Letter from T. P. Cullen (Los Angeles) to R. E. Wells (Los Angeles), April 28, 1911

(COPY) Los Angeles, April 28, 1911. Mr. R. E. Wells, General Manager, Los Angeles. Dear Sir:- Replying to your letters of March 13rd and April 18th, with reference to Form 30, 597, for concrete pipe between springs and reservoir at Las Vegas. Mr. Jessup advises me that he has furnished Dr. Cochran sample of water from city hydrants at Las Vegas to enable him to take analysis and that he will continue to send samples of water from the springs and from the hydrants periodically, as instructed. With reference to including in the fern an item covering proposed erection of house over the springs; this does not appear to hays been authorized, but Mr. Jessup outlines the reason for thus en- closing the springs in his letter of April 27th to me, which I quote below: "In regard to the matter of leaving off form 30 the covering "for the spring at the source of the water supply, I believe "it would be a mistake to do this. While probably no one would "claim the sunshine alone would damage the water for domestic "use, yet the sunshine and air is what causae the algae and "various ferns of vegetable and animal matter to germinate and "grow. These results of sunshine and air in turn become "deleterious. The same reason for having the water conducted "from the reservoir at t e spring in the closed concrete "pipe to the pint of delivery in the town a plies to having the reservoir at the spring well enclosed in order to keep out "sunshine and air that cause the various obnoxious growths above "referred to, and for the additional reason that the contamina- "tion of various kinds can reach the water in an open pool or "reservoir that it would be impossible to do so if the water "flowed from the fissures of the rocks in the earth direct into "the pipes without coming into the open air. Aside from this "it will keep tramps and in fact people who claim to be civil- "ized free using the pool for bathing purposes, as they are "frequently found doing in the summer time. The small additional "cost to enclose the small basin around the spring to prevent "the various contaminations referred to, it seems to me, is very "small compared with the benefit that will enure from having the "water delivered to the consumer at the city hydrants without ever "seeing the air." I agree fully with Mr. Jessup in this matter and recommend that the item be allowed to stand. If you wish it eliminated, however, I will arrange to do so. Respectfully, (Signed) T.P.CULLEN Superintendent.