The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-21

tOPCSfdt L<ioPdlCH 10 lie OQl
Gle may have confused the issue,
but he has not confused this commit
tee."-Chairman Mandell of the house
committee on public lands. referring
to Attorney McCutcheon of Spring VAL
ley company.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 20.-A presenta-
ton of the needs of San Francisco in
the matter of getting a supply of
water from the Hetch Hetchy valley
that was lucid and convincing and
made a deep impression on the house
COMMITTEES on public lands was made
before that committee today by ex-
Mayor Phelan, City Attorney Percy v.
Long and DR.. Giannini. At no other
nearing on this subject has the COM
mittee on public lands been so visibly
friendly toward San Francisco. and it
was very evident that the action of
the city in sending special COMMITTEES
or five men to plead its cause for a
water supply had a deep effect
AT the opening of the hearing Dr.
Giannini presented to the committee
resolutions recently adopted by city
councils of Oakland and Alameda in
behalf of the grant In the Hetch Hetchy
valley TO San Francisco. There were
also presented some resolutions re-
Gently adopted by trade and commercial
organizations in San Francisco.
EXPOSES SPRING VALLEY TACTICS
City Attorney Long took I'D the
claim of Spring Valley company that
IL had tried for years to sell it's mains
and pipes to the city, but could never
get the city to come to an agreement
on price. Long showed by producing
the actual correspondence between the
city and the Spring Valley company
that repeatedly in the last Is years the
city had attempted to purchase Spring
valleys property. and that at no time
during the negotiations could the city
induce the Spring Valley people to say
what they would be willing TO take for
their property. Copies of the corpora
tlons correspondence with the city were
left with the committee, so that the
contention that the city had refused in
the past to buy out Spring Valley ap-
peared fairly well disposed of
NECESSITY FOR MORE WATER
Elk Mayor Phelan made a statement
of the present inadequate condition OF
the supply of water furnished by the
Spring Valley company to San Franz
cisco and explained the absolute neces-
sity of securing the supply to be had
from the Hetch Hetchy valley to meet
not only the present but the coming
requirements contingent to the rapid
growth of the city.
AT q PIctlOuS nearing niCOuICQGOn.
the attorney for the Spring Valley COM
pany, made statement that his COM
pany could not increase the supply of
water because money for that purpose
was not available. In commencing to
answer this statement Phelan told the
committee that he feared McCutcheon
had confused the issue, whereupon
Chairman Mandell remarked:
He may have confused the issue,
hut nOf confused fbfs QO,,,-
mittee."
Continuing, Phelan said that it would
take about eight years for San Fran
cisco to install its own water system
after grant in the Hetch Hetchy had
been made. He said the Spring Valley
company was amply able. by installing
another conduit from the Alameda side
to San Francisco, to deliver to the city
5000, 900 gallons of water more day
than was being delivered, and that with
the additional 100000 gallons a day
the city could get along until the new
water works were completed.
COULD ENLARGE IT'S PLANT
Phelan took up the claim of the
Spring Valley company that it was I'M
able to raise money to add to its pres
ent plant He said that the total cost
of additions to conduits so that $780,
900 gallons additional water a day
could be delivered would be $4,000.
Phelan said that the Spring Valley
company could call upon the under
writers for it's bonds at any time TO
take up their subscriptions at the un-
derwriting price of SO cents and there
by provide sufficient capital to lay an
additional conduit to Alameda.
At tomorrow's session of the public
lands committee the Spring Valley COM
pany will present further arguments in
support of its position. and then most
likely the hearings will be declared
closed and q decision reached in a