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Show PRESIDENT SIGNS HETCHJ1ETCHY BILL San Francisco's Long Fight for a City Water Supply Is Ended. WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. President "Wilson signed the Hctch Hotchy bill granting a public water supply to San ITrancisco. Ho accompanied his signature signa-ture with a atatoment declaring that ho boliovcd tho public neods of tho region re-gion concerned wero served by tho bill without impairing tho usefulness of tho public domain. Tho president's statemont follows: "I have signed this bill because it seemed to serve tho pressing public neods of tho rogion concerned hotter than they could be served in any other jvay, and yet did not impair tho usefulness use-fulness or materially detract from the "Gjutv of the public domain. Tho bill was opposed by so mauv pubhe-spmted men, thoughtful of the interests of the people and of fino conscience con-science in every matter of public con-corn con-corn that I havo naturally sought to Hcrutinizo it very closely. I tako the liberty of thinking that their Icars and pbiectionH wore not well founded. I boliovo tho bill to be on tho wholo in the public interest, and I am the less uncertain in that judgment, because 1 find it concurred in by men whoso energies ener-gies have been devoted to conservation conserva-tion and tho safeguarding of the peo-plo's peo-plo's interests and many of whom have besides had a long experience in the public service, which has mado them circumspect in forming an opinion on such matters." Tho president's signaturo ends San Francisco's long ficrht for a city water supply site in the valley of tho Tuo-lumno Tuo-lumno river in tho northwest part of tho Yosemito national park. San Francisco Fran-cisco already owns a large amount of land in tho Hetch Hetchy valley, and under the now law may erect a huge dam, flooding government land; may construct conduits and. buildings, and construct a plant for the incidental production or water power to Bupply tho city. It is expected that at least ten years will bo required to complete tho work and carry tho water through the 150-mile oondtlits to San Francisco. Settlers on irrigated lands in tho San Joaquin valley who got water from the Tuolumne river will be permitted, under un-der the new law. to tako electric power from the San Francisco plant at cost. |
