The San Francisco call., 1910-02-28
CRISIS REACHED IN
WATER SITUATION
Threatened Revocation of Hetch
Hetchy Grant Would Kill
Whole Sierra Project
Lake Eleanor Supply Sufficient
For But Limited Number
of Years to Come

"When San Francisco secured it's
grant from the secretary of the into
rior 1t was provided that certain work
should be performed by the city and
certain conditions complied with. The
water question was to be submitted TO
the people, the city was to secure the
patented lands owned in Hetch Hetchy
done.
"The city has fulfilled every ono of
those requirements. 1t has submitted
the Hetch Hefchy and TuoIumne river
projects to the voters and they have
unqualifiedIy indorsed the system and
voted necessary bonds. The city has ac-
quired 1,200 ncres of land on the floor
of the valley, which is NIL the privately
owned land.
81 don't understand why the grant
should not morally break it's faith with
the people of San Francisco after the
city hns kept it's faith implicitly with
the government. The government mny
have the legal right to revoke the grant
but L do not that IL has the moral
right."-PERCY V. LONG, city attorney.
secretary Ballinger, in ordering San
Francisco to show cause why the Hetch
Hetchy grant should not be revoked
has brought the entire problem of this
city's water supply to a head. The
IF rTo nrio
hinges on the rights Of the city ulti-
mately to utilize the waters of Hetch
Hetchy, and should the provision of
the Garfield grant which gave the city
rights in the Hetch Hetehy valley be
revoked it would, in the opinion of men
familiar with the water situation, be
futile for the municipality to proceed
with the Lake Eleanor project, unless
procedure could be instituted which
would nullify the possible adverse ac-
ton of the secretary of the interior.
AS the city has already voted bonds
to the amount of $45,O00,O00 to carry
on the work the situation is critical.
VITAL TO SUCCESS OF PLAN
Dc POSSiDlC supply VI 1dhc EltdlOi
alone is 6o,00O,O0O gallons day, which
would be sufficient for San Francisco
for some years to come, but which
would prove totally inadequate within
less than 20 years for a water district
and possibly for the city. City En-
gineer Marsden Manson and Attorney
Curtis H. Lindley. former special coun-
sci for the city in it's water litigations,
stated yesterday that it had been CON
tinuousIY and consistently urged be-
fore the secretary of the interior that
the development of Hetch Hetchy was
of paramount Importance to the de-
velopment of San Franciscos water
supply.
Mayor P. Fl. Mccarthy says he is de-
termined that San Francisco's rights
shall be protected before the depart
ment of the interior, and with the
authorization of the board of super
visors will doubtless send a delegation
to Washington to represent this city on
May 1.
SO far the right of the city to water
in the Sierra is dependent upon the re-
vocable permit issued by former Secre-
tary of the Interior Garfield, with the
approval of President Roosevelt and
former Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot.
The city also owns 1.200 acres of land
in the Lake Hetch Hetchy region, but
the ownership of that land does not
give it the right to submerge it and
adjacent land, which is in the possess
sion of the government. The rights of
the city to Lake Eleanor have not been
put in jeopardy. However. as has been
pointed out, bake Eleanor without
Hetch Hetchy would appease the thirst
of the city but limited time.
AS an interesting concomitant to the
Ballinger order there comes word of
w s. Tevis' extensive water develop
ments, coincidence which has aroused
much curiosity.
MEANS FIGHT TO FINISH
While the citys rights have rested
heretofore with the department of the
interior, the men who have been fight
ing the battles of the city are deter
mined that the municipality shall not
relinquish it's plans without a struggle
which will involve final legislation on
the disputed points and the right of
city to secure its water from the most
advantageous sources. 4
The Ballinger order asking the city
to appear before the department on
May 1 has not yet reached this city,
and no formal action will be taken by
the city officials until it has been re-
ceiyed hy the msyor and s,lneryiaors