Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1921-06-06
Los ANGELES
GRABS FOR
ELECTRIC;
POWER
City of. Angels Trying to Hog
All Possible Hydro Elec-
trio Sites in Southern Part
of State.

'The suit of the City of Los An
geles against the Southern 5ierras
Power company in thefFederal court
at San francisco, to condemn the
Adams Power plant in Owens River
gorge, which was completed this
spring by the Southern Sierras, is a
part of the Los Angeles plan to con-
troll the power situation =, the south
half of the state for its own aggran-
dizment," said District Manager E. W.
July this morning in comment on the
Geographic news story announcing the
opening of the trial.
The Los Angeles plan, according to
Mr.. Judy, aims at the creation of a
municipal monopoly for Los Angeles
of all the available hydro electric pow
er, developed or undeveloped that can
be secured within the state, down to
and including the Colorado river.
at is recognized that the future
growth of California, industrial and
agricultural, depends primarily on by
dro-electric power. If control of this
can be vested in one city, that city
will dictate the industrial and agricul-
tural Developments in the entire area
affected Not being under jurisdiction
/ of the state railroad commission, it
can fix rates to favored industries far
below costs, constituting a subsidy to
them, and charging the loss off to the
! general taxpayer, under forms that
conceal the true noture of the eXpen-
| diture.
"Los Angeles has filed on power
sitse up and down the state, aggre-
eating a million and a quarter theo-
retiCal horsepower.
"Outside those sources of hydro
power, Los Angeles is seeking to con-
troll, the increasing demand of agri-
culture and industry can be met for
possibly five years to come. After
that, all growth, agricultural and in
dustrial, must proceed only in con-
formity with such terms as Los An
geles chooses to impose.
This means, under the terms Oh her
charter, that no one outside Los An
geles can be served with the power
under her absolute control, until hen
own needs have been supplied Then il
is entirely optional with Los Angeles
to serve outsiders or not, as policy and
convenience may dictate. 1t also
means that she can soak the outsider
all the traffic will bear for the benefit
of her own crowd.
"Los Angeles has outgrown hen
present machinery for looking after
such vital and domestic needs as fire
and police protection, housing of hel
officials, criminals and library. Yet
the city is attempting to assume res
possibility for power developments
that must run far into the millions
; annually for the next 20 years if the
back country is to grow and progress,
at the present rate.
"The city will be under no legal OBJ
legation, to make these developments
When her own needs are supplied, anC
she has a strangle- hold on the future
through having sewed-up these powe
sites to which she has advanced he
claim, what are the probabilities tina
, she will make these outside develop
ments as they are needed-not by her
but by the hack country?
/, "Of 245,0t Dotentional horsepowe
controlled by Los Angeles along tn
{ Aqueduct, under the act of 1906, sh
developed up to last year 10000 horse
: power, or "a per cent in IA years. o
{ the total horsepower controlled o
filed on by Los Angeles to 1921, les
t than 5 per cent is developed.
> as it safe to permit Los Angeles
: with this record of admitted inabilit
= to look after her own domestic an
t legitimate needs, to become the ire
| sponsible custodian of practically al
: the remaining undeveloped hydro elec
trio power in Southeastern Califor
-lnia?
"The suit brought for condemnatio
of the Adams Plant, on which tn
Southern Sierras have already expenC
. cd approximately million dollar.
t and which is now serving the mumc