Los Angeles's nineteenth-century system of water delivery channels, the zanjas, finally went out of service around 1904, when underground pipes took over the last of them. These were initially just ordinary mud-lined ditches. Later bricks were used as lining, and at some point some of them were lined with concrete. They were bigger than I imagined, two feet wide and three feet deep. Also until now I didn't know that there is actually a stretch of concrete zanja still in place in Los Angeles--surely one of the great remnants of the West Adams district. The zanja still with us is in front of the site (now a parking lot) of the Victorian house of one-time city councilman Frank Sabichi, the address of which was 2427 S. Figueroa (between St. Vincent's Church and the Stimson house at 2421). I'm finding that while many West Adams houses have been demolished, often left behind (as with the Waters house at 900 W. Adams) are their low stone walls and, sometimes, metal fencing. This is true of the Sabichi house, as you can see in the before and after shots here:
LAPL
The Frank Sabichi house, 2427 S. Figueroa
LAPL
A shot from in front of the Sabichi house north toward the Stimson, giving a good view of the zanja.
Recentering El Pueblo
The zanja now, which appears to be filled in (with dirt? concrete?), and a detail of the Sabichi fencing.
LAPL
Notice the pattern of the Sabichi fence. Btw, this is a great view of the southern facade of the Stimson house.
Google Street View
Note the small bridge over the zanja at the sidewalk entrance to the Sabichi house.
Google Street View
In the two shots above, you can see that the Sabichi house has left behind some of its fencing.
Two of the driveway posts in the shot above are also in the lower left of the top picture.