The San Francisco call., 1896-04-04
Owners of the Castro Lakes
Rights Desire to Sell Them
to the City.
say THE SUPPLY IS UNLIMITED
May Visit the Reserv DIR
Which Is Said to Be a Living
Spring.

George A. Knight, appearing as attorney
for the owners of the water rights of the
Castro Lakes, located near Castroville,
Monterey County, told the Water Com
mittee of the Board OF Supervisors yester-
day that San Francisco could own its own
water works with an inexhaustible supply
for from $40 000,0 to S12, 100000,
The owners of the rights sent in a COM
munication to the board some time ago,
in which they stated that they would agree
cheaper than it is now being obtained, and
yesterday was set for a hearing of the
matter. Since the owners first addressed
the board their minds have somewhat
changed, and they now desire to sell the
entire plant after it has been completed
for stated sum, the City to take entire
ownership and control.
Mr.. Knight said he merely wanted the
Supervisors TO visit the lakes and see what
magnificent supply it was, and convince
themselves that it was entirely feasible to
furnish water from that reservoir to San
Francisco. incidentally, however, he
talked OF the advantages of the lakes and
Of the low figure at which the City could
buy the entire concern. The lakes, he
said, were nothing but vast living spring
fed, 1t was believed, from Lake Tulare
through a strata of gravel, and having
daily flow of 100, ,000, 600 gallons.
He stated that the present outlet of the
lake is twenty feet wide and eight feet
deep, flowing constantly, and that the
was inexhaustible. So violent was the
current produced by the water gushing
from the earth at the bottom of the lake
that it was impossible to sink lead and
line deep enough to find bottom. The fill
terng of the water through many miles of
gravel had purified it completely. and
none better could be found in the country.
''San Francisco pays" he said, '$1,-
10000 annually for water on a valuation
of $25,000,000 for the Spring Valley Com
pany's plant. This plant can be bought
complete for $12, ,0O0 600 at the outside, and
the water will be far cheaper and better in
proportion than Spring Valley water"
Engineer Hansborough who located the
water right, also spoke on the matter, and
said that all that was asked was to have
the Supervisors look at the lakes and then
listen to the propositions of the owners.
He said that by the system of pumping in
use in Denver and many Eastern cities
the water could be forced into San Fran
cisco at a uniform pressure of eighty
pounds or more if San Francisco plumbing
could stand it.
1t was proposed to lay five-foot main
to San Francisco and to supply cities
along the line if arrangements could be
made. He stated that the revenue that
could be obtained from this source would
materially lessen the cost OF maintaining
| the plant should the City decide to pur-
| chase.
! The figure that had been made on the
plant contemplated capacity of sc, 900, OOC
gallons per day, or about twice what San
| Francisco now uses.
He asked the committee to name a day
and date when they could visit the lake.
| The committee could not give definite
answer, though the matter seemed to
strike the members favorably and took
| the matter under advisement