The San Francisco call., 1904-11-15

OAKLAND Nov. 4.-To learn the
community's sentiment touching the
various water supply projects that have
been submitted to the special commit
tee on municipal water plant, the COM
nlittee has called for a postal card vote
Of citizens on two propositions-that OF
the Bay Cities Water Company, TO cost
s.. 700 900. and the development of an
underground supply from the artesian
belt in the Niles cone, TO cost SS,5UO'OVo-
The committee intends TO be guided IN
its recommendation TO the City Council
by the returns from its postal caro- can
vass. Voters are also requested 10 say
whether they oppose municipal owner
ship. -.
committee says:
To the voters Of Oakland: The City Council
appointed the undersigned a special coInInisles coInI'
10 investigate and report upon ptvPoslt-ol,.
presented 10 Il for acquiring wafer sIPtls ~
FOR the CITY. After consultation Win al - -
members OF the Council and receiving tleit
approEaI z has been determined 70 SUNNY sui.,
-be -ec1,est fhat YOU express your preference.
This committee docs not believe nor ugSs
in encourage the hope that II VIII pe poss.'4o So
no formulste any reasonable scheIhe A, lS' "a
nunicipally owned water plant that VIII nOt
be the object OF attack IN the court by some
corf1rsrfon or other adverse interest. II aoes
believe however that the two propositions
herein reocrnmended are as free from dangers
"a ms kind as are any that could be pre-
sented and we not aDprehenslFe oI SER
Qua obstacles or delay TO the successful con-
summation OF either OF the proposed plals;;
The city must take some risk IN TINS resa.u
az else be forever held ND by interests az
verse 10 the welfare OF the city
The committee desires your opinion as 70
which one OF these schemes should be adopted
II intends 20 make the results Of this iIlloIinai
vote a Rart OF its report 10 the CITY CouhcA'
AS to it's decision to present the two
proposals II has selected the committee
says:
Some Of our citizens undoubtedly prefer the
purchase q the Contra Costa plant ana ols-
tributing system, provided II could be 6ought
az 8 valuation not exorbitant. Lhls IS n .si &C.
cord with the Idea or the coInInlltees DuL LIS
committee Is certain that purchase az any
thing ike q reasonable price IS impossible tor
the reason among others that a4tholeh lhe
company made a written agreement a short
time since 20 sell or lease its plant 10 tne
Civ Al a valuatfon 70 be fixed By a board OF
engineers and in the meantime to accept rates
based on such value Il promptly repuolateo
ne Agreement when the time came 10 put Il
IN effect Moreover, the company has not
made any further offer either TO the Council
or 20 this committee.
Oakland has therefore. no alternative but
70 construct OF buy an independent system
The committee has cons tdered various prOpo-
sitions and has eliminated all but two The
committee is unanimous IN saving that ootn
~ these good and that either plan viii
subserve the needs Of the city. There is a
slight diversity 81 opinion IN the committee
ss 10 preference but that is all Both plans
contemplated laying by the city OF a COM
plete distriburfve system that shall be mod
ern. up 70 date and of the very best material
In addition. the city must erect ana main
tain q pumping plant near the Fruitvale
boundary line for forcing the water TO a dis
tributiug reservoir at sufficient height The
cost OF this distributing system, pumping
plant and reservoir will not exceed 81, 900, 900
This cost must be added 20 any estimate OF
cost for either OF the two plants.
In detail the committee presents both
propositions. After showing that the
Bay Cities Company purposes TO install
plant that VIII supply the city with
at least 20 600, 900 gallons Of water a
day. 10 cost So $50, 900. with nearly s2,-
600 900 added for a distributing system,
the statement continues;
The price asked by the Bay Cities Water
company is. n our opinion Moderate The
is worth more than s.. .OO0 coo This plant has
an old distributive system. pipe lines that
have seen their best days and a water supply
from Lake Chabot, which Is itself supplied 81
creeks running through settled and agricul-
tursl country It's system cannot deliver any
thing Ike 10000 900 gallons per day. We DO
not believe Il can exceed II 2OOo.O 600 gallons per
day In the event Of a prolonged drought
Lake Clabot is certain 20 nail Adding 81 OOO.-
900 for distrfbutive system 10 the 50, $50 600
asked by the Bay cities Water Company
makes total OF $5.750.OOo. But for that
amount the city viii get a new, frst-class dis
tributing system, pumping plants, new pipe
lines and AZ least 1000, 900 gallons OF water
per day.
Reliable estimates have been made showing
that CONSUMERS Of water IN our city can pay
the bonds necessary for the new plant, both
principal and Interest. during the forty years
they have 10 run. and still not pay as high
rates for water now pay to the Contra
Costa Water Company II will require from
two 70 three years 20 construct the works pro-
posed by the Bay cities Water Company
OF the underground proposition the
committee reports:
This COMMITTEES is fully convinced that with
in easy reach Of Oakland there is an abundant
supply ~ water Of good quality that may be
obtained a. moderate cost. From near the
town of Decoto 20 the southern boundary OF
the county and underneath the ailuvial soil
are extensive gravel beds at varying depths
and all carrying great quantities OF water Land
can be purchased at different points wells
bored and pumped from a common center by
electric power. The water be forced into
pipe line and brought 70 the distributing
system already spoken or In fact a large
part of the clty's present supply and all OF
Alameda's supply comes from such wells AZ
Alvarado. We believe that land can be bought
sufficient for our purposes. wells bored