Story from John Vonderlin
Email John ([email protected])
Hi June,
This September 9th, 1895, article from the “Call,” lays
out the theoretical plans of that time, to harvest the hydro-
power potential of the Coastside. The mentioning of how
the water of the streams is “running to waste” by going
into the ocean, tells a lot about policymakers’ attitudes
of that era.
Enjoy. John
SAN MATEO’S CREEKS
Those on the Ocean Side to
Be Used to Generate
Electricity.
There Are at Least Nine Good
Streams Available for that
Purpose.
REDWOOD CITY, Cal., Sept. 8.— The
question of a water supply sufficient to
generate electric power is being considered
by practical men who have recently visited
the coast side of San Mateo County. The
possibilities of the Pillarcitos, Purissimo,(sic)
Lobitas, Tunitas, San Gregorio, Pomponia,
(sic) Pescadero, Britano (sic) and Gazas (sic)
creeks have been under consideration with a
view of putting in dams and dynamos to gen-
erate power for an electric railroad to connect
the coastside towns with San Francisco;
also with reference to the transmission of
electric power to San Francisco for general
uses.
These streams of water rise among the
mountains at intervals of every few miles
and run to and empty into the ocean.
With the exception of the San Francis-
quito and San Mateo creeks, they find no
counterpart on the bay side of the county.
Heretofore these waters on the ocean
side have been considered most valuable
as being part of the available supply for
the domestic uses of San Francisco. The
Spring Valley Water Works is a large
owner of lands and water rights on several
of these steams, although all the great
lakes of the Spring Valley storage system
lie on the easterly or bay side of the
county.
The people of the coast side have waited
many years to learn if additional uses
might not develop, so that the immense
water supply running to waste in the
ocean could be brought under control and
made to produce revenue. The creation
and transmission of electic power may
bring about this result, and also develop
an electric railway system that will place
one of the most charming sections of the
coast within less than an hour’s ride of
San Francisco.
