The San Francisco call., 1904-03-25
TO CONFER With
IRRICATIONISTS
Supervisors Would COmprO-
mise With Opponents OF
TuOIumne Water Project
APPOINT A COMMITTEE
Plan Suggested That This
City Build Dam to Supply
Two Districts Interested

The Supervisors Public Utilities
Committee yesterday decided on the
appointment of a special COMMITTEES 10
confer with the representatives Of fne
TurlOck and Modesto irrigation dis
tricts in order il possible to arrive at
some amicable agreement whereby the
districts named will withdraw their
opposition TO the proposed bills now
before Congress granting this city GER
/ tain water rights at the hsadvateTs Ot
: the TuOlumne River as the nucleus OF
municipal water system. The COM
mittee consists Of Commissioner Wood
! ward OF the Board of Public Works.
City Attorney Long Supervisor Braun
hart, j. II. Dockw eiIer and Assistant
City Engineer ]. r. Price.
Price stated that the proposition dis
cCssed recently was TO give the 1rrisa-
tionists 500 cubic second feet OF
water. but he did not think il advisable
to enter into an agreement 70 deliver
this amount of water under existing
conditions The water would irrigate
100000 acres of land. Price said that
additional water could be obtained Dy
raising the Hetch Hetchy dam at an
expense Of $500. 600.
John +. Bennett, representing the
Modesto Irrigation District, stated that
his clients required 500 cubic second
year.
Dockweiler stated that the amount of
water asked for by the irrigatiOntsts "a
SO Is per cent Of what the city is now
using and is in addition to what tney
are diverting at present. amounting 10
200 cubic second feet DOckweiler ad-
vised care in the negotiations because
if the demands of the irrigationists are
conceded there would be difficulty in
supplying the water especially in Sep
tember. when but One-third Of the res
ervoir capacity is stored.
Commissioner Casey said he had been
over the ground and said IL dams are
raised there would be untold quantities
Of water for all concerned.
IF you go to Modesto" said Bennett.
with your minds made up to give 500
second feet of water in perpetuity to
the irrigation districts in addition TO
what they are now diverting ] am
safe in saying that you will encounter
no difficulty In arriving at a satisfac-
tory arrangement and the bill viii not
be opposed in Congress. At the present
time we take only the natural flow or
the river, TO which we have undisputed
rights"
In reply to Supervisor d'Ancona.
Bennett said that if this city abandoned
the project the irrigationists would
build dams to get the additional water
they required.
Then" said D'AncOna. the prOpOs1-
tion IS that this city must bear the ex-
pense of 100000 in order TO give You
this additional water. the price being
the removal Of your objections ?"
Yes" replied Bennett. But you
understand that we have the first
rights as irrigationists. This is a val
liable right and IF il was vested in
private ownership San Francisco would
have to pay very dearly for the priv
ilege."
What do the irrigationists contrib
ute?" asked D'Ancona.
I'VE will waive our claims and viii
help you get the bill granting water
rights TO San Francisco through Con
gTess. This city can never get the
right to use the reservoir sites on the
Tuolumne River if we oppose them"
answered Bennett.
When the committee had been ap-
pointed Bennett stated that the irriga-
tionists meet the first Tuesday Of
each month in Modesto and TurlOblS
As the towns are fifteen miles apart
Bennett suggested that the committee
visit Modesto in the morning and Tur-
lock in the afternoon.