Evening star., 1927-05-29
RANCHERS ATTACK
CITY AQUEDUCT
Dynamite Explosions Break
Los Angeles Main--"Shoot
to Kill" Ordered.
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES. May 2S.-Pros
poets of fighting in Owens Valley,
cockpit of the 20 years struggle over
water between the ranchers and the
city of Los Angeles, cast its shadow
over the situation there tonight.
AS a result of two dynamite ex-
plosions, each of which severely
damaged the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
main artery of the city's water sup
ply, within the last "a hours. expert
riflemen were ordered into the valley
with instructions to "shoot to KILL
any suspicious persons lettering near
the water course.
Hardly had the echoes from the
first blast near Little Lake. at the
south partial Of the valley, died away
against the cliffs of Mount Whitney.
tallest peak in the country. than the
word was flashed back from a city
water official in the valley at the
time. that 1.-The dynamiters are known
to u.s."
Will Employ Every Measure.
"Every measure within the bounds
of the city's authority will be en-
ployed," an official of the Bureau of
Water and Power said. Ito repulse
with deadly force any attempt to con-
tinue the present campaign of out
lawry."
The city will not call upon Gov.
c. c. Young for State troopers to in
wade the valley as at first decided,
however. Although the governor
said he would give serious considera-
ton to such request after the city s
;,1fa Grct onnnlInRpd OIL
cials later decided to invoke every
means within their authority before
calling for assistance.
Officials of Inyo County reported
little progress late today in efforts 10
apprehend the gang Of 10 armed,
but unmasked. men who set the hrst
charge of dynamite in No Name
Canyon yesterday morning. Ofnclals
of the water bureau here beheVeo
that the same band of men was re-
sponsible for the second blast, aoout
midnight last night. IS miles norIn
of No Name Canyon.
Steel Siphon Blown Up.
"A section of 420 feet of steel ST.
phon, which raises the water over
a range of mountains. was blown
out in the first explosion. Inc
armed men overpowered two Los
Angeles City guards, held them OH
with rifles and touched OF the piastG, L
When the liberated waters poured
ont into the valley word was flashed
tn the Haiwee reservoir to the north
and the head gates were closed.
A hundred men were rushed to NC
Name Canyon, IT'S miles nortn OF
here. and started the work OF repair
which was expected to consume two
weeks.
In the second blast. two charges OF
dynamite were set off simultaneously
under a steel penstock leading from
Big Pine Reservoir to Big Pinf
power house. Two sections, totalins
about 800 feet, were destroyed. The
water, which falls sharply from the
reservoir under 500 pounds pressure
rushed out over city property. wash
ing out a road and endangering the
power house itself.
Intense Excitement Results.
The two dynamite gestures have
caused intense excitement in the
principal towns Of the 10O-mile valley
lying between the two peaks of the
high Sierras and the brown hills OF
the desert. Ranchers came to towr
for their Saturday shopping. gathered
in little knots on street corners o
Big Pine. Lone Pine and Independence
and discussed the situation.
The explosions of yesterday ant
last night brought to four the times
that disgruntled elements in the val
ley have said it with dynamite" since
the water war began. Yelled threats
of such action have come out of the
valley from time to time. following
renewed demands of the city for repa
ration for alleged damage to lands
caused by diversion of the waters OF
Owens River into the aqueduct.