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Japs To Make New Homes In Owens ValleyBy Richard S, Strobel (IV UK* World l'eniuri*«)Th OfsOlfcColecoeareveblu• Mnnzanav, Cnllf., March 22.—A new chapter In llio turbulent history of Owens Valley, which al-ready includes one of Iho west’s greatest earthquakes mid its most acrimonious dispute over water, Is being written 4115 a result of tho government's ileel3Ion lo move all Jnpanose, alienb and citizens alike, from coastal areas,Tho v alley, over prole sis of Its residents and the city of Txjs Angeles, 210 miles to the south, was selected hr the site of tho first reception center for tho evacuated Japanese. As rapidly as community bn lid! lies arc constructed, they are being occupied by tho evacuees.Owen a valley residents didn't want Iho Japanese for the samo reason other western communities nra reluctant to accept them—they feared the occupation would become permanent.Lon Angeles1 protest wus raised from anxiety over much of Its water supply* brought from’ the valley lo the city by a great aqueduct. Tho clly hntl so much .trouble building uiiil maintaining the aqueduct thru a long series of .court battles and dynaniltlngs It doesn't want anything to happen to It now..Lieut. Gen, John Ij, Dewitt, chief of Ihe western defense command, reassured tho city the army would be aldo to protect It. In fact he’s now got them assisting the evacuees hi their new slnrl In life. But when the story of this mass migration finally Is written, It will lmve to be an exciting one to compete with those of the valley’s-past.. Tho earthquake of 1372, .most violent b .t not the most costly in I he west's recorded Ids lory, demolished DO per.cent of the buildings and houses In tho valley, killed S5 persons .and opened great fissures In the valloy floors. The Owens river Yrent underground and Little, lake disappeared.After, considerable exploration, thru deserts. and mountains, the city provided ?24,RCH).D0D to build the prnaent 210 nillo aqueduct and congress granted It the right to buy such lands Is. It required for llio rights Df .-way and storage. Then the trouble started.■ Valley residents, composed chiefly of ranchers and storekeepers, predicted that when Los Angeles took the waler, the entire valley would revert to desert land.For years, beg Inn hi g In 1913 when the project wns completed, .an Interminable number of litigations occupied the city and the valley people. Rventually, however, the essential rights of the city were sustained,Not until August, 1923. did the rnnrliern try to halt tho city by mc-an.3 other than courts. At that fimo a group armed itself with rifles and guarded a headgate to prevent consIruclion or a diversion ditch. For nearly three days they stood thnir ground until a compromise endod the dispute.On May 14, 1920, Cnme the fh*3t of. a series of dynami tings. Most violent wan an explosion a year later, on May 27, 1927. that blew a great gap In No Naamo syphon, le Cling water out bo fast that before ftlr CDuhl get in It from the monbole above, a tremendous vacuum was created and about 300 feet or Bteel pipe collapsed.As a consequence, guards were placed along the entire length of the aqueduct, machine gun nests were established and elaborate flood ’and search light systems were installed, in si]/ the disturbances cost 1 lie city % 1,000,000 for. repalu nnd main ten ailco of patrols.Es'enlualiy rhe supply ur wnter in the valley liecame Inadequate for Los Angeles, and ihe city turned eastward, to the Colorado viver where Boulder dam was built, lo augment the water obtained from Owens valley.What the coining of ihe Japanese will do lo L!ie valley 1s conjectural. The population will undoubtedly be jimro than doubled. Plans are underway to coostruct homes, schools churches, n 150 bed hospital, and community k llehcn-s and baths. K vent unity 10,000 persons, most of whom probably will be engaged in agriculture, will ho accommodated In tho camp, of The 31 a lives look upon the com-:los big of the Japan esc with little lie j equanimity, since It adds much to j the uncertainty of their future. 1 of 1 Bnt an unceilaln future Is no nov-iViir | chy to the people of Owens val-j ley. Thny'va known 'cm before.youitnit*oxl:tha his of : Caitioidlv
Newspaper Details
Greeley Daily Tribune
Greeley, Colorado, US
Mon, Mar 23, 1942
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 19 Sep 2020
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