The San Francisco call., 1908-05-17
MANSON BRINGS
DOCUMENTS IN
CITYS VICTORY
San Francisco to Have Finest
Water Supply in the World,
Engineer Asserts
Property Worth Sl5,OOO,OOO Is
Offered by Government
for 100000
StupendOus Task Brought to a
Successful End by Energy
of Official

[
Manson left for Washington. Yester-
day he came back, carrying in his bat
tered leather grip the documents, all
duly signed, sealed and delivered,
whereby the United States govern
ment grants to the city of San Fran
cisco the Lake Eleanor and Hetch
Hetchy water rights.
1t was great achievement for his
city and for himself, this victory that
Marsden Manson won at Washington.
The task was big enough for man of
his energy, tact, patience and exact in
! formation. He performed it in such
manner as to earn for him the lasting
gratitude OF the people whose inter-
ests he served so well. Before long
San Francisco will have the best
municipal water supply in the country,
and when it does Marsden Manson's
name will be among those mentioned
most frequently and with the most ap-
probation in the celebration.
MANSON is JUBILANT
Engineer Manson was jubilant when
a reporter for The Call met him up the
road yesterday afternoon on the over
land limited.
DO you know what this means?"
exclaimed Manson. DO you realize
what we have acquired? Why. we
have within our reach the greatest
water system in the whole wide world
I ha
full drinking water obtainabIe for our
children, for the mothers and for the
people generally of the city When
you realize that the most eminent ply
sicians tell us that The health of
community is more closely connected
with its water supply than any other
single element you can understand
what this will do for San Francisco.
I'VE must not lose any time We
have overcome the first and biggest
obstacle and now 1t is for the people
of the city to get together and carry
the project through. 1t will take time,
but there should be no delay. The
president is with US; in fact. found
him thoroughly familiar with every
phase of the matter and eager to help
San Francisco in every way. Secretary
Garfield and Clifford Pinchot, chief of
the forestry bureau. are also with us
in this matter"
The agreement made by Engineer
Manson in the name of the city with
the government of the United States,
containing nine stipulations as to the
conditions under which the city may
avail itself of the reservoir sites, has
been made public in dispatches from
Washington. This will be submitted to
the board of supervisors tomorrow and
This will close the bargain.
WILL PROPOSE BOND ISSUE
Engineer Manson will then propose
as the first step bond issue of $1,000
600. With this he proposes to make
the necessary payments on the sites, to
purchase the 142 miles of right of way
to the Sierra and, If need be, to con-
struct the first Lake Eleanor dam.
Lake Eleanor. when fully developed,
will give us daily supply of $4,000
600 gallons said Manson, nearly
double the present needs of the CITY,
Later we can begin work on the Hetch
Hetchy reservoirs. and with these COM
pleted, we shall have supply of be-
tween zoe, 100000 and 30O,00o,O00 gal
Ions daily, enough to supply the cities
about the bay for long time to come,
with a great deal left over"
The total cost of the system, includ-
ing distributing plant, has been esti-
mated at s39,o00,OOO. Manson figures
that the Sierra supply can be brought
to the city for $19,Oo0,0O0. This, OF
course, does not include pipeage
throughout the municipality. Under
the terms of the grant, the water may
be utilized not only for San Francisco
but for all the other bay cities as
well.
Moreover, provision is made that the
city may avail itself of the power for
lighting purposes. 1t is only after 1t
has looked out for it's own needs and
those OF the adjacent municipalities
that San Francisco must deliver to the
Irrigation districts. The water and
power turned over to the irrigationists
is to be sold at cost.
MANY OBSTACLES OVERCOME
I'VE encountered any number of OBJ
stacles." said Manson, but had good
assistance. Mr.. Charles w. Hornick of
The Call rendered valuable service in
washington. He saw President Roose-
welt and Secretary Garfield and was
able to help the project materially.
After we had settled the problem pre-