The San Francisco call., 1910-02-27
TFvIS CONFFRS
WITH WOULD Be
WATER BUYERS
Head Of Bay Cities Corporation
Submits Verbal Offer to
Municipal Chiefs
mayors of Transbay Cities to
Refer Wholesale Purchase
Plan TO Councils

Na@no, berkcleN and Alameda have
become deeply interested in the propo-
sition of ". s Tevis and the Bay cities
water company to enter the transbay
neld with water TO sell to municipai
ties.
Tevis had a long conference yester-
day with Mayor Beverly L. Hodghead
OF Berkeley in Hodghead's San Fran
cisco Office and Thoroughly discussed
The question Of supplying the college
town with water. The Oakland city
council and the officials of Alameda
have also received word from Tevis of
his plans, and the head of the Bay
cities company is now preparing for
each municipality a statement of the
proposition which his water company
stands ready TO present
The Peoples water company. a Hav-
ems Bowles corporation. is the concern
against which Tevis viii compete. al
though the president of the Bay Cities
concern promises TO preserve an al
trulsuc neutrality with the older COM
pany. The bonds Of the Peoples water
company We're active on the san Fran
cisco stock and bond exchange yester-
day They dropped to 60 when the
market opened but rose TO 6754 on
Friday they closed at 6s5s.
TRIED TO BUY RIVAL
The prediction was made by several
bankers that the result of the con-
7iicting interests would he that the
Peoples company would be acquired
hY the TeNis and Crocker interests.
Tevis recently endeavored 10 purchase
the Peoples company. but the syndi-
cate wanted SI700o00O and TeYis
would only give $4,000 600.
As YET Alameda county has not pro-
ouced market for the Bay Cities
water Mayor Hodghead of Berkeley
listened patiently 10 Tevis' exposition Of
the virtues Of his water sites and then
proposed that Tevis make q definite
proposition to that city
The president of the water company
has been energetic in offering fabulous
quantities Of water for public and pri-
Nate consumption, bat he was quite COY
yesterday when asked concerning the
sources Of his millions OF gallons He
waved hand generally in the direc-
ton of out Of doors.
Il have water sites and cachement
areas IN more than 10 counties of the
state said Tevis- II have sites on
Mount hamilton and also on Coyote
creek, on the south fork of the Amer
lean river 1 have rights which can
be developed to I30.0O0.000 gallons.
nave rights on the Consumes and hold
many acres in Lake county.
W hile the president Of the Bay Cities
company insists that he does not intend /
10 compete through rate cutting or
other belligerent means with the Peo-
PIE water company or other corpora
lions, he admitted yesterday that there
was the danger Of litigation as soon s
ne started to develop his properties
But he said that he was prepared for
II i nave SO many sources declared
Is that ] can laE my pipes and
mains with the apparent intention of
tapping one source and then il aDv
litigation should be started. could
turn around and get my water from an
entirely different source
COURT RULING UNFAVORABLE
The supreme court. in the case of
Charles Miller Us. Bay Cities water
company. handed down a decision on
February which was adverse to Tevis
and his interests
But he did not seem TO be greatly
troubled by the courts ruling All
the decision covered" he said. wa s
mat We shall not take waters from
certain SraVels IN the lower Coyote
creek gorge without paying damages to
property owners in the valley below
nave never intended TO take water
from any district without pavine
proper damages 10 those who would
De injured by the operations"
Tevis denied the report that his title
81 jeopardy
Tevis said that he had no designs
on entering the San Francisco field.
and that he did not utterly disapprove
of the San Francisco Sierra project.
though he modestly contended that his
properties were better, or at least less
expensive.
L have the wafer .pd ta,,o ~ /
money 10 develop my water" he said. |
All that I need now is to get custom
ers 10 contract TO buy the water If
can not get the customers there is no /
need Tor me 10 proceed with my plans. |
But j have studied this proposition /
carefully, and have decided that the /
present supply Of water for the trans /
bay cities Is insufficient, and that there /
would be much better development /
there II there was more water.
! am prepared to furnish water i'm /
great quantities. and if the demand is I
great enough can go right ahead and (
bring the water where it is required /
i the demand is small I have foreign 4
capitalists behind me who will bid in /
constructing the plant necessary to (
supply the small consumers.
If the demand for my water is very /
great l Will bring water from the /
Sierra sources. But can bring 10000 /
600 gallons from a source that is |
neither the Sierra nor Santa Clara val /
ley. II will be the purest and best |
mountain water, and can be gathered /
and brought in without interfering /
with the rights OF any one. There are I
not 80 persons living in the cachement /
area. IT is a district which can not be
used for agriculture, and there is now
some stock in it"
Tevis declined TO say where this /
1ratery district was located.
~
ing statement of the interview with
Tevis:
RERKELEY MAYORS VIEW
II told Mr. Tevis that in question of |
supplying water 70 Berkeley, the propo-
sition would have TO be submitted in