The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-21
MAYOR SUTR0 WILL TAKE THAT
COURSE IF LAKE MERGED
WATER Is USED.
SOME HARMLESS BACTERIA
DR. SPENCER SAYS THAT THE
LAGUNA CONTAINS No DAN
GEROUS MICROBES.

i see that there is no use looking for re-
lief from this Board of Health" he said
AFTER the close of yesterdays meeting of
the board. "The members admit that the
hog and cattle ranches along the streams
flowing into the lake are likely to be detri-
mental to the purity of the lake, and vet
they come up Serenely and say that thew
are convinced that the water is all right |
don't care anything about their opinions
or for the reports OF all the meteorological
experts in the world. | know from what |
have seen that the water of that lake is
bad, and l consider 1t crime for the
Spring Valley Water Company to furnish
1t to the people of San Francisco. There
fore | shall 90 before the Grand Jury and
try to induce the members to visit the lake
with me, and see with their own eyes the
Nth and slime that every rain washes into
the lake in large quantities.
In case the jury declines TO indict the
managers of the company [ shall wait
until the corporation begins to pump
water out OF the lake and then invoke the
ana OF the courts, get out an Injunction
against them, and make the public see
through the evidence adduced that this
agitation Is made in a good cause, and that
they are taking their lives in their hands
every time they drink Spring Valley
The proceedings of the board were a sur.
prise 10 the Mayor in more ways than one.
Tor not only did the body fail to condemn
the waters of the lake, but they placed if
IN the light OF being one of the best sup
pines OF water belonging to the Spring Val
ley Company.
After mass of routine business had
been disposed OF. the Mayor drew a docu-
ment from his pocket, saying:
l recently made visit 10 Lake MERGED in
company with the Board of Supervisors and
members OF this board, and from what saw
there / hold indpneOdpuf Of
meteorological examinations, which NAV
show all sorts of things the waters of that Ia ke
are unfit for human use
Dr. Spencer's report is here. have had il
Tor several days, and up to the present moment
nave not made one word of it public.
The secretary then read the report.
which, after explaining that the author
was not chemist by profession and had
not. therefore, made the chemical ANALYSIS
OF the water called for by the board went
on to give the results of the examination
OF the samples of water from the lake The
glst OF the report, stripped of its medical
Verplage, was that while bacteria were
found IN each sample, none were of char
acter calculated TO produce disease, and
mat the water was as good as the average
A fourth sample furnished him by DR..
Regensburger was declared to contain bac-
terra OF the pus-producing variety, danger
Gus only when placed under the skin
through wounds or abrasionS. The report
closed with quotations from METEOROLOGICAL
authorities, calculated TO show that lake
water wax less liable to be dangerous than
river wafer, and that all water was more or
less lmpregnated with bacteria
Il don't care if thousand experts saw
that water is fit to drink" broke in the
Mayor excitediy as the secretary finished.
Il know 1t Is not. This powerful corpora
ton Is getting 100000 per year out of
this city and furnishing il with filthy. poi
sOnous water. | am going to see whether
q ITr~ nd +tD
take this matter up and treat the Spring
Valley Water Company as it deserves. It
has used money to gain its ends. Corrup-
ton runs rampant wherever its interests
arc concerned. | have been elected MAYOR
OF San Francisco and | propose to do nv
duty as such. no matter whose toes I tread
on. l denounce the Spring Valley, as |
have the octopus, and | shall not rest
until the people of San Francisco get full
justice.
Look at the way the last Legislature
bowed TO the dictates of the corporations.
The members"
Il must call you to order. Mr.. Chair
man, broke in DR.. Mays. eve are speak
ing OF water just at present.
i stand corrected said the Mayor.
You will find that all water supplies
contain bacteria" said Dr. Regensburger.
"Of course there is no excuse for the hog
ranches on the watershed of Laguna de la
MERGED, but ] understand that these are to
be Immediately removed. and l do not see
why we should discriminate against Mer-
ced when other water is just as bad 1t
cannot be helped, and the only sure rem
edy know OF IS to boil the water before
drinking it
1T seems TO me TO be al wrong" said
DR.. Mays, "to let the impression get abroad
that the water supply of San Francisco is
bad.
I'm my opinion we have a magnificent
IF in I 10 OF
course the water contains bacteria-all
water does-but DR.. Koch, the eminent
psychological authority says that the
character of bacteria described by DR..
Spencer are not only not harmful but are
actually beneficial, as they make war upon
and DESTROY the kind that breed diseases.
] cannot see where the danger of contain
ination comes in from Lake MERGED, and [
believe IL is as good a body of water as can
be found in the country. l understand
that the Spring Valley Company has al
ready had plans drawn to dig a tunnel
through the hills to carry the waters of
Colma Creek into the ocean. This will OBJ
viate even fancied dangers from this
source.
However, in order TO expedite matters
] wish to offer a resolution that the Spring
Valley Water Company be directed to pro-
coed at once to divert the waters OF Colma
Creek into the ocean. That will settle the
whole business"
"And / move TO amend, said the Mayor
"that this board condemn the water of
Lake MERGED until the company has fin
ished the tunnel and so diverted the
water.'>
Silence reigned and no one came to the
chairman rescue by seconding the amend
ment.
won't some one second this matter?"
said the Mayor. well, then il fails
moment later, while the secretary was
stating the original resolution, he con-
tnued: But l want vote on my amend
ment. l want to see you gentlemen on
record on this question"
This is carrying your authority alto
gether too far" exclaimed DIR. Regens
burger springing to his feet. You have
no right to ask vote on an amendment
that has not been seconded"
"All right returned the Mayor, III
drop it, but you may rest assured that rhe
public will understand the stand you have
taken on this matter"
~ want you TO stop casting reflections
on myself and the other members of this
board, :" said DR.. Regensburger excitedly
''The public will understand US, and 1t
already understands you. You slur people