The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21
!: RESORT OF
PLEASURE WILL
BE
FLAKE MERGED.

,TAHE corporation which supplies San
. MR Francisco with drinking water finds
GYS source for at least one-ouar-
ter Of the quantity consumed from the
little Lake MERGED, which lies in the
southwestern part OF the county. near the
" San Mateo line. From its clear, crystal
depths from 10, 0OO 600 to 20 900, 900 gallons
are drawn daily. lis superficial surface is
about tour hundred acres and it is fed
from never-failing springs which have
their origin in the mountains of the Sier-
ras.. From early days this lake has been
a source of the City's water supply, &C
cessible to all who chose to appropriate
it until the Spring Valley became the
sole proprietor of the lake and its water
shed. This corporation now owns the
land surrounding the lake in every direc-
lion and controls upward OF twenty-five
hundred acres of the most beautifully sit
uated and generally level land IN San
Fran cisco County.
This tract borders for two miles upon
the Pacific separated from the beach by
low sandhils, and in stormy weather,
when the wind blows from the southwest,
the spray from the ocean rises in clouds
!: and descends into the lake in such guam
titles as to impart to its waters a distinct
salty taste, making them unpalatable and
+Untit for consumption. In such an event
are lake pumps stop their revolutions I'M
I'll the water has clarified itself. Though
efforts have been made to prevent the sur
face waters from draining into the lake in
times OF heavy rainfalls they have not al
ways been successful, and after such
periods the waters have been to some e4-
tent contaminated and their use tempo
I'ariiy abandoned.
:. The time must come, however, when
the waters of Lake MERGED cannot be used
as source OF supply to The City. If San
Francisco had double its present popula-
. ton there would remain but little vacant
building room on the peninsula. With
a million population there would be
. none. With Lake MERGED surrounded by
houses, the water could not help but be-
come impure, and its use for human con-
o sumption would then cease.
This result would be no EN- barrassment
10 the water company, for it has ample re-
sources elsewhere for city five times the
present size OF San Francisco.
The problem therefore OF utilizing Lake
MERGED in such manner as will afford most
satisfaction to the greatest mum Der is one
-: that can be considered now with edvan-
fage. Il is assumed that the lake will in
time become an annex to Golden Gate
Park, connected with it by boulevards ex-
tending along the ocean beach, encircling
the lake and having another route to the
"a park by the way OF the Almshouse thor
;. ougnfare.
e. Here is distance of about ten miles by
route which can be equaled nowhere
Tor variety or beauty of scenery and
general attractiveness. The road along
the ocean shore is practically COM
plete,; the one via the Almshouse
would require widening, grading and
ballast 10 make a hrst-class boule- !
ward. The last one passes through a most |
picturesque country and is already Dor |
'deted by lines OF eucalyptus trees. The |
Twin Peaks rise in majestic altitude on |
enc side of the roadway, while on both |
sides gentle slopes always vernal descend |
to the road. A grand boulevard around |
Lake MERGED would afford a connecting
link between the two boulevards already |
partially constructed. Gould such drive |
be constructed, OF width sufficient for We |
hicles and horses with walks for foot pas !
sengers on each side and bordered with |
rows of palms and other mbrageous spe-
cies, an avenue would be created without |
peer in the word.
Just imagine trip through the park to |
the ocean, whose shores would be followed |
for three miles to the lake, thence by |
driveway around MERGED undulating ac-
cordIng to the outline of the surface OF the |
Jake shore. and thence back to the park |
again by the Almshouse boulevard.
q The lake itself could be made scene !
OF enchantment by utilizing its natural |
advantages for adornment. Yachts and |
steamers row boats and other craft would |
crowd its waters, which could be made |
available on occasion for races and ma |
rine display. A. pleasure lake such as no
city of the world possesses. With thou
sands of arc and incandescent lights, i'm
agine how magnificent would be the
scene at night.
1t is said that the corporation owning
the tract OF land in which Lake MERGED is
situated admits that the time is approach
ing when the waters of the lake in conse-
uuence OF the density OF the population
on it's shores will be unavailable for do
mestic use and in view of that contin-
gency have discussed the ways and means
for throwing upon the market the 1000
acres of land which they own to the pub
lie. They have already figured that the
amount they should realize from the sale
of the tract would almost pay the bonded
debt of the company. Should the sale De
made then Lake MERGED ought to be ac
uuired by the City and placed under the
control Of the Park Commissioners 10
beautify and make available as an added
source of pleasure TO the people of Cali
fornia for all time.
Such is the future of Lake MERGED as
pointed out by manifest destiny.