Page 10 - ladwp_kinsey1932

faithfully to serve the town until, at last, the increasing
needs of a growing city exceeded its limited supply.
To the casual observer, it is true, the river, except in
flood time, appears to be in a chronic state of aridity.
This is because much of its water flows through the
gravel beneath the surface of the stream l bed. This
peculiar characteristic of the Los Angeles River makes it
all the more valuable as a domestic water source, for
the reason that its water, while being purified through
natural filtration channels, is protected also from surface
contamination.
From the date of its establishment as a rude Spanish
village, Los Angeles operated its water distributing system
under community ownership until 1865. In that year,
the town council decided to lease the municipal system
to a private operator, ana' again, in 1868, turned over
the City's water works for a period of thirty years to a
privately owned concern, later known as the City Water
Company.
In 1898, the 30-year period having elapsed, the City
sought to regain its water system. After four years of
negotiations and litigation, the City purchased the private
company's distributing lines and equipment, in 1902, for
$2,000,000, and immediately put into effect a 63 per cent
reduction in domestic rates.
The Los Angeles River, under normal conditions, was
capable of supplying the ne,eds of 250,000 people. By
1905 the city's population had reached and passed the
160,000 mark, and was continuing to grow at an amaz-
ing rate. Then came a series of dry years; the river
barely was able to meet the city's present needs, much
less provide for future growth.
8