The San Francisco call., 1909-11-16
WAY CLEARED FOR
A SIERRA SYSTEM
Supervisors Fix Date for Bond
Election to Provide Mill
lions for Water

Sferra wafer svstena-SupervisOr Bal
com. Bancroft. Booth. Broderick, Comte,
Connolly, D,Ancona, Hooks. Jennings.
Johnston, McLeran. Murdock, Murphy,
Psyot, Sanderson-l5.
Against the bond Issue-supervisors
McAIlister and Pollok
Absent-Superviso Center.
The way was cleared yesterday for
the S45.000.O0o bond election for the
Sierra water system. The supervisors
passed 10 print the preliminary ordi-
nance. fixing Tuesday. December IS, as
the date. Supervisors McAllister and
Pollok were alone in their opposition.
Supervisor Center was absent The
utility to be acquired is designated as
follows;
a water supply and works TO be
owned and controlled by the city and
county OF San Francisco TO furnish said
city and county and to the inhabitants
thereof a sufficient supply of good. pure
water FOR all purposes. the source Of
said water supply TO be Lake Eleanor.
The waters Of the Tuolumne river and
lis tributaries in Tuolumne county.
California"
Specific mention Of Hetch Hetchy
was omitted TO comply with the sterms
OF the Garfield grant and TO meet the
wishes OF Secretary Ballinger of the
interior department. The water sources
embraced an the term "Hetch Hetchy'
arc the Tuelumne river and its -rribu-
taries- These, IT viii be noted, are in
ciuded- Only the construction Of the
Hetch Hetchy valley storage dam IS
omitted. This, il was stated. viii be
provided for when the needs of the
city require it.
REJECT SPRING VALLEY OFFER
After some debate, the supervisors
ffn71
conference in the mayors Office, re-
solved 10 reject the Offers of the Spring
Valley water company. A committee
was then appointed TO negotiate with
the corporation for the purchase of its
plant at a price TO be fixed by arbi-
ration or otherwise" The offer of
W IL IT. Hart TO sell the Mokelumne
system was also rejected.
The days proceedings We're marked
by a spirited discussion. Supervisor
Pollok led the opposition. He con
tended that City Engineer Marsden
Manson had neglected to figure interest
on the bonds during construction. This.
he said. would amount TO S10.125000.
Adding this sum TO the money already
voted and the proposed s45.000,0 900
bond issue. he argued. would bring the
total cost Of the project TO s55. So. 600.
The subject was brought up on Su-
pervisOr Johnston's resolution TO reject
the Spring Valley offer. McAllister
moved TO amend by changing the
phraseology TO read that the offer be
taken under consideration.
The proposal TO reject seems like
precipitate action said Supervisor
DAncOna- 1T seems to me we ought
TO give the matter more than offhand
consideration do not know that we'
want the Spring Valley distributing
system, but we certainly want the
reservoirs.
VALUED At MILLIONS LESS
I believe" said Supervisor Connolly.
we should give consideration TO what
seems TO be a fair offer TO arbitrate.
It IS said we have not the legal right
TO arbitrate. Let us assume that the
company is acting in good faith and
act, ourselves, accordingly"
Supervisor Johnston stated that the
ordinance had been prepared in the
city attorneys office to meet the legal
requirements Of the situation. He sub
nitted data prepared by former City
Engineer {. Z. Grunsky and by Her
mann Schussler of the Spring Valley
company in which the properties that
President Bourn now offers for SIs,-
45o.75o We're valued at many millions
less. Johnston also quoted Grunsky
on the impurity Of the Lake Merced
source.
The city today is getting from
3o00,o00 to 100000 gallons day
from Lake Merced," declared Pollok. L
would like TO ask Manson" he added.
n he could duplicate Lake Merced on
the peninsula"
NO. sir" retorted Manson. "snd I
wouldn't want to. 1t is subject to
pollution. 1t is true we are using from
100000 TO 5000. 900 gallons from il
daily not as an emergency, but as a
permanent supply"
To reconsider Spring Valleys offer
said Mayor Taylor. would amount to a
recognition of its validity which. he
added, no lawyer will admit"
know one who believes it legal"
replied Pollok
The McAllister resolution was lost
oy vote OF to Il. Those favorine
u were Balloon, Bancroft, Broderick
DAncona, McAllister and Pollok.
The resolution to reject the offer was
: tnen adopted, Pollok alone voting in
the negative.
COMMITTEE TO NEGOTIATE
The resolution 10 appoint a commit
zee consisting of Supervisors Johnston
Jennings and City Attorney Long TO
1Ieat win the Spring Valley was then
4 presented On motion Of Connolly this
committee was empowered to negotiate
looking toward the sale of the plant
Of the Spring Valley company at a price
TO be fixed by arbitration or other
wise
---o-A OAAiudACt lOr the lond
election was then called up. D'Ancona
inquired as to the omission OF "Hetcb
. Hetchy' from the list Of sources. Su-
pervisor Johnson explained that the
Betch Hetchys valley source was the
Tuolumne river, which was designated
under its own name.
Charles Wesley Reed was given the
privilege Of the floor and urged thar
the words Hetch Hetchy' be inserted
He expressed the fear that this might
be used as a pretext 10 antagonize the
voters.
Manson expressed the view that it
might be 20 or 80 years before ~the
detch Hetchy dam would be required
IN the meantime all the water flowing
through the Hetch Hetchy valley will
5 be turned into the conduits for the
city.
4 The present secretary of the in
terror" added Mayor Taylor, is very
! urgent that we shall hew straight TO
the line Of the Garfield grant and de-
velop Lake Eleanor first and not de-
: velop Hetch Hetchy or do any work on
in until we have exhausted the Lake
Eleanor supply. 1t would be a mis-
: take to do otherwise. AS II is, we