01 May 2009

More Artistic Expression in the Face of Social Injustice

It's pathetic to see how something could have been in one place for decades like this old water tank from the La Vida Mineral Springs property and untouched by human hands, if not by nature, and then, courtesy of the Freeway Complex Fire from last November, exposed to the defacing that has shown up the last couple of weeks.

Sometime about a week or so ago, the original tagging given to the tank was augmented with what is above.

I'm sure to most people who pass by along Carbon Canyon Road and see this sight, this is a completely irrelevant and useless complaint. After all, who cares about some old decrepit, decaying water tank? To this observer, however, it is a part of history, the last intact piece of an aspect of Canyon history that is interesting and worthwhile.

For now, "DTS," whose cowardice, accomplished by skulking about late at night, is intended as an act of bravado, and whose only consideration is for himself, has now left his mark on the world (for whatever it is worth,) and has had the last word.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I live in carbon canyon and I pass by that water tank every time I go to work. It is so sad when something of historical value becomes defaced with graffiti. I enjoy the site though and never knew anything about the history of carbon canyon until I came upon this site. I have a question too. I am fairly new to carbon canyon and heard that there have been quite a few deaths on this road due to the windy and twisty turns. Would you happen to know how many have died there? Thanks.

prs said...

Hi Anonymous, I don't know if there is any way to add up the fatalities over the years. There has been a road all the way through since at least 1914. Over those 95 years, people do what they do in almost any canyon, speed, test the curves, race each other, whatever. I've only been here five years and I would say there have been about seven or eight deaths that I know of, though not one for quite a while. Whenever I've talked to Chino Hills city officials about it or even the injuries, property damage, and power failures caused by accidents, there usually a two-part answer: they can't be there 24/7 (which is not what I was asking!) and they are limited in staffing police patrols in the Canyon. I can't speak about the attitude on the Brea side, but I imagine that if an innocent person or a child was killed because of reckless driving, there would be a change in attitude about limtations on patrols, at least for awhile! As it is, those of us who live in the Canyon and drive through it take risks at certain times on Carbon Canyon Road and I don't see anything changing, unfortunately, unless the scenario I outlined above happens. Thanks for checking out the blog!

Anonymous said...

I drive through Carbon Canyon basically every weekday since I live in Chino Hills and work in OC. It is such a nice drive through there. I get a bit annoyed by the speed some people feel they must go...and ride me. Hopefully it doesn't take a major incident to get more patrols or for people to slow down.