New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
-,,rcH HETCHY'S BEAUTY
-, of Yosemite PARK Which May
Become ReserTor.


suss-1 levers Of nature and friends of the prin-
sno" ,onser,ation OF natural resources and
ePH s.-xstion of scenery ever since Secretary
w 90 of Nj Roosevelt's Cabinet. responded
Ss--sly a. the application OF the city OF San
- for the privilege of utilizing the water
70, --,o,,,-ane River which flows through this
The matter is gradually being brought
.s,a and the people Of the city al the
=. cate will soon vote upon the question
o...-,,,r bonas Tor the purpose Of bringing the
AZ this river 20 the gates OF the city. and
N .vDerted that the question of confirming,
= ,.,-ield's concession will be brought up in
.,r-sss this winter.
.~,s nroiect Is being opposed by such men as
:. Mir. J Horace krFarland. president OF
.-,s-ican civic Association. Robert Under
- Johnson and members Of various noun
...-i,r clubs and scenic preservation socie-
: Tbe Hctch Hetchy Valley and its canyon.
-. ,uuered granite walls rising almost perpen-
-, 10 a height OF from three thousand 20
=. tbousand feet. crowned with domes, towers
= and battIements. occupy the northern and
= e-rouented pert ~ the Yosemite National
-. and are ranked with the Yosemite Valley
.sric wonders n Is asserted that the use OF
=. v.,ter of this valley in course OF time would
ST. hall of the AREA Of the park and destroy
!, ,alue a. a national scenic resort because OF
-, Necessity oC excluding the public ia order
i keen the water clean Furthermore as
-..5ent IL would open the door 20 the spOIia-
-, az other national parks and deprive the
,rnt-y of what Uas hoped for IN their creation
II vas for TIE protection OF the Hetch Hetchv
Valley and its tributaries that the Yosemite
N.uenal PARK was established. and but for this
-roisrt0n Il long ago would have been cobbIcd
,, bv private interests anC made unavailabl,
m ssH Franciseo's use
Il IS averred that san Francisco Is not limited
70 HsA Hetchy Valley in its efforts 10 obtain
az n6Pendent water supply. but that there are
A. lslS hah @ dozen available sources Of water
supply which have not been sufficiently invest
gated
Thsse who -rgue in favor OF the rroDositIon
% sbain the clear mountain water OF the Tho
anne for n. Western gateway 70 the Pacific
sly that the public ~ suffering from a rniscon-
-pton regarding the project through the fact
hli i has ben styled the Hetch Hetchy prof
~ wher in reality il should be known as tie
Tloaane or -he Lake Eleanor plan. Lake Flea
| ur being located Rithin the Yosemite Park
rfar to- Aesteru border. u the northwest OF the
Hs.h H-tcig valley and tributary % the
T1umne River The scheme OF running a dam
sFlss The lower end Of Hetch Hetchy Valley.
lry declare ls % project which may not be car
--i ont or ft-U Gears. because there VII be no
| s5 -5 clN -I.- t.lls reserve supply earlier
| -1e n.n.i.--. plan of san Francisco IS that
ttlmmlIE I-... Eleanor ana Cherry Creek an
| ts-- tributary .t taa 1Uolumne River. Under
3. Garfield permit the representatives Of the
d say L-t Ha-lh Hetchy Valley may be
-l-Eec 1u.g .l"E e becomes necessary 70 SUD
--ment tt. supply q water from the other
s-rres after tleg have been fully developed
l-5 s'und g. b- Insufficient for the needs OF the
rs TIE aa-sr situation n the city IS de-
sTbd - them a. follows.
Pr wears san Francisco has been dependent
20 h- Spring Valley Water Company. Il
'shs al the available watersheds near the
1y Like many other corporations its stock Is
sltsr ana iH order 90 pay dividends it has been
TINED for years u practise economy in regard
ths very things IA which economy Is most
EastesuL
The earthquaie demonstrated that many Of
l- 5g service r.pes had not been properly laid
Et fexIbr joints and the result was that the
-ys ga,er supply VAS cut Of Hence the enor-
mus destruction 0f property which would have
'-h prevented had the water mains been laid
's1pery- Sine the fire the Spring Valley com
ans las had q hard row 10 hoe and its work
d rehabilitation has been slow.
j Iht supervisors have tried 10 get the new
nmpany 70 make some offer Of its plant so
M me city could take over the property and
'm T. bat uEtI recently the officers not only
Acih-d u make any reasonable offer. but re-
ilsed to pu; the plant IN good order 70 supply
@ growing needs ~ the city. Hence in self