The San Francisco call., 1908-09-13

upon the city is imminent that the sur
prise lies not in their opposition, but
that they should have delayed their
active antagonism so long.
The grant TO the city as' executed by
Secretary Garfield allows the munich
pality to develop power for its own
use. This would cut the local gas and
electric company out OF the lighting
contract, which alone amounts to more
than 100000 a year 1t is estimated
that the city's power project when fully
developed would cut into the business
of the existing concerns to more than
$500, 900 a year.
Halls proposition, as fully explained
by himself, would deprive the city of
the right to develop power for it's own
use beyond pumping necessities.
HALL IN A RAGE
The opposition to Halls proposals is
SO fixed that the rejection of his offer
is practically assured. When told of
this yesterday, Hall broke into rage.
81 have. been trying for six years. -
he exclaimed. ito keep this property
out of the hands of Spring Valley, but
if these New York people who have an
option on my land balk at this project,
will turn right around and sell to
the Spring Valley water company.
Then let's see the city touch it,
Hall has steadfastly refused to dis
close the identity of the mysterious
New York interests which have a
When asked if these interests" were
not John Hays Hammond, his cousin,
he refused to commit himself.
II am merely acting for these New
York people,, he said. L have no
special interest either way
Not only is the hand of the power
companies visible in Halls proposals,
but on the face of the thing he asks
the city TO take. the water, but to leave
him ready to use a power system de-
veloped at the expense of the public.
One result of the tangle may be re-
quest of the Washington authorities
that the city be allowed to develop the
Hetch Hetchy first, leaving Lake
Eleanor to some date in the remote fu-
ture, thus erasing Hall from the reck-
oning,
WORK OF POWER INTERESTS
It requires only very brief inquiry
into the facts to unfold the artistic
manner in which the power interests
have been working through Ham Hall.
The entire matter was revealed yes
terday during further negotiations be-
tween Hall and members of the board
OF supervisors. Hall still maintained
that he was acting for mysterious
New York interests" He refused to
name them. When it was shown to
him how his proposals worked solely
to the advantage, and very great ad-
vantage, of the local gas and electric
company, he saw the point and ex-
claimed, Always a niger in the wood
pile. People will, always find a nigger
whatever you undertake.
1t will be recalled that Halls pro-
posal, in brief, was to sell to the CITY
his Lake Eleanor lands and the water
therein for 100000. retaining for him.
self the use of the waters for power
purposes. In the first place the stipu-
lations entered into between the city
of San Francisco and Secretary Car
field expressly prohibit any such ar
rangement, but that is just where the
real scheme of Hall and his associates
terminates. They propose that the city
and Garfield get together again and
eliminate the clause that prohibits any
such arrangement. That is the second
step in the scheme of the power inter-
ests. The scheme finds it's full Bios
som I'm the natural consequence of such
action, for the elimination of the clause
referred to would also deprive the city
of the right to make use of the power
developed in %lle WATERWAYS of the