The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-09
BAY STATE AID
IN |MPOUNDING
WATER IS CITED
Thomas Finds a Case
in Point.
CONVENTION CLOSE AT HAND
GOVERNMENTS LIMITATIONS
ARE EXPLAINED.
Stress Placed Upon CALIFORNIA; Sole
Control of It's Water Supply So
That Complications May
Be Avoided.
CONVENTION CLOSE AT HAND
GOVERNMENTS LIMITATIONS
ARE EXPLAINED.

President Thomas of the California AS
ISOLATION for the Storage of Flood Waters
calls attention to the action of the State
of Massachusetts in the matter of pro-
viding water supply for Greater Bos-
ton as Illustrative of what is considered
prudent in one of the oldest and most
conservative States in the Union and as
having bearing upon the arguments that
may be made at the State convention
next week in reference to the action Of
California toward the impOunding of flood
waters for nricatinG. An account of the
action of Massachusetts appeared in a
recent number of HarperS Magazine. In
view of the warm discussion which Los
Angeles is carrying on concerning bond
issue by the State of California TO pro-
vide restraining dams, the following ex-
tract from the article in question is
given:
The demand had equaled the maximum
capacities Of these supplies, and new
sources were remote. Only by cooperation
could the proper new sources be secured;
The State. therefore, again came forward
as agent for the associated municipalities
With extraordinary CELEBRITY an abundant
supply of exceptionally pure and soft water
was introduced from the Nashua River,
where, on the site of one of the largest i'm
pounding reservoirs in the world a large
manufacturing village had to be wiped out
of existence. The system is so planned
to admit of indefinite extension to in
every demand of a population of
many millions.
Mr.. Thomas thinks that the attendance
at the convention next week will be large.
He hopes that harmony will be reached
through the committee on resolutions.
Il have been told he said yesterday,
that a dam five feet high across the
mouth of Clear Lake would hold all the
| drainage of the watershed and would
provide power sufficient TO move all the
wheels In Oakland also that the cost of
building the dam would not exceed the
cost of the damage done by the food
waters of the lake in one year. What
has the Government to do, for instance,
with damming Clear Lake? Nothing, of
course.
IF the Government should build storage
reservoirs, they could be only to further
navigation, holding back the floods and
releasing the water when the rivers are
at low ebb, for the Governments rights
are confined to the matter Of navigation
How would 1t help US, as irrfgatOrs, to
the river when necessary?
The really active opposition to the
proposed action of the State in it's own
behalf comes from the national irrigat-
ors. Their arguments are based upon the
report of Chittenden. The fact he
brought out that the water supplies in
all the arid regions of the United States
with the exception of the Pacific Coast
are complicated-no arid States except
/ pendent water supply-is ignored in the
/ arguments now made against the State
! plan. California has all her water supply
| within her own borders, and can act with
out any fear of complications with hel
neighbors or the Government.