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274         HISTORY  OF  LOS  ANGELES  COU  TY

               unfathomed  basin  of  Owens  Lake,  from  which  today  there  is  no 'known
               outlet.
                  In  these  statements concerning the  Owens  River  Aqueduct,  I  wish  to
               say that  I  am quoting  freely,  and  frequently  verbatim,  from  c1,uthoritative
               published documents.
                  Fred  Eaton was convinced  from  long and  careful study  of  the  Owens
               River waters and the geological  formations hedging it in, that the obstacles
               standing in the way of  making the  old  river  available  as  far  south  as  the
               San Fernando Range, near Los Angeles, could be easily overcome by means
               of tunnels  and siphons,  and thus be  delivered to  the  City  of  Los  Angeles.
               He was  also  convinced  that the  project,  if  carried  to  a  conclusion,  would
               develop electrical power of immense capacity.
                  Permeated to the very soul with this great dream,  Fred Eaton came on
               a fateful day to Los Angeles, and unfolded his vision to the devoted officials
               in whose hands the destinies of the city were then entrusted.
                  Eaton submitted his  idea  in the  greatest  secrecy.  His  consuming  fear
               was that his great dream might become publicly known with the. result that
               private  commercial interests would  seize  upon it,  and that the city-which
               meant all its people-would lose forever the one supreme opportunity which
               was its salvation.
                  Wherefore, with  the utmost stealth,  and  as  men going  forth  on a  pro-
               found  secret mission,  the discovery of  which would  spell  disaster,  the  city
               sent its engineers to  examine into the whole  project.  And when the engi-
               neers. had reported the  project to  be  entirely  feasible,  the  Board of  Water
               Commissioners secretly acquired all the necessary options on land and water
               rights to safeguard the project from every conceivable angle.
                  The  engineers  estimated  that  to  build  the  aqueduct  an  expenditure  of
               $23,000,000 would be necessary.  The tremendous cost, almost unparalleled
               in the history of American municipalities, and the boldness of the project-
               bolder  than  British dreams  of  Egypt-did  not  for  a  moment  dismay  the
               Los Angeles city officials.  The officials  knew their people-a people brave
               to do, and long used to big achievement.  And they laid the  project before
               the people  with the utmost confidence as  to  what the answer of the people
               would be.
                  I  well  remember  that  great  morning  in  the  month  of  July  when  this
               thrilling dream of the Owens River  for  Los Angeles was  first  made public
               in  the  columns  of  The  Times,  where  it  was  published  exclusively ..  The
               announcement  sent  a  wild  thrill  through  the whole population.  And  no
               wonder.  Here  was  deliverance  and  salvation.  It  was  like  that  time  in
               Canaan when Joseph's  brethren came back from  Egypt laden with corn to
              succor  their  famine-stricken  homes.
                  I  think it is  safe to say that upon the first  announcement  of  this  great
              news there were no discordant voices in the acclamations of joy with which
              · it was  received.  It is  true  that  later  on  the  project  was  bitterly  assailed
               from  various  sources  and  by  various  selfish  interests.  Even  to  this  day,
              indeed,  there  are  to  be  found  those  who  will  say  that  the  Owens  River
              Aqueduct  constituted  an  extravagant  and  useless  expenditure  of  the
              people's  money.  There  are  those  who  say  that  a  sufficient  water  supply
              could  have  been  secured  nearer  at  hand  and  at  one-tenth  of  the  expense
              of  the  aqueduct.  But  these  carping  criticisms  are  so  childishly  founded
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