Sierra Madre
mountains, with length Of five miles.
The system of four storage reservoirs
provides for the impoundins OF fifty
billion gallons, which, at the rate or
the clty'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-tive miles from any
railroad. Preliminary to the construc-
fion of the aqueduct 1t was neces-
sary to build 800 miles of roads and
trails. four water systems with 100
miles of mains, three hydro-electric
power plants, a telephone system 800
miles long, Standard gauge steam
railroad 100 miles into the Mojave
desert. and a cement mill costing
S875.0O0. 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 is a gravity one through
ont. the intake being at an elevation
of ASH feet above sea-level, and the
elevation of Los Angeles being on an
average only 276 feet. The cost OF
the work has been $20,00O,0O0. eXciu-
sive of any power development. by
impounding the flow of the aqueduct
at its outlet during he rainy season
It will be possible TO deliver more
than S0O.000.000 gallons daily during
tho drv season-April Is to October 10
in which no rain falls. This Is
nuch more than sufficient TO meet TIE
daily requirements of the CITY OF
London. AS the City of Los Angeles
has a present population or only 4oo'-
moo and requires but 50,0Oo,000 gallons
daily the surplus aqueduct flow Tor
long period of years will be devoted
m the irrigation of $4,000 acres OF
orange and lemon lands adjacent 10
the city.
Chief Features.
Ora of the chief features OF the
.r+arnrise is in the generation or
hvdro-electric energy. There is fail
Of 1900 feet in the aQueduct lorty-
aavan miles from the city, with the
possibility of developing 12o,oo0'Ooo
Sorsa-nower. or this amount, $1,000
horse-power are now being developed
- cost of s3,36o,000. The power
houses will be ready for operation
n,itbin seyersl months after the aQue-
Suct ia placed in operation. and their
outnut will be devoted to lighting the
o;.v,s streets and boulevards. The
fastener and constructor OF this great
~Sort which in point OF magnitude
~apks as the third largest hydrauiic
work under way In the western nemis-
nhere. is the City's water hnsihee''
AR William Hulholiand.
THE accompanying picture gives