The Washington herald., 1913-10-08
senate TO VOTE
ON Water BILL
Agreement Reached to Pass
Hetch Hetchy Measure
December 6.
SUPPORTED BY MANY
Friends of Measure Say 1t Will Free
San Francisco from Grip
of Trusts.

An agreement to vote on the Hetch
Hetchy water supply bill on December
was reached in the Senate yesterday.
The bill already has passed the House
and received a unanimous report from
the Senate Committee on Public Lands.
1t grants to the city of San Francisco
the privilege of constructing a dam at
the lower end of the Hetch Hetchy val
ley in the Yosemite National Park, Cali
fornia- in order to utilize previously pur-
chased rights in the Toulumme River,
to supply San Francisco and bay cities
with water for domestic purposes
San Francisco for many years has
been in the grip of a water MONOPOLY
which not only is unable TO supply
enough water for the growing require
ments of the city but charges high
prices for the scanty supply it offers.
san Francisco has purchased water
lights on the TOulumme River. San
Francisco wishes to use the water it
has thus purchased. This is possible
only II the river can be damned and
controlled. The only spot where it can
be dammedsis in the Hetch Hetchy val
ley, and San Francisco is asking Uncle
sam 10 permit the use of this small val
ey in the national park for this pur-
bose.
The project is opposed by the nature
lovers, who have persistently stirred up
sentiment against the dissertation of one
Of Gods masterpieces"
The United States keeps a record Of the
names of all who enter national parks.
This record shows that not dozen of
the men who have taken the front in
opposing the Hetch Hetchy project ever
have been in the valley. There are 10000
a br
need the water.
Promise Great Beauty.
The Hetch Hetchy project would turn
this valley into a lake. The work would
be done in a way to meet the require
Hents of landscape architects selected
TO protect the natural beauty of the
'pot from dissertation. it is promised
by those working for the project
Senator Pittman of Nevada made the
principal argument in favor Of the
measure Yesterday.
This bill" he said, is A great con-
servatiOn measure in that il not only
provides that the water power developed
oy the impOunding of these waters shall
De- supplied at cost TO these muniCipali-
lies, and to these irrigation districts, but
further provides that none of this
power and none OF this water can ever
or TO other than those municipalities and
these irrigation grantees. 1t provides
absolutely that neither this water nor
this power can ever fall into the hands
Of monopoly.
Many Favor Bill.
Il confidently believe, confidently |
expect. when these facts have reached !
out through the country to those who |
are today petitioning their representa- |
tives against the passage of this BILL !
that they will no longer look to the !
beauties of the floor of Hetch Hetchy. I
but they will listen to the demands of |
the monopoly people of the Pacific (
coast; that they will be no longer listen !
ing to the sounds of nature on the floor /
of that valley. but that they will be !
listening to the cry of humanity all up |
and down the Pacific coast"
The bill has received the Endorsement /
of the following public men and bodies:
Secretary of the Interior Franklin X. !
Lane, Secretary of Agriculture David F. /
Houston; Director of the Geological Sur
vey George Otis Smith. Chairman F II. |
Newell, of the United States Retaining
Commission; Chief Forester Henry S.
Graves, of the United States Forest Ser
vice; the board of army engineers COM
prising Col John Biddle Lieut.. Col
Harry Taylor. and Col. Spencer Crosby;