The San Francisco call., 1908-11-08
Spring Valley Issues Pamphlet
Against Project Written By
Hired Expert
Supervisors Plan Active Cam
paigH TO Bring Out Big Vote
on November IL
Merchants Association IndOrses
Proposition, but Inserts a
Clause That Is Peculiar

The Spring Valley water company
has Instituted a vigorous campaign to
defeat the preliminary bond issue for
the Hetch Hetchy system to be voted
upon Thursday by the people of San
Francisco. A pamphlet has been is
sued in which the project is con-
denned. and copies OF this viii be
distributed by the water company
throughout the city during the week
The documents bear the signature
OF Russell Dunn, an engineer, who
was at one tine interested in d Sierra
source OF his own A few years so
Dunn gave expert opinion against the
pretentions Of the Spring Valley. This
year he appeared before the board Of
supervisors and argued for the com
pany. urging that il be given q higher
rate than the board was inclined 10
grant AT that time Supervisor dan
cona called attention 10 Dunn's sudden
change Of front and charged that the
engineer has been employed by the
spring Valley company
In order 10 meet the organized ef-
fort Of the corporation 10 defeat the
project the board Of supervisors has
made srran gements for a number OF
district meetings TO be held during the
few DAYS remaining between now and
the election a big meeting viii be
held at the hall Of the Mission pro
motion association tomorrow night 4
demonstration has been prepared by
the Haigbt and Ashbury Improvement
clubs for Tuesday night and on
Wednesday the subject VIII be dis
cussed before the Cortland avenue
Improvement association.
PROMINENT MEN TO SPEAK
These meetings viii be addressed by
members OF the board OF supervisors,
CITY Engineer Marsden Manson.
1fichRel Casey president of the board
~ public works. and other members Of
the city government
The teachers have asked that a meet
ing be arranged AZ which they may
hear the matter discussed, and the
board OF education viii endeavor 10
hold a noon gathering.
Those IN charge Of the campaign for
tire city fear that a great many per
sons believing that the project VIII
certainly carry. VIII remain away
from the polls and thus forfeit the
opportunity 10 obtain an adequate wa
Ter supply. An effort viii be made 70
secure vote Of 50,O00. At the election
Isst Tuesday some SO 600 votes were
cast In the bond election few
months ago about $4,000 ballots were
recorded. Il is pointed out that the
second Of the three proposals 10 be
passed upon VIII require a twO-rhirds
vote 10 carry This calls for q bond
issue Of S600. coo 10 secure the lands
and rights Of way for the Hetchy
Hetchy and Lake Eleanor reservoir
sites
In order 10 call attention 10 the cleo
tiOn 500 banners have been painted 10
be displayed on wagons The dray-
mems association took 200 Yesterday
and viii place them conspicuously on
their draws and wagons. The vehicles
used by the city viii be adorned with
the banners urging aA voters 10 visit
the polls.
CLAUSE CAUSES SURPRISE
The project received another indorse-
ment yesterday. II came from the Mer-
chants association. which adopted the
following resolution:
Resolved. by the board Of directors
- the Merchants association Of san
Francisco. that. while IL sees and rec
ognizes legal and other difficulties in
the proposal TO acquire Lake Eleanor
and Hetch Hetchy as a water supply
FOR san Francisco. yet. in the hope that
these difficulties can be overcome it
recommends that the membership vote
favOrably on the question al the special
election 70 be held November 12<19Os -
The terms OF the resolution. in so far
as they referred to legal and other
difficulties caused general surprise
among the advocates Of the measure
The Merchants association had sent a
representative to the board Of super
visOrs during the water rate hearing.
who pleaded for q higher schedule for
the Spring Valley company. but his
arguments were OF no avail During
the recent discussions Of the proposed
water system the Merchants associa-
tion objected that there were certain
legal obstacles In order 10 meet these
objections the board Of Supervisors
called special meeting. These cues
tions were met by the highest legal
authorities and at that meeting the
representative Of the Merchants as
sociation expressed their entire salts
faction
Members OF the board or supervisors
are at a loss 10 know to what the df
rectors Of the association referred nv
legal and other difficulties" in view
OF the fun answer given last week 10
al objections that were presented.