The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-13
Facts That Will Be Brought
Before the Board of
Supervisors.
STORY OF THE PARK WELLS.
Millions of Gallons Could Easily Be
Obtained at Comparatively
Small Cost.

on the question as TO whether the munich
patty shall own its own water and electric
light and gas plants, is preparing mass
of information on the water question to be
placed before the Board of Supervisors
when that body comes to pass on the petit
ton for an election recently presented.
According to the officers of the union
there is ample pure and wholesome water
within the limits of the City and County of
San Francisco to supply the 6O,00O,OOO OF
gallons per day that are necessary, and 1t
can be obtained at a cost of less than half
of what it would cost to buy the existing
plants.
John NJ. Reynolds, one OF the active
workers in the union, is preparing the
statistics mentioned, and he becomes
more sanguine every day, not only that
the supply can be obtained, but that the
Supervisors, when they are given the plain
figures for the matter, will not hesitate long
to call the election, and of the result when
the matter is once placed before the public
he has not the slightest doubt.
1.-The union" he said yesterday, "has
come to the conclusion, after careful in
vestigatlon, that ME entire peninsula on
which San Francisco stands is full of
subterranean reservoirs that contain vast
amounts of water only awaiting the we'll
borer's drill to develop them. This belief
is borne out by large number of circum-
stances that go 10 prove its soundness.
"In 1893 the Golden Gate Park Commits
sioners decided to build pumping and
power plant on portion of the property
under their jurisdiction to supply the
Strawberry Hill reservoir, and put down
NUMBER of wells to ascertain whether q
sufficient supply of water could be OBJ
tanned at that particular place to justify
the building of the power-house there.
The result astonished the engineers in
charge.
''Four wells, 20 inches in diameter and
with an average depth of 145 feet, were
sunk, and later on a fifth, 81 feet in
diameter and 36 feet deep. A trial with
two powerful pumps demonstrated that
there was plenty of water to fill the 25,-
O00, 900 gallon tank, and then active opera
tiens were begun.
Excavation was commenced for the site
of the new engine-house and the founda-
tons for the pumps and engines. Skilled
engineers advised that this foundation be
carried below the natural level of the water
in the wells, and while this work was being
prosecuted five pumps, discharging 10000
gallons per hour, were employed day and
night filing the excavation with water.
The water seemed to come from every
where, and while it was very trouble
some visitor, it was most welcome one to
those who were looking for liberal supply.
Herman Schussler, the Spring Valley
engineer, was called upon to explain the
immense influx of water and gave it as his
opinion that the wells and excavation
tapped a subterranean reservoir of i'm
mense extent that would yield an mex
haustible supply of water. Two engines
and two pumps are now in operation and
take out !, 100000 gallons of water per day
without perceptible effect on the levels in
the wells. That looks as though there is
plenty of water underlying the park, at
any rate.
"Then there is the flowing well on the
Almshouse farm that spouts 60, 900 gallons
of splendid water per day. Its mouth is
twenty-five feet above the level of the
Strawberry Hill reservoir, which shows
that an unusually heavy body of water
must exist in that vicinity. This well cost
but $1,000 to bore and put in running order.
During the past few years number of
wells have been sunk in the western por-
ton of the City that have flowed so pro-
fusely as to enable the owners to supply
their neigh bors, and so much did this COM
petition worry the water company that it
began to supply their customers free of
charge in order to drive them out of bust
ness. There is undoubtedly under the
Mission vast body of water that could be
LdppeQ Dy IHG proper klHQS O1 Wells.
about MenIo Park and between that
place and the bay shore are number of
farms where the owners have bored ar
tesian wells that proved to be spouters.
These wells supply more than enough
water for the houses and cattle of the
farmers, and if properly handled could be
made to supply an immense amount of
water. Wherever deep excavations or bor-
ings have been made in the City water in
abundant quantities has been encountered.
'These matters will all be put in proper
form and placed before the Board of Sup
ervisors, as well as the methods by which
this great store of water can be gathered
for the use of the community. These
methods can best be explained by describ-
ing the water system of Brooklyn, N. Y, a
city that has as fine water as any COM
munity on earth.
''In 1912 the city of Brooklyn was in
great distress for want of water, the ponds
In the highlands of Long Island that had
supplied the city having run low and great
danger of water famine existing. Will
liam D. Andrews, a shrewd contractor and
engineer, came forward and stated that he
would agree to furnish the CITY with
100000 gallons of water per day, himself
bearing the expense of the plant, and
would also agree not to ask for remunera-
ton for twelve months after the water was
turned into the city conduits.
Though somewhat incredulous as to
his ability to carry out his contract, An
drews' offer was accepted and he went to
work The conduits that had carried the
water supply of Brooklyn ran through
Baisley's farm and place called Spring
Creek, and at these locations operations
were begun. At each place 100 tubes were
sunk into the ground with piledriver
alongside the conduit, each tube being
connected with the main pipe by small
pipe. Pumping-engines were put in at
each place, and when all arrangements
were completed they were started up, and
an immense volume of pure sweet water
started to flow toward Brooklyn.
This water is running to this day. With
admirable forethought the engineer had
provided engines that would pump far
more than 100000 gallons per day, and
when in 1888 it was found necessary to
supply the city with more water extra
power was put on and 8,460,242 gallons
were pumped in one day.
This plant is situated within ten miles
of Brooklyn, and if necessary ten times as
much water could be supplied to the city.
"The conditions in this City are very
similar to those in Brooklyn, both cities
being partially surrounded by water.
Whether this fact has anything to do with
the supply OF water beneath San Francisco
is hard to say, but the fact remains that it