The San Francisco call., 1908-03-12
TFvIS LOSES NEW
POINT IN SUIT
Objection to Introduction of Tes-
timony Regarding HetCh
Hetchy 0verruIed
City Engineer Shows BOOdIers
Rejected Adequate System
for Bay Cities Scheme

Marsden Manson, city engineer. who,
in conjunction with former Mayor
James 2. Phelan. thoroughly investi-
gated the Hetch Hetchy water system
plans. was on the witness stand in the
Tevis- Bulletin libel suit yesterday and
related the details Of the Hetch Hetchy
project which was rejected by the
Ruef board of boodlers =.
Before Manson went on the stand
Assistant District Attorney William
Hoff Cook and Attorney Henshen OBJ
5ected TO the introduction of any testi-
mony relative 10 the Hetch Hetclly
systems superiority over any other
SYSTEM which had ever been proposed
TO the city. Attorney Hiram ". john
son for the defense made an appeal for
the introducing OF Manson's testimony.
arguing that the sting of the alleged
libel in the Bulletin, on which the pres
ent suit was based. lay not in the as
sertlOn that William 5. Tevis was to
be indicted as q result Of his alleged
attempted bribing OF the Ruef Doodle
board but in the fact that the state
ment had been made that Tevis and
Ruef had attempted TO foist upon the
city an inadequate water supply.
Briefly, Attorney Johnson said:
1t has been shown by testimony in
troduced since the beginning of the
trial that at the dictation Of Ruef his
board Of supervisors absolutely refused
TO consider the Hetch Hetchy water
system This testimony was furnished
by former Supervisors Gallagher, Viii
son and Phillips. who said that in all
matters relating TO a water supply for
San Francisco Ruef led. and that he
urged the abandonment Of the Hetch
Hetchy system. which action was
finally taken by the board.
COURT OVERRULES OBJECTION
We propose now to show that the
abandonment of consideration Of the
Hetch Hetchy system was the throwing
OUT Of consideration OF system which
was more than adequate for the needs
Of san Francisco for generations to
come"
In support OF his argument johnson
again read the story which appeared in
the Bulletin; through the printing Of
which Tevis alleges he was libeled.
The court Overruled Cooks and Hen
shells objections.
In reply 10 Attorney Matt L SuIli-
vans opening questions. Manson said
he had made two Investigations of the
Hetch Hetchy system. one during the
winter Of 1901 and the spring of 1902
Gt4d 4dktI curing 1919.
In your opinion We're the conditions
Of the Hetch Hetchy system of such a
character as 10 make it valuable to san
Francisco as water supply?' asked
Sullivan
The conditions there are ideal. in
nay opinion. The country is uninhab-
ited- It is about 142 miles from San
Francisco and would not have cost the
city one dollar. There were q few pri-
MA
Phelan and myself had purchased these,
one Of which was an option of the prop
erty of Elmer E. Smith, for which we
paid $l5o,0oo, and the other an option
on the property Of Mrs Hopple. for
which we paid $l5.e00, and both of
which We gave the city clear title to
without cost"
WATER FOR 100000 PEOPLE
What was the area and the capacity
of the Hetch He.chy system and for
what population was the supply suff-
cient2" asked Sullivan.
The Hetch Hetchy valley and the
Lake Eleanor district. which was in
cluoed, has a total area of $50 square
miles. and with the construction of a
150 foot dam in the gorge in the lower
end OF the Hetch Hetchy valley IT
would have a capacity Of 35, coo. .OOO. 600
gallons day With concrete dam 200
Jeet high this capacity would be in
creased TO 54.sO0,OO0. 900 gallons a day.
Figuring on the basis that a population
Of 100000 consumes 10000, 900 gallons a
day, should the population OF san Fran
cisco ever reach 2,OO0 600 the consump-
ton would equal only 200 600. 600 gal
Ions q day. So far as my information
goes there is not better water system
in the world than the Hetch Hetchy.
with the exception Of the system in
Oregon, and to which the former is
equal"
DO you know Mr.. Tevis?" Sullivan
interjected during Manson's testimony.
Yes" answered Manson
Did he ever seek TO get you to make
an investigation Of his Bay Cities
scheme?"
Yes. Mr.. Tevis called both at nv
house and at nay Office and asked me
10 investigate his properties 1 told
him that I could not accept as my
duties kept me here. He then suggested
20 me that he would remunerate me
sufficiently to make it an object for me
10 turn my work to some one else
here. But I declined"
Did you ever send any communica-
tiOns to the board of supervisors re-
lstive TO the acquisition of the Hetcb
Hetchy SYSTEM" asked Sullivan.
Yes, but until today I have never
heard one thing about them" replied
Manson.
Recess was then taken until 10
o'clock this morning when Manson
viii again take the stand
1
low Rafa~ % r..