The San Francisco call., 1909-02-10
LEGISLATURE NOW IN
.HFTCH HFTCHY FIGHT
Bill TO Create Chartered Water
District Proposed to Sac
ramentO S0lOns
Measure Drawn by Special
Committee of Taylor, Mott,
Long, McElroy and Phelan
[Special Dispatch 10 The CALI

CALL HEADQUARTERS, CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE BUILDING, SACRA-
MENTO. Feb. 9.-San Franciscos fight
for a municipal water supply from the
Hetch Hetchy valley has reached the
state legislature. City Attorney Percy
v. Long brought here today bill
which will enable San Francisco to
join with other municipalities in the
formation of water district on the
lines already perfected in Boston and
other big cities where the municipal
ownership of water is an accomplished
fact.
Drawn by a special committee con-
sisting of Mayor Taylor of San Fran
cisco, Mayor Mott of Oakland, City At
torney Long of San Francisco, City At
torney McElroy of Oakland and James
ID. Phelan, the bill is framed on broad
lines, somewhat analogous to those
which have governed the formation of
irrigation districts, and will enable the
metropolis to extend the benefits of
municipal ownership of water to neigh
boring municipalities whenever they
desire to avail themselves of the privi-
lege.
The bill which will be introduced in
the senate by Dick Welch of San
Francisco and in the assembly by
Harry Pulcifer of Oakland provides
that the first step toward the forma-
tion of a municipal water district shall
be the passage of municipal ordi-
nance. reciting the necessity for the
procedure and the name of the district
sought to be included. Forty days are
given to other municipalities to join
with the city initiating the scheme.
Then there is to follow a special cleo
tion in the various municipalities de-
sirous of entering into the water dis
trict, a majority vote being necessary
to carry out the project. Following a
successful election. the secretary of
state is TO certify to the incorporation
of the water district.
The powers conferred on municipal
water district include: Perpetual sue
cession; the right to sue and to be
sued; to adopt a seal; to acquire, hold
and dispose of real and personal prop
erty; to acquire lands and to construct
conduits. pipe lines, reservoirs. ma
chinery and other property necessary
for the storage, conveyance and supply
of water; to sell water; the right of
eminent domain; to incur indebtedness
and to issue bonds; to cause taxes to
be levied; to make contracts, to employ
la Dor and to perform all other acts
necessary for the full exercise of the
powers already enumerated
Provision is made in the bill for a
board OF directors which shall include
! the mayors Of the different municipali-
ties and additional directors in accord
ance with the voting strength of the
different municipalities. This board OF
directors is TO organize in much the
same manner as the directors of any
corporation. and is to exercise the func-
tions granted by law to the water dis
trict.
The powers of the directors with re-
gard to the creation of bonded indebt-
edness and other functions necessary
for the perfection of a municipal water
supply are modelled on those which be-
long to the directors of an irrigation dis
| trict AS the constitutionality of the
laws governing irrigation districts has
| been settled by the courts, the trainers
| or the water district bill have the ut
most confidence in their provisions for
this part of the project
The bill as drawn was approved by
the special committee from San Fran.
cisco and Oakland after J. Fl. Dock
weller, consulting engineer for the
board of supervisors of San Francisco
had studied it's various provisions and
had reported their strict adherence to
laws already operative is Boston and
other municipalities.