The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-24

and one-half miles long will carry the
water to Niles Station, where it will
be connected with the present system.
BY the construction of this conduit
from rs to so feet pressure will be
added to the present submarine con-
Quits, and the daily volume of water
sent across the bay to the Belmont
pumping station will be increased abour
80 per cent.
This above filtering basin will be fully
protected against floods by the material
excavated in constructing the basin,
which will form a substantial embank-
ment entirely around it.
The waters from the Calaveras water
shed direct and also those from the
other contiguous watersheds VIII be
poured upon the extensive gravel beds
above and next adjoining this filtering
basin They will sink into the porous
gravel and appear again in Uttered
state in the before mentioned arti-
ficially constructed basin. From this
there will be drawn a supply in the
manner previously described, and in
quantities largely in excess of the pres
ent supply and delivered to the people
in the city of San Francisco.
Another important result that will be
achieved by this improvement will be
the purifying Of the flood waters of La
guna and Calaveras creeks. They will
be prevented from entering the filter
ing basin direct, but will furnish their
supply by subterraneous channels In
this way all muddy water will be ex-
Guided
1t is estimated that the cost of the
improvements outlined will be in the
neighborhood OF s45O.O00. The entire
work is expected to be finished and in
active operation by September of this
year.
The maintenance of an efficient water
system for so large a city as San Fran
cisco is made more difficult than ordi-
nary because Of the long dry summers
and the uncertain winters. 1t is to
guard against shortage in dry years
that the company has been making con-
tinual additions and improvements to
it's system. The idea is to have in re-
serve in its many reservoirs water
enough for at least two years supply.
In 1887 this foresight on the part of
the management Of the company was
we'll rewarded. At that time San Fran
cisco was threatened with a water
famine. The company had found its
supply diminishing until it was too
small for dependence to be placed upon
the coming winters rainfall to replen-
ish it. The summer was at hand and
light rainfall might ensue. The COM
pany, however, was able to cope with
the situation. At an expense of 81, $780,
600 it built stone dam on Alameda
Creek and an iron conduit leading
therefrom to Dumbarton Point, thence
with two submarine pipes crossed the
bay to Ravenswood. where connection
was made with a wrought iron main
extending to a pumping station at Bel
mont. Here the water was elevated
about two hundred feet and by gravity
was carried through an iron conduit
extending to a point about two miles
north of San Mateo; there it was con-
nected with the 44-inch main that ex-
tends from Crystal Springs to San
Francisco. An abundance of water was
thus secured, the danger was averted,
and the people of San Francisco re-
NAMED in ignorance of the danger that
had threatened them and of the service
that had been rendered by the COM
pany.
Another great improvement in con-
temptation by the company is the con-
struction of an additional reservoir on
the hills back of the branch County
Jail, formerly the Industrial School,
where tract of land has been pur-
chased for that purpose at an elevation
of 800 feet above tide. This reservoir
will have capacity of 100, 900, 900 gal
Ions, or three times the capacity of the
Lake Honda reservoir which now sup
plies that section. This will make ten
reservoirs that the company will have
in operation within the city. The others
are as follows, with their respective
elevations above tide: