The San Francisco call., 1904-10-11
Oakland's City Council Hears
Propositions for Municipal
Plant, All Involving the
Expenditure of Millions
PRESIDENT .D0RNIN'S
LESS COSTLY SCHEME
Presents Option Acquired by
Him on ThOuSand-Acre
Tract Near at Hand for
Supply by Artesian Wells
Oakland Office San Francisco Call.
1O16 broadway. Oct. 10.


1o16 Broadway. Oct. 10.
Six separate propositions to furnish
the city Of Oakland with a municipal
water supply were submitted tonight
70 the City Council All of them after
long discussion were given into the
hands Of a special advisory committee
named by President George w. Dor
min on motion Of Councilman Edwin
Meese. This committee is composed Of
Mayor Warren Olney, City Engineer
T. Q. Turner, Councilman Edwin
Meess and J. 7. Wallace, and James K.
Mofitt, Cary Howard and r. H. Cham
berlain. The last three are private
citizens. The six projects in the order
Of their presentation are:
First-The Bay Cities Water Com
pany's amended plan, guaranteeing de-
livery Of 2o000,000 gallons day TO the
city limits at a cost Of $3,75O,OOO, the
city 20 build the necessary reservoirs
and distl ibuting plant.
Second-M- K. Miller's plan to develop
a underground supply Of water in the
city Of Oakland, presented by Coun-
Gilman 3. c. Cuvellier at request or the
Municipal League.
Third-Tender of the Sierra Nevada
Water and Power Company by A L.
dN ADLr DLEHlQEult Win LESEINQAL site
and other water rights on the Mokel-
umne River at its headwaters in Gala
Veras County, 109 miles frim Oakland,
with a capacity Of 1900, 900 gallons.
The company proposes to sell the city
q perpetual right to 81, ,000, 900 gallons a
day Rough estimates Of the cost Of
the pipeline TO Oakland are $4,000, 900
and 81 O00, 600, according to route. This
plan was presented by Councilman J.
T. Wallace.
FOurth-Project to purchase water
rights just below the junction Of the
north and middle forks Of the American
River near Auburn; to dam and form
a lake three miles long and one quarter
mile wide, and supply 60,000.000 gallons
a day through two 48-inch pipes, at an
estimated cost of IS, ,638, 500, with S410-
S24 additional if 10000 electrical horse
power is desired from the same
source. Councilman Edwin AIeese Of
fered this proposition.
Fifth-Offer by NJ K. Miller to de-
velOp an artesian well supply in Ala
media County for $4,000, 900. This
project is said to be closely related to
the Niles Cone plan Of Withdrawing a
supply from the gravel beds in the dis
trict.
DORNIN'S ECONOMICAL PLAN.
The sixth and last proposition was
presented by George W. DOrnin, presi-
dent Of the Council, during the course
Of an address. 1t came as a surprise to
the members in that President Dornin
said he had bonded out of his own
pocket a tract of 1000 acres Of land, to
cost $15o,000, which had shown ex-
tensive artesian well possibilities. The
location Of the land is not far from
Oakland, as indicated by Dornin's esti-
mate Of s.. 200 900 as the total cost Of
necessary pipelines and pumping
plants for operation.
President Dornin explained that he
had procured the option on September
2, but had refrained from making it
public before the bond election had
been held, because he feared the cry of
buncombe might be raised He re-
fused tonight to say where the land
was situated, announcing that he pre-
ferred to have a report first from the
special committee that had been
named to handle the water PROPOSE
tions.
Dornin gave a lengthy review Of the
work the City Council had done in the
effort to get a municipal water supply.
the obstacles met, and the labor given
for many months to the task. An
ewering charges which he declared had
been made by Councilman Aitken, that
the Council had forgotten its pledges.
President Dornin said:
This attack. like many others the
same person has made when the sub
ject Of his criticisms was absent and
not in position to reply, comes with
Door grace from one who knows better
and who knows that, with no assist
ance from hmi, this Council has been
struggling with might and main to
serve the best interests of the city.
IT comes with poorer grace from one
who, when repeatedly requested and
challenged TO produce a scheme for a
municipal water supply. if he has one,