Evening star., 1928-03-15
ENGINEER BLAMES
COLLAPSE OF DAM
ON BIG LANDSLIDE

Continued from First Page)
and giving medical attention when
needed.
jess H. Stevens. city attorney of Los
| Angeles. in launching an inquiry into
the breaking of the dam, said:
IF, after a complete investigation, 1t
| appears that the city is liable for dam
ages, the situation will be met in a fair
manner, having in mind both the in
terests Of the people who have been
directly visited with this caamity and
the taxpayers OF Los Angeles"
Officials of the Los Angeles Water
and Power Bureau reiterated that. de-
spite the emptying OF the st. Francis
reservoir. the city'S supply of water
would be adequate to meet all needs.
While the bodies of nearly 200 valley
residents lay in improvised morgucs and
300 or more still remained unaccounted
for, the issue of responsibility for the
disaster was thrust into the foreground
when rehabilitation committees charged
that the southern California metropolis
has usurped the water rights of the val
ley in building st. Francis dam.
DR.. D. w. Mott. former State Senator
from Santa Paula, informed Gov. c. G.
Young that the responsibility Is tnat
Of selfish city that took the water be-
longing 10 u.s." Mott said his opinion
ton put by the chief executive, who had
asked for an opinion on responsibility
for the disaster.
G. G. league, chairman OF the Santa
Clara Valley committee. in an address,
said: I'VE want Los Angeles TO know
that II has taken millions from u.s.
The city of Los Angeles will try 10
minimize the damage and prove that
we are not entitled to anything" league
continued. we probably will have TO
appeal TO the courts"
Inquests Ordered.
Inquests we're ordered started at Fill
more. Moorpark, Santa Paula and OK
nard today. Gov. Young sigaified his
intention OF launching a State investi-
CATION and the State railroad commits
sion announced plans for quiz. A
committee Of IL Ventura County citi-
| zens was chosen by the board of super
Tisors 10 determine the extent OF dam
age In the county.
Meanwhile, opinion was expressed by
several persons In the stricken area that
the 300 still unaccounted for had been
buried forever In the miles Of yellow
silt deposited by the escaping waters as
they rolled toward the Pacific. Hope
vas maintained IN some quarters tha:
many OF these had left the canyon and
valley on warnings and were safe.
1t appeared improbable that all of
those still buried in the silt would be
recovered because Of its depth It !s
nearly 80 feet deep in some places. and
the tangled wreckage embedded in the
quagmire has made digging for bodies
most difficult operation.
Shattered communications and a
mld-bound countryside, making stran2-
! crs Of towns that formerly we're neigh
| bors. rendered impossible the positive
checking Of bodies moved from one
nlorgue 10 another.
List Of Dead Compiled.
| The tentative list Of bodies IN morgues
/ compiled today from official and semi
| Ofticlal sources, showed total Of 1871
divided as follows:
| EeWhail. So; Santa Paula. AZ: Fill
! more, 40; Ventura, IA Castaic, IL: OK
nard, 3; Bakersfield. q. Total, 1871.
| In number OF instances only one
| member u a family of five or more had
| reported alive, and SHarcherg for the
| missing argued that the natural instinct
| 81 family groups 10 fetinite would have
| accounted for Sc0reS of such before now
! II those on the rolls 0f the missing
! were alive.
A. burning sun and dry wind from
the low barren hills W the east seemed
/ " have bleached out the miles ant