The San Francisco call., 1908-07-07
DOCKW[ILFR UNDER
FIRE AS WITNESS
Spring Valley Lawyers Attempt
to Prove Gty's Expert Is
Incompetent
Engineer Files Affidavit Show
ing San Francisco Water
Rates Highest in Land

] II. DockweiIer directed the city's
guns at the Spring Valley company
yesterday and drew the corporation nre
IN return. The city's consulting enGl-
neer had submitted an affidavit setting
forth with elaborate detail the COM
parative water rates in the large cities
OF the country. In the tables present
ed by Dockweiler it was shown that the
schedule in force here was higher than
IN almost every other place. Dock
weller had q dozen different ways OF
making his estimates and all tended 10
establish the fact that Spring Valley
cut deeper into the pockets of the peo-
ple than the plants Of other cities
Later in the day DockweLer was
placed on the witness stand and sub
3ected to relentless cross eXamina-
ton by Attorney Z. J. McCutchen OF
the water company. McCutchen at
tackled Dockweiler's standing as an en-
gineer and sought to show that he had
but scant knowledge Of the things TO
which he had sworn.
All concerned in the litigation gave
indication Of 4 desire to bring the hear
ing 10 a close as speedily as possible.
Judge harrington expedited matters
where he could, but even with the
greatest possible speed it is not
thought that the case can be submitted
before the end Of the week.
COMPARES RATES OF CITIES
Dockweiler's deposition filed yester-
day dealt almost entirely with compar-
ative rates, He first takes up the ng-
ures Of George Z. Booker Of the Spring
Valley company. who had presented a
table showing comparative charges in
the big cities for water supplied to an
ordinary family Of five persons. Booker
had stated that the company charges
for this service were below the average.
In controverting Booker's statements,
Dockweiler states that the class OF
dwellings described by Booker is the
source Of only 3 1-3 per cent of the
company's revenue. BOoker's figures
would give the impression that the rate
per. consumer per year amounts to only
sS.O7 Dockweiler. however, divides
the revenue received by the number of
consumers and finds that the cost per
annum per consumer amounts to S6l5,
a rate almost twice as high as that in
effect in any Of the large cities. Dock
weller adds:
This shows that some consumers
pay s3.O7 per annum, while other con-
sumers contribute enough to bring the
average up TO $6.15 to all consumers
In other words. if 1918 is the average
rate and one set of consumers pays
S3.07. then the other set must pay 1928
10 make up the average.
Dockweiler also submits comparative
figures as to the amount paid per
100000 gallons Of water, apd again it
appears that the San Francisco con-
sumer bears the heaviest tax. Dock
weller figures that the consumers in
Oakland pay $177.60 per 10000 gal
Ions. while San Francisco would pay
under the new ordinance s19l90 per
,OOO, 600 gallons. This estimate is
based upon the Spring Valley figures
for the coming year, but according 70
the estimates as TO the company's reve-
nue. made by the board Of supervisors
the cost per 100000 gallons would
reach $2047O.
HIGHEST IN SAN FRANCISCO
In q list Of so cities it appears that
the cheapest service prevails in Wash
lngton, where the cost per 100000 gal
Ions is placed at $15.56. The highest
cost. excepting san Francisco, is TO be
found in BrOckton, Mass, with charge
OF sIs3.05 per 100000 gallons. The
hgures also show that in point Of reve-
nue. received the company is outranked
only by the plants OF New York, Chi
cago, Boston and Philadelphia. Dock
weller also submitted a series Of tables
showing the status Of water plants in
ell other large cities in the union.
The Spring Valley attorneys objected
that no exact comparison could be
made because Of the differing condi-
tions and Judge harrington was in
clined to take that view.
It was late IN the day when Dock
weller took the stand to explain his
tables. McCutchen began the cross
examination by drawing from the wit
ness that he had never built q water
L
Sveiler's recommendation that money
could be saved on the Hetch Hetchy
plant by using steel pipe instead of
iron. McCutchen questioned Dock
weller closely as to his knowledge OF
pipes and the witness spent an uncom-
Portable half hour under the technical
cross examination. The witness stated
that the steel would be affected by the
Rlkau OF the soil.
Before leaving the stand Dockweiler
gave it as his opinion that the city
should purchase the Spring Valley plant
and develop 1t to its utmost capacity
and later bring in the water from the
Sierras. DockweIler will be recalled to
the stand today.
Tbs early part OF the day was de-
voted by Assistant City Attorney
Haven TO the introduction into the case
OF the testimony given in earlier trials
He read from the conpany's briefs to
show that they had asked for the 1907
rate, which is lower than the schedule
against which the company is now pro
testing IN the former cases. Haver
read at length from the testimony OF
Engineers Herring. Stearns and Duryea
The reports of accountants were sub
Yaitted severely criticising the com
pSny's book keeping methods and
showing that Spring Valley had charged
to operating expenses some $3.0o0,00
more than was warranted, including
attorneys fees. The records were pro
duced confirming the contention OF the
city attorneys Office that in the reor.
ganization of the Spring Valley watel
works the cOmpauy had turned ff,