The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-03-05
follows


warded 10 me recently, am sending
you herewith letter we have received
from Mr.. T. II. Sherrsrd, Forest Su-
peryisor Of the Oregon National Fer
est. Mr.. Sherrard sustsins the conten-
tion which we have always made, that
the inaccessibility of the Bull Run
Forest reserve is a constant menace 10
the forests of our own water shed !;
that the present patrol system there is
entirely inadequate owing 10 that mac
feasibility and that owing to the lack
of roads the patrol would be poweTless
to stop a serious FIRE from sweeping
over into our own forests. With the
strong west winds which prevail in
that region during the dry portion of
the summer. fire once started in the
Bull Run reserve would gain rapid
headway unless facilities we're afforded
to reach il promptly.
"Mr. Daly's argument that a road
through the Bull Run reserve would
contaminate the purity Of Portland's
water supply does NOT bear very close
scrutiny. The road would not come
within a mile of the source of Port
lands water supply. Some Of the lsrg-
est city water supply reservoirs in the
world ale surrounded by pleasure
drives: in any cases a direct invitation
is given to the public to come and view
the beauties of those reservoir sites
San Francisco, in planning for the
Hetch- Hetchy water supply, is deliber-
ately planning an automobile highway
entirely surrounding the Hetch. Hetchy
reservoir. IL there was any danger of
contamination would that city deliber.
ately afford a means for the public to
reach that spot?
"In the volume issued by the city Of
San Francisco On the Proposed Use Of
Hetch Hetchy as Reservoir for
transmittal to the Honorable Secretary
of the Interior will be found the fol.
lowing on page l3:
The city proposes to build first
class well surfaced wagon road with
frequent turnouts such that teams can
pass and upon q gradiant nowhere ex-
ceeding eight per cent: and
to forever maintain same in good or
der, and open to the public.
ION page l5 will be found the fol-
lowing:
"'This enterprise of road building is
proposed for two purposes
Secondly, for the use and pleasure of
the citizens of California, by making
this region more easily accessible.
''ln the second paragraph below, on
the same page we find:
1.-The city proposes to build and
maintain a scenic road along both
shores of the proposed Hetch- Hecthy
lake. . II is believed useful
and profitable for the city to do this
work in connection with the other
work to be done IN developing this
source of municipal water supply in
order that the excellent character of
this supply may be more widely appre-
ciated, and also as means of adding
to the pleasure of its citizens. their
California neighbors and their friends.
"On page SO we find the following on
Sanitary Control:
AS to sanitary restrictions the
city proposes nothing beyond those
now acceptable the world over as prop
erly safe guarding the great storage
reservoirs for municipal domestic sup
ply, such for example. as those today
in force around the impounding reser.
voirs of Boston, New York and many
other cities which maintain most
scrupulous health bureaus and which
do not filter their water.
The next paragraph on the same
page states:
"'As a result of repeated exhaus
tive scientific investigations of the
foremost health authorities in the
United States, Germany and England,
it has been proved beyond the shadow
of doubt that long storage in reser.
voirs is one of the greatest of sanitary
safeguards to drinking water sup
ply.
1.-The strongest argument we have to
offer against MIR. Days absurd con.
tention. that a road across the Bull Rur
reserve would contaminate Portland {
water supply is embodied in the fol
lowing paragraph taken from the re-
port of the eminent chemist and water
supply expert, Mr.. Allen Hazen. Mr..
Hayden was employed by the city Of
San Francisco to pass upon the sani'
tary requirements Of the new water
system of that city. His report will
be found in the afore mentioned vol
ume of San Francisco's water supply
commencinglwith ith page SO. In speaking
of the Hetch- Hetchy system. Mr.
Hazen says: (Second paragraph. page
55l
In other words, no limit whatever
need be placed which does not now ex
ist on the use of the park for camping
purposes. There is further no sani
tary reason why roads should mot b
built along the reservoir and about it
as found feasible, and it would be per
missible, so far as the water supply il
concerned, to establish REASONABLE
number of hotels and permanent camp
near 1t, and to operate steamboats, ant
launches upon the waters of the reser
voir.
Paragraph 9 page So of this repor
states:
THE catchment areas of the Gro
, ton, Sudburt and Wachusett reservoir
have large permanent populations upo
them, but the storage waters make
, them safe from hygenic standpoint
, even when used without liberation
Az tue uUttOIH VI bulo pdke we uIiu
"'The areas of the Manchester. En-
! gland, water works from Lake ThirI
mere, and of the Glasgow supply fror
+ Loeb Katrine, not only have permanen
populations often with villages, sewer
= and sewage disposal systems. but it
we'll known that they are open to sum
: mer visitors, wagons automobiles an
: bicycles. Thousands of automobile
} pass over the roads around the Crotor
New York, reservoir every fine day i
: summer. Boating is permitted aHd o
some lakes used for water supply eS
I cursion and other steamers ply
: =" In all OF these cases water cor
sidered to be of good sanitary qualit
! has been obtanined as result OF tn
publication resulting from the storag
OF the water in the light, and withou
alteration.
: SIN the continuation of Enginee
Freeman's report on page SO, unde
) the caption Camp Gruonds' we find:
, Dozens of little parks exist in tn
forest on mountains surrounding III
J Hetch- Hetchy and the cit
: could not have the slightest objectio
, to such occupancy (campers) With
I the watershed tributaryG to its Wate