The morning call., 1893-01-15

40 w tuUSo OI the lower portion Oh tue CITY,
| whose sites are but few feet above. And
this result has been accomplished. The
TOTAL length OF the mains supplying the resi-
Dental portion Of the city is $50 miles. and
as rapidly as new sections are opened the
mains are extended in anticipation OF the
period when their growing wants will have
10 be supplied. Pipes of larger dimensions
are being substituted. and in short time
all OF the old and lesser mains will have
been replaced by those adequate TO all
possible demands. The wide difference in
the elevations of the city's surface necessi~
tates different pumping system for each.
Those from 375 to 275 feet.one. from 200 to
275 feet another. and one each for 100 to 200
feet, for 90 to 100 feet and from level to 80
feet elevation.
1t is. however, in the construction Of tue
system OF artificial reservoirs that the
geuius OF the engineer of the company has
been most manifested. There are at pres
ent three OF these. One known as the Pillar
cltos reservoir in the valley of that name.
1t has an elevation of 1896 feet above tide
water and is formed by dam ninety-hve
feet high thrown across the valley twenty
seven years ago. The capacity is 1,050, 100000
gallons.
The San Andreas reservoir in San An
dreas alley is formed by dam nnety-fve
feet high and is 455 feet above tdewater
1t has capacity of 6, 200. 100000 gallons.
The Crystal Springs reservoir is formed
w tulOHu dcIUSS Lub fdllcy Vic
mouth OF Crystal Springs Canyon. This
dam Is the largest one in the world at this
time. IL Is located short distance above
the town Of San Mateo. and will be 10 feet
IN height when completed. 1t is now las
feet high and its base is 167 feet through
and % feet across at the Top. This reser-
voir has capacity of $4,000. 100000 gallons
at this time. but will eventually contain
90 600, 100000 gallons. These three reser-
volrs are now in actual operation and con-
tributing to the daily supply of the city.
Another artificial reservoir has been con-
strrcted on San Franclsquito Creek. near
MenIo Park, where a massive concrete dam
eighty feet in height has been erected This
reservoir is now full of water, but has not
yet been connected with the general sys-
TEN. 1t will hold 100000, GOO gallons, and
with an Increase of forty feet In the height
OF the dam Will have O storage capacity of
5000, 600, coo gallons.
A magnificent site for the greatest of all
these artificial reservoirs has been acquired
in the Calaveras Valley, Alameda and Santa
capacity of 000O, 000, 900 gallons.
The natural sources of the Spring Valley
system are Lake MERGED in this county. 1t
viii have an ultimate capacity OF 2. 100000
OGO gallons. Its waters are conveyed to the
city through the main line from Pilarcitos
reservoir. to which it is pumped at an ele-
walton of 430 feet.
Lobos Creek, forming the southern boun-
Diary of the Presidio reservation, supplies
100000 gallons per day of pure clear water,
which is pumped TO a reservoir 400 feet
| high and provides portion of the Western
Addition.
Alameda Greek. In Alameda County. fur
nlshes 100000 gallons per day 10 the water
supply Of the city. The water of The creek
is compounded by stone dam and flows a
distance OF twenty-five miles TO tile pump
ing station at Belmont. in San Mateo
County, where it is forced through a
stand pipe 225 feet high. whence it
is driven through Sc inch main
distance OF seven miles, to a
| junction with the Crystal Springs 44-inch
main pipe at Millbrae. The difficulty Of
| reaching the pumping station from the draw
| on the creek In Alameda County WAS sur
mounted In peculiarly audacions way. From
the draw the flow was conveyed by 36-inch
| pipe TO the bay, crossing the marsh by a
trestle 1900 feetin length. Thence it flows
| through two 16-inch pipes which were sunk
| to the floor OF the bay and beneath the
water a distance of over two miles-an
operation both difficult and expensive.
The pipe lines that connect the above
reservoir with the San Francisco city reser-
yolr and distributing pine system are of the
following dimensions: Main pipe from Crys-
tai Springs reservoir TO San Francisco,
forty-fOur inches diameter and twenty two
miles In length two separate pipelines from
San Andreas and Pilarcitos reservoirs each
teen miles in length respectively. Pipeline
from Alameda Creek, via Belmont, to forty
tour-lnch pipe near Millbrae, thirty-siX
inches diameter, the thirty-six-inch pipe
being twenty-rine miles in length and two
submarine pipes enc and quarter miles
long each. Pipe from Lake MERGED. new
pumps 10 Ocean View junction, twenty
three inches diameter, one ard two thirds
mile in length.
The present available storage of the
Spring Valley system is $4,000. 000. 0J0 gal
Ions. With the contemplated additional
reservoirs this vast quantity will be in
creased TO the enormous figure of 72,000.-
o00.000. Greater than was ever provided
tor any city heretofore known.
When all the contemplated additions and
improvements TO the system are made there
will be more than sufficient value for city
five times the present population of San
Francisco. A daily consumption OF 10O,-
100000 to 150.000,000 gallons can easily be
provided for. therefore this city can safely
congratulate itself as having solved vital
problem and s possessing the greatest and
most enduring water SYSTEM of any city in
the world.