The San Francisco call., 1897-02-11

ton could be communicated verbally.
All our departments have been segre-
gated so that our expense account is sep
arately itemized."
Mr.. Schussler arrived at this moment
and was duly sworn as the first witness.
The chairman having called his atten-
tion to theWater Committees letter of the
Sd inst, he stated he could give all such
Information as was included in his de-
partmsnt, but to answer all these ques-
tions several witnesses would have to be
called.
1--WE claim" said the chairman, "a full
statement of expens ses incurred under the
head of operating"
Would you allow me to suggest" in
terposed Mr.. Kellogg, that it might be
more convenient to let Mr.. Schussler ex-
plain the various departments into which
the works are divided and afterward the
expenses of particular department?
Permit me to say" said the Mayor
with emphasis THAT l cannot see how
Mr.. Schussler or any body else can without
a prepared statement answer that first
question. l think that it is one of the
principal items of which we are eDdeavor-
ing TO obtain knowledge. If they propose
to give US a general statement, which is
something we do not want and which can
only be given orally, we had better under
stand it now. We want a written state
ment prepared by their bookkeeper, Civ
ing an itemized and detailed account of
what constitutes operating expenses, so
that the board can verify them and ascer-
tain that we are acting reasonably, justly
and economically. 1t seems to me that IN
asking Mr.. Schussler to give US a verbal
statement Mr.. Kellogg is falling away
from the inquiry. 1t is the small items
We wish to obtain, and l would suggest
that Mr.. Kellogg reconsider his proposal"
Mr.. kellogg FASTENED to assure the
Mayor that Mr.. Schussler was prepared
with the necessary papers to give all the
details asked for, even down TO a nickel,
not from his mere recollection, but from
the figures of each department.
"I have no objection in that case" said
the Mayor.
''If his statement is not satisfactory"
said the chairman, 1--WE can ask the COM
pany to send US an itemized account"
lis it your desire?" asked Mr.. Schuss-
ler, ''that l should give an approximate
idea of the works, how one department is
connected with another and how they all
work together, so that when We come to
the operating expenses you will know ex-
actly where each item belongs?"
81 think, said Mr.. Dodge, that we are
beginning in a way likely to entail great
loss of time and that after two or three
weeks we will just find ourselves approach
ing the gist of the subject. AS the Mayor
| says, would 1t not be possible to begin the
inquiry with a partially detailed statement
| as required by the statute governing this
investigation, after which we can arrive at
some determination as TO what points we
require information upon? Some OF us
already feel that we have general idea of
the different divisions of the plant and
the manner in which they are operated"
Supervisor Britt did not agree with the
previous speaker. 81 think we should
hear general statement from Mr.. Schuss-
ler," he said, something which will serve
to guide us when we reach a stage at
| which detailed statement has to be con-
sidered."
Such course, he suggested, would
not consume great deal of time, and
would simplify the report, and might
| even show contradictions. He was per-
fectly willing TO hear NJ. Schussler at
this time, and considered that the COM
mittee's consent was only a matter of
courtesy due to the witness.
Mr.Schussler-I am here to give you de-
tailed statement under oath. II you want
1t given in writing we can have it here in
thirty minutes BY telephoning the Office
You can have either.
Mr.. Dodge-That is satisfactory to me.
l would like to have the statement put on
| file, so that we may have access to it.
| The witness was then allowed to pro.
ceed with his evidence, which virtually
comprised a history of the Spring Valley
| Water works, from the date OF his first
connection with the company, a little
over third OF a century ago, as he chose
10 express II. He was the first assistant
engineer and offered various suggestions
as to how the works should be con structed
He became chief engineer in May, 1866,
| and thereafter had full charge of the
works. The main principles guiding him
In this capacity were an endeavor to se-
cure very large quantity of water for
| this City, because he realized that it
would grow into large place; that this
water should be OF first-class quality that
the pressure should be very high and that
the price al which it could be sold should
be fair to the investors and reasonable to
the consumers. With these objects in
view the company purchased a great deal
| OF land and constructed reservoirs. dams
and tanks. In order to preserve the
purity of the water mis- aim always was TO
own as much of the watershed as
possible, because in the course of his
investigations into the supply of Eastern
and European cities he had seen that the
great difficulty under which they labored
was that they had TO take their water
from rivers or lakes whose source of sup
ply was from densely populated regions
up above-a condition of affairs which
often made it certain death to drink such
water. He determined, therefore, when
assuming control, hat they would make
the water works at least equal to the best
in the world. So the com pany found it
necessary to purchase a good deal OF land,
both for the purpose of storing the water
and to protect the purity of the supply.
Most of this land was purchased within
twenty and thirty miles of San Francisco
Mr.. Schussler emphasized the wisdom of
| this proceeding by explaining that the