The record-union., 1894-02-10
HAVE EVERYTHING TO GAIN.
What Robert Williamson Says of the
Clear Water Project.
Unfair ''Inspection'' of the wells-The
City Has Good Thing, and
Should Claim 1t.

II see by an article in this morning s
RECORD UNION, ;" said Robert Williamson
yesterday to a reporter, "that a COM
mittee OF the Board of Trustees went out
yesterday to examine the water from the
wells from which the contractors propose
to get water for the city, and according to
that article a very unfair test was made.
I have seen these wells. Great pits,
twelve or fifteen feet deep, have been sunk
around the bored holes in order to place
the pumps down near the water level.
Dirt, sand and trash is all around these
holes, and they have been left open and
exposed to the heavy rains for at least
four weeks. and as matter of course dirt
and impurities have washed down into
the holes.
1.-The pump should have been run at
least twenty-four hours before taking
out water to be analyzed. Even the oil
from the pump could, and no douot dld,
run down into the well.
''In view of all these facts, it does seem
absurd that water should have been
taken for analysis before the pump had
run long enough for the water TO get clear.
IL does seem TO me that, TO say the least,
there is an unjustifable Indifference in
this affair. L regard this clear water
question as one OF most vital importance
to every citizen of this city and COM
munity.
''As has been well said the mere pros
pect of clear water for the city has already
vastly benefited Sacramento, by inspir-
ing confidence and stimulating activity,
and to abandon it now would be most
ruinous policy.
81 can see no good reason" continued
NJ oil on "a art
OF the city, for abandoning it. am per-
fectly familiar with the the water Stratas
on this particular tract of land, having
sunk many wells on different parts OF
our ranch, and L know an adequate
amount of water can be obtained. As to
quality, L am sure that no better water
can be secured in any part of this country.
w have had three analyses made from
three different wells on different parts of
the ranch, and four or five years ago,
when the Board of Health urged the get
ting of the city's supply from this ranch,
they had another analysis made.
There has also been two analyses made
from two different wells on the Clark
place, adjoining this ranch on the north,
aud 1 am told that there have been sew
eral tests made OF the water at the County
Hospital, and in all OF these tests the
water has proven to be of a most excel
lent character for domestic purposes.
Il do not think that healthier water
can be found in any part of this valley
We have owned and worked these lands
for over ten years. From two to
four families have been living on the
tract all the time, and we have worked
from fifteen TO forty men most all the
time in our orchard and nurseries, and
have irrigated a great deal every summer,
and l can say, III truth, that L do not re-
member of a single case of chills and
lortVl 10 mn IN 10 nj n
the other hand, men have come here with
these ailments and got well Of them. My
self and all our neighbors believe that
the pure water accounts for the excellent
health enjoyed by people in the neighbor-
hood. l would refer anyone who doubts
the truth of these statements to DR.. White
and his associates at the County Hospital.
\ OF only is the water healthy, but every
housewife and washerwoman in this
neigh borhoOd assert that the water is
soft and of hrst-class quality for wash
ing purposes.
''Some may say that have an ak to
grind, a personal interest in this case.
Suppose had a little personal interest,
have asserted nothing but facts that l am
prepared to prove true, and my little per-
sonal interest sinks into insignihcance,
compared to the almost immeasureable
gain to the city by going on with this
contract, which will give US the greatest
boom we have ever Witnessed.
This hue and cry about job and a
big steal is all bosh. 1 was reading only
Yesterday the bids tnat have recently
been put in to supply the city of Oakland
with water and the lowest was three
cents per 900 gallons, and that on condi-
ton that the city uses 10,000,000 daily.
They ranged from that up to ten cents
per ,00O gallons. Their water now costs
them between forty and fifty cents per
1000 gallons. Inquiry by letter had
elected replies from l62 cities, showing
the average minimum price paid to be
nine and quarter cents per 1,00O gallons,
and the maximum to be twenty-eight
cents per LOCO.
Let the croakers compare these fig
uras with the price we are to pay, and
then contemplate the many safeguards
that are thrown round the city's interest
in the contract. do not wonder that the
contractors should intimate willingness
to abandon the project; but l am aston
ished that the citizens should manifest
any indifference. [ do hope our people
will wake up and become enthused over
this subject and insist on the contract be-
ing carried out just as soon as possible.
We have all to gain and nothing to lose"
ADpOTNpTUH 0PFTCEPC