From the Los Angeles Herald, April 8, 1903

DRINKING WATER BETTER

VAST IMPROVEMENT MADE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS
Board of Health Recommends Erection of a Detention Hospital for Patients With Contagious Diseases

According to a report made by Dr. L.M. Powers to the board of health last night, the condition of the drinking water of Los Angeles has greatly improved in the past four years.

 He said that inspections of the source of the supply were begun over four years ago [when there were] . . . as high as 5,200 colonies of bacteria, more or less harmful, in each cubic centimeter of water. . . .

Up near the sources of the river [in the San Fernando Valley] were found large numbers of cattle pastured adjacent to the river. In addition, a herd of swine was found wallowing in the shallows, and in several places the officers found places where — to put it delicately — the cattle had entered the river and never walked out again.

. . . after a year or two of hard and disagreeable work, the health officers succeeded in clearing the headwaters of the city’s supply so that they were fairly decent. . . .

. . . tests reported last evening show that at present there are only about 1,600 colonies to the cubic centimeter. . . .

Statistics were also given showing the composition of the water, and a statement was made to the effect that boiling rather increases than lessens the danger from germs that exists since, although cooking kills the germs, it so changes the chemical properties of the water as to make their composition more dangerous than the presence of the germs.

. . . the water commission has already arranged for the immediate erection of filtering galleries at the head works which will completely filter every drop of water.

Plans for the proposed contagious hospital were presented by the building committee. . . . They provide for the erection of four main buildings to be used as wards, each to be divided into two sections, for the accommodation of male and female patients . . . The architect estimated the cost for the building and furnishing of the hospital, as planned, at about $25,000. . . .

Nineteen cases were reported where the collectors of garbage passed without stopping.

A report was made showing that 624 rats have been killed during the last two weeks, and demands were passed calling for the payment of bounties for that number amounting to $15.60.

  • For a map of the Los Angeles River system, click here.
  • For a story about the rat bounty, click here.

Click on the ad for a better look at the text.

Advertisement from the Los Angeles Herald,
April 7, 1903

From the Los Angeles Herald, April 8, 1903

POLICE MUST QUIT POLITICS

Mayor Talks Earnestly at Quarterly Review of Force

Mayor Snyder talked like an uncle to the policemen yesterday when he had them lined up in the assembly hall at the police station after the quarterly inspection by the police board.

First, the mayor told the peace guardians that they must exercise themselves to keep the peace, or they would not keep their jobs, for politics and the police board have issued a decree of divorce, and never more will they inhabit the police station or stroll over the beats arm in arm as has been the wont for many years.

Civil service, the mayor said, will be observed in the selection of men for the police force. Once they are on, their own merits, their energies and their pluck — and nothing else — will keep them on the force.

“No political pull will help you from this time forward,” earnestly declared Mayor Snyder.

[The mayor told the officers that they must not] act the part of a masher.

“Don’t think that you may go out and stroll the streets, strutting proudly before the ladies in the hope that some of them will notice your sturdy figure and natty uniform” was one of his cautions. . . .

The parade and review was witnessed by a large number of people. Of course, it was very plain that the policemen are not used to marching, and the officers of the force are not up in military tactics; but they did the best they could. . . .

From the Los Angeles Herald, April 9, 1903
FRUIT SYNDICATE BANQUET

An informal banquet was given in the private dining room of the Van Nuys hotel on Tuesday evening in honor of the following named capitalists from Seattle and Everett, Wash., and St. Louis, Mo., who are connected with the recently incorporated California fruit syndicate:

W.H. Parry, president of the syndicate, of Seattle; A.H. Jordan, general manager of the Everett Pulp and Paper company . . . ; E.C. Tyler, . . . R.B. Simmons, . . . A.S. Taylor and A.J. Agnew . . . and E.F. Conenwett, local manager of the syndicate. . . . [could be Cronenwett, the more common spelling].

For notes on this story, click here.
From the Los Angeles Herald, April 9, 1903

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

POSITION OFFERED TO REV. DR. GEORGE F. BOVARD

Unless the unexpected happens, Presiding Elder George F. Bovard will be president of the University of Southern California two weeks from today.

At the executive meeting of the board of trustees of the university held yesterday at Simpson auditorium, the position was tendered him, and he was given two weeks in which to consider the proposition.

The position carries with it authority over the following colleges in the university:

  • College of liberal arts, preparatory school, college of music and college of oratory, all situated in the southwestern part of the city.
  • College of law and college of dentistry, downtown.
  • College of medicine on Buena Vista Street [now North Broadway].
  • College of art at Garvanza.

These schools have an enrollment of about 500 students and a faculty of almost a hundred.

The position has been vacant since Dr. George White resigned some years ago, but each of the schools has been managed by its respective dean. The college of liberal arts, commonly known as “the university,” has for two years been under the supervision of Dean William T. Randall, formerly of Chaffey Preparatory School. . . .

“From its earliest days, a USC education has been a family tradition. Among the members of its first graduating class in 1884 was George Finley Bovard, the brother of its first president, Marion McKinley Bovard. George F. Bovard went on to become USC’s fourth president, in 1903. ” For more about USC families, click here.

The Advertisement

Richly Trimmed Easter Hats. Triumphs of the milliner’s art. Some daringly French in conception and working out; others with all the dash and brilliancy of the Parisian creations, but more becoming to the average American woman. These are from New York’s foremost milliners. The price-range is from $5 to $25.

Surprisingly Beautiful Creations at $5 and $10. There’s no gauge of a millinery store’s resources like its line of medium priced hats. If THEY are stylish, well-made, fresh and varied, it is safe to infer that the more costly ones will be all that could be desired. The Marvel’s $5 and $10 hats are designed by skilled trimmers — and they show it; only materials of good quality are used; and finally, every hat is different from every other, so that your hat is your own — you will not meet with duplicates on every corner.

Marvel Millinery. Largest Millinery Establishment in Southern California. Double Store, 241-243 S. Broadway.

Notes on the Fruit Syndicate story

Will H. Parry had been the first Comptroller to also serve as City Clerk following adoption of the 1896 Seattle City Charter. He was a member of the Seattle City Council between 1900 and 1904. From Seattle Municipal Archives.

Everett Pulp and Paper Co. was later acquired by Simpson Logging Co.

The illustration is one of the dining rooms at the Van Nuys Hotel on Main Street, from Brent C. Dickerson’s fine Web site, A Visit to Old Los Angeles.
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