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THURSDAY The San Francisco Call JOHN D. SPRECKELS .Proprietor CHARLES W. HORNICK ;'.... .General Manager ERNEST S. SIMPSON Managing Editor Address All Communications to TIIE SAX FRAXCISCO CALX Telephone «K>ar»y 8C" — A«k for The Call. The Operator "Will Connect Yon Wiili the Department You Wlsli. BUSINESS OFFICE Market and Third Streets, San Francisco Open Until 11 O'clock Every Night In the Year. EDITORIAL ROOMS Market and Third Streets MAIN CITY BRANCH 1651 Fillmore Street Near Post OAKLAND OFFICE-468 11th St. (Bacon Block) \ g§««jf ||?jj ALAMEDA OFFICE— I43S Park Street .Telephone Alameda 559 BERKELEY OFFICE: — SW. Cor. Center and Oxford.. Telephone Berkeley 77 CHICAGO OFFICE^ — Marquette Bldg..C. George Krogness, Representative ICEW YORK OFFICE — SO Tribune Bldg. .Stephen B. Smith, Representative WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT .Ira E. Bennett sunscniPTiox rates Delivered by Carrier, 20 Cents Per Week, 75 Cents Per Month. Single Copies, 5 Cents. Terms by Mall. Including Postage (Cash With Order): DAILY CALL (Including Sunday), 1 Year $8.00 DAILY CALL (Including Sunday), 6 Months $4.00 DAILY CALL — By Single Month 75c SUNDAY CALL, 1 Year . . 12.60 WEEKLY CALL, 1 Year fl.oo FOREIGN ) Dat *y •• ?8.00 Per Year Extra m<!T4r * f Sunday. ?4.15 Per Year Extra *^ a * AW ) Weekly $1.00 Per Year Extra Entered at the United States Postofflce as Second Class Matter. ALL. POSTMASTERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS. Sample Copies Will Be Forwarded When Requested. Mall subscribers in ordering change of address should be particular to give both NEW AND OLD ADDRESS in order to insure a prompt and correct compliance with their request. SAN FRANCISCO OWES MUCH TO THE OLIVER GRAND JURY 1 WITHOUT doubt the retiring grand jury was the most remarkable body of its kind that ever sat in the United States. Its work has effected a peaceful revolution in San Francisco, has driven from power an unconscionable set of rogues, emancipated the citizens from the rule of graft and restored the city to a place where it need not shrink in shame and humiliation at its degradation in the eyes of the world. All this has not been accomplished without pain and travail. Scars are left that will show for years. Wounds are still open and bleeding. The fabric of society has been almost rent in twain. You can not effect a moral revolution in a night or in six months or a year without hurting somebody in the process. Mem bers of the grand jury had nothing to gain, much to lose, by search ing out and holding to account that dangerous class which Roose velt, engaged in a like work, has described as "certain malefactors of great wealth." Men of that class are full of fight and have the sinews of war. They are not at all particular about means and have no respect whatever for law. They are able to hire spies and kidnapers and pluguglies, and have no scruple .about employ ing such agencies. Members of the grand jury who did their duty incurred the bitter hatred of such. They suffered in business; they were subjected to pressure and threats. The most powerful motives and springs of action that affect human conduct were brought to bear, so the grand jurors might be swerved from the path of plain duty. That none of these things availed to influence the jury's action is testimony to the high, self-sacrificing standard set by The jurors have given more than a 33 r ear to serve the city at large pecuniary sacrifice and obvious injury to their private affairs. At a period of crisis and turmoil in the life of a city ravaged by fire and plundered by its own chosen guardians the grand jurors have unselfishly set aside personal and pressing interests to put San Francisco on its feet once more before the world, and this they have done without regard for the bitter hates they were certain Such men are heroes, but they will not have the reward of heroes. Individually they will pass and be forgotten. As" a body and in the mass history will do them justice — but not yet. The scars left by their work are too fresh. The knife has cut close to the bone and the agony of radical surgery has torn the whole body politic. Even those of us who have stood by and given counsel and words of cheer to the work are too near the scene and the conflict to appreciate its real magnitude, its portentous significance. Let us take stock. Whether these "certain malefactors of great wealth" shall go to prison or not lies in the womb of the future, but no matter what the penalty of law, they will carry the brand of crime all their lives, and it will a long day before they resume in San Francisco the business of buying and selling a public trust. They will have learned the lesson taught by the Oliver grand jury. The city as such has set a new mark and standard for its municipal life. From being the worst governed and most shame lessly plundered city in America it is in the way to become the model for other municipalities. From the depths of despair, due to the open spectacle of inefficiency, incompetence, neglect and public plunder, the city has been raised by the work of the Oliver grand jury to a condition of honest progress and competent control. Obscure, self-sacrificing heroes of a civic revolution, they wrought in sad sincerity, and they cut to the line, but they may hope for no reward for duty done. LIVELY MARKET" FOR WAR RUMORS THE market for Japanese war rumors continues ' lively, with an upward tendency. There is much inquiry for a fighting ambassador. Aoki was altogether too conciliatory and more often than was politic he had his alien and unpatriotic legs under the mahogany of the hated foe. An ambassador of more warlike temper and a more restricted appetite for American din ners is desired by Tokyo, chiefly as a guaranty of good faith for political consumption at home. An ambassador who would, on occasion, shake his fist under Uncle Sam's nose would fire- the popular heart of Japan. It is a new world power playing at diplo matic monkeyshines before a looking glass and admiring, its own strut. V ?H~- We shall from time to time hear a good deal of such matters of international friction, real or supposed. The other day the Wash ington correspondents were telling us that the authorities; in the national capital were endeavoring to hide away the figures con cerning the immigration of Japanese to the Pacific coast, hoping in that way to divert public attention from the subject. ., It was the "Hist, we must dissemble," of the dark conspirators of melo drama. A little more arithmetic by Hart North" would plunge two great countries in bloody war. Commissioner North had been requested to shut down his volcano as the price of safety. All: the metaphor of disaster .was invoked to characterize the baneful activi ties of a man with a slate and pencil in the appraisers' building. Thanks to the suppression of this pernicious person, the country is still at peace. Besides, there is 'always Count Okuma, who, as compared with Commissioner North, labors under the present disadvantage of not drawing a salary. Therefore, unlike Mr. North! he can not be EDITORIAL PAGE A Stinging Indictment of Dirty Politics and a Ringing Demand for the Direct Primary ii r "ir^i HE Oliver grand jury, than which no body of citizens ever rendered San Fran i ' cisco more signal service, gave concrete expression to an overwhelming popu f lar sentiment by its recommendation for the enactment of* a direct primary •"*- Selection law. \ The investigations of this grand jury brought its members to a clear under standing of ttie methods employed by Abe Ruef and the other corrupt politicians who haVe repeatedly sold San Francisco and the* state of California to the Southern Pacific company and to. whatever other private interest chose to pay the price. Evidence that Hemn, chief of the Southern Pacific's political bureau, had bought the San Francisco delegation in the Santa Cruz convention from Abe Euef came as a distinct shock^even to the men who for a twelvemonth had been probing to the depths of almost unequaled political depravity. Like too many busy men, who know little of practical politics, some of tjie members of the grand jury were disposed to be lieve that the charge that Euef had sold the San Francisco delegation to Herrin for a lump sum was a mere partisan danard. The manner of the dissipation of that erroneous belief is shown by the jury's j final report, thus: - 'I Evidence has been presented to us proving that by a money contribution the representative ' of the greatest public service corporation in the state engaged Mr. Ruef to deliver to him a solid delegation from this city, to be voted for his candidate at the last state convention at Santa Cruz. Mr. Ruef elected and delivered the delegation, by the aid of which these candidates were nominated.' No more stinging arraignment of the delegate convention system, by which Cali fornia has been debauched, has ever been submitted to the people of California than is contained in the grand jury J s recommendation for the enactment of direct- primary legislation, as follows: '\u25a05 As a preparatory step to this new struggle for freedom we would suggest to the representatives of the municipality in the next state legislature— provided they represent it and not an antagonistic power— that they endeavor to pass a law or laws that will enable our citjzens to vote directly for those candidates they, desire nominated for public office. Such laws would prevent and save all voters of San Francisco and the state, having the public welfare at heart from the abominable humiliation they must feel f when the delegates they think they elect under the present primary law, and they think represent their wishes, are voted by the representatives of private interests to the injury With a comprehensive direct primary law in force, the sale of the San Francisco delegation could not have been consummated. There would have been no. delegates to sell. Herrin could buy Ruef. He can buy Ruef 's successors, if the people of California permit those successors to be developed by a continuation of the delegate convention system. Neither Herrin nor any other corrupt corporation agent can buy the people. The rank and file of no political party is for sale. Given the opportunity to select their own candidates for public office,, the rank and file of all parties will nominate men who, when elected, will serve public and not private interests. . The Call began the fight for direct primary legislation in California. This paper fought for a direct primary plank in the republican platform framed at Santa Cruz. The Call fought for the submission of the direct primary , constitutional amendment, which will be voted upon at the next general election. That amendment will be ratified by an overwhelming majority. Then the real fight will begin. The machine has taken cog nizance of the popular demand for direct primary legislation. It purposes to- give the people an empty and worthless semblance of a direct primary system. The people have their case in their own hands. They can insure the enactment of proper direct primary legislation by refusing to elect any candidate for thejegislature who is ;not definitely pledged to work and vote for primary legislation that will be direct in fact, and not in name only. \u25a0. \r. The Call again announces its determination to work for and with the people of all parties until, through proper direct ; primary legislation, such rottenness as was disclosed to the Oliver grand jury shall be impossible in the politics of .Calif ornia. suppressed and we find him in constant eruption, being a volcano as well as a precipice and many other things. fit for headlines. But we are still at peace. , ) THE perversity of partisan politics that finds its chief.employ ment in the attribution of selfish, evil or discreditable motives is given illustration in the treatment accorded to the presi dent's recent order forbidding! postal employes to do third term politics. The order was a simple, straightforward notice to refrain from certain acts. .The press hostile to Roosevelt finds in the letter not a prohibition but a positive command to do some thing directly opposed to ,the apparent purpose of the president's words; This was the. text 'of .the circular: It has been called to my attention that certain office holders under your department have been proposing to attain election as delegates to the national convention with a view to advocating my renomination or proposing my indorsement by state conventions. This must not be. You will notify such office holders as may be necessary that their acceptance of election as delegates for this purpose, or advocating such ren^fnination, will be re garded as a serious violation of official propriety and will be dealt with ac cordingly. That seems plain enough to a plain man, but the New York Sun and the New York World first denied that any such cnxular had been issued, and when documentary proof was supplied they labored hard to show that the letter meant' exactly the opposite of what it says. The World, for instance, declares- that the /circular means, "Don't go yourself ; send a reliable substitute." We submit that the perversity of politics can no farther go. These people complain that Roosevelt does not announce before breakfast every morning that he is not a candidate for a third term, but if he should make that announcement they would at once dis cover that he meant exactly the reverse of what he said. It is fash ionable in certain quarters to bait Roosevelt. Read the message clear through? Los Angeles physicians assert that spineless "cactus •/ give, a i man the requisite backbone for 18 hours' work A Stockton man has made the astounding discovery that hunting for leaking gas; with a lighted match pro duces an explosion. HP!! The Los Angeles police have been instructed to shoot ' footpads fifst and investigate afterward. The footpads have used that method and have found it very effective. *" , Now it is stated'* that. -Abki's failure to stop the coming of -the fleet-to the Pacific. is" the reason of. his recall. This is unjust, if true. How could his home government expectihim tddo .what the Sun, : the r World ; arid 'i Colonel '\u25a0': George HaxvAv could not accomplish? , BY WAY OF BAITING ROOSEVELT NOTE AND COMMENT Harry K. Thaw's name does not ap pear in the "Pittsburg blue book this year. But it was in pretty, bad; com pany there, so he shouldn't -worry. The Illinois, man who drank four quarts of whisky arid then died made the serious .error of? following the old rule, "Never put off till; tomorrow what you ' can do ' today." Now is' the time- to ; remember -that although some judges hold an .umbrella to:be;public property; there are! other benchers -who; maintain that toy take one i which' r does not belong to you Js stealing. ' .An actress announces a. schuetzen f est to } take • place .when" the '.comedian whom; she: loves appears an church •to marry her. rival on Christmas eve. ISh c has : excellent V prospects* of .;. being ' left waiting at ; the church. Current Verse A NEBRASKA NOBLEMAN Mr. Bryan will not ask tor or seek a nomina tion and be will not assume to decide the ques tion of his aTallability. — The Commoner. Ah, modest, Matchless Leader, Ah, silver mounted star, How little do they know who do Not know that's what you are! ' A daisy growing by the brook, . Obscure, retiring 1 , shy, , Compared with you is brass and noise And odor rank and high. \u25a0 ..'•'': . -r Ah, modest, Matchless .Leader, 5 Submissive, lowly, meek, In any phase of leadership You neither ask nor seek. But far away, kissed by the sun And watered by the dew, You grow and wait and wait until Your party cries for you. Ah, modest, Matchless Leader, "What candidate presents To party view for public use Your dainty diffidence? How few like you, if they had led The party to defeat In two campaigns, would . start again Along the same old beat! Ah, modest, Matchless ; Leader, * You've proved what you can do. And still you do not thrust yourself 1 Upon the - party view,* '-; But; modestly stand *>ack and wait .Until it calls, and then You sacrifice yourself and get \u25a0The party licked asain. Ah. modest, Matchless Leader. Such bravery is rare, I And some day, somewhere, somehow You may, perhaps get' there; But why do envious : persons Imagine all's not welt I With Bryanated methods, - . And query: "What the ?" . — W. J. Lampton in N. Y. Sun. Answers to Queries INFORMAL, DRESS-^-A. T., City. For an , Informal supper the proper dress for a | gentleman is a' black sack Tuxedo coat,; black silk or black dress vest (never white), black silk tie; collar, either standup or turndown. A black soft hat and suede or tan gloves should be worn with this dress." RAILROAD CENTER— Reader, City Chicago ;is : said .by railroadmen to be the • greatest i railroad center In \u25a0 the United States. Thirty-two roads run into- that ;clty. on their own tracks; 1,688 -trains arrive at and depart from there daily.: :.".: \u25a0\u25a0 • ... ; ST.; CRISPIN — McD.. :. City. Shoe makers are called .Crispins .after St. Criepln, who V: was, Ja shoe maker >and preached in France. . He was martyred in 827. Each guild in those .times had it 3 Datron saint. - "^^^\u25a0\u25a0M F" EWER guests attended the wed ding of Miss Alice Borel to Aylett R. Cotton Jr. than were present at the wedding of her sister a I week ago owing to the rain, but the icei;eniony yesterday was carried out with* as much elaborate detail. The guests from San Francisco were trans ported in a special car attached to the 10:30 train from Third and Townsend streets. On arrival at San Mateo the guests were driven to Grace chapel, a mile below the city, which was .the scene of the Lewis-Borel wedding a * Shortly" before noon the church was comfortably filled with the 150 guests who had gathered to witness the wed ding of one of the mtfst charming ot the Borel sisters, fAt the conclusion of the singing of the choir the bridal pro cession started down the aisle to the ai tar, where It was awaited by Mr. Cotton and his best- man, Dennis Searles. First came Antoine Borel Jr. and Louis Bovet, followed by John M. Lewis and Charles A. Warren Jr. ,v*. W. Burnett was followed by the brides maids. Misses Anita and Lupita Borel. and the three matrons of honor, Mrs. John M. Lewis. Mrs. Charles A. Warren Jr. and, Mrs. Louis Bovet. The bride, wearing an exquisite creation of white liberty satin trimmed with lace, fol lowed, loaning upon the arm of her father. Antoine Borel. Mrs. Lewis was gowned in her beau tiful bridal dress, Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Bovet wearing elaborately trimmed dresses of white crepe de chine. The bridesmaids wore apparently simple gowns of white, which bore a French imprint plainly, however. The church was transformed into a beautiful floral bower, being decorated with white chrysanthemums, white roses and greens.. At the conclusion of the cerfc mony, which was performed by Bishop William Ford Nichols of the Episcopal church, the guests repaired to the coun try home of the Borels, where the wed ding breakfast was served. The Borel home, although one of the eldest in the valley, is one of the'tnost homelike in the county. Throughout the homa decorations of the same char acter as those of the church were banked against the walls and doors. The guests from San Francisco depart ed in time to catch the 4:30 train for home. Mr. Cotton, although a young man, has made his mark in the. world, hav ing held for some time the office of prosecuting attorney of Manila. At the conclusion of his honeymoon Cotton expects to resume the practice of law in San Francisco. The Cottons and the Lewises will'spend their honeymoon to gether in France, where they will be absent for six months. Mr. Borel has presented his daughters charming ad joining homes on one of the roads leact '-"• thronerh hla baronial estate, whera both young couples will reside on their muni ifu.ii Kurope. • • - • Notable among this week's dinners is that at which Miss Helene Irwin will be hostess tomorrow night In the handsome Irwin home in Washington street. Her guests will be 17 in number, and the list in cludes several of the year's debutantes. They have been invited for 7 o'clock, the early hour being set because both hostess and guests plan to attend the first of the Greenway dances later in the evening. The Irwin home is far famed for its hospitality, and this event will be one of the jolliest of the sea son. Miss Irwln's g\iests tomorrow night will be Miss Marian Newhall, Miss Elizabeth Newhall. Miss Margaret Hyde-Smith, Miss Ballard. Miss Mary Keeney, Miss Martha Calh'oun. Miss Julia Langhorne, Miss Christine Porao roy, Percy King, Cyril Tobin, Wilfer force Williams, D,u Val Moore, Frank Preston, Mr. Derby, Mr. Glrvan v Ray mond Armsby and Frank King. • • •.\u25a0»'\u25a0\u25a0 A warm welcome is being extended to Miss Lydia Hopkins, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hopkins, who re Discusses Hetch Hetchy Water Project Editor Call — Dear Sir: "Without de siring to unnecessarily prolong a dis cussion on the Hetch Hetchy water project, I feel that, in view of your ed itorial of November 24. I should ex plain my position a little more fully. I do not think we are so far apart on the proposition that considerations of utility should control the decision, rather than beauty. If the Hetch Hetchv system were absolutely neces sary for the welfare of San Francisco I would be one of its most earnest ad .vocates. Where we probably differ is as to the impelling force of the par ticular necessity and the weight to Jbe givjen the consideration of expense. My attitude is that where there are other adequate systems available, even if their acquisition j means increased ex pense, it is -only just to the nation at large,' which is interested in pre serving the wonders of the Yosemite national park, that we should avoid their alteration or destruction if -it is possible to do so, as it certainly is when the question resolves itself into one of mere expense. As a tax payer, I am willing to pay my share of the slight increase in taxation which might, result. However, I* do not think this even necessary, for I am satisfied that there are other systems available for the supply of San Francisco which will not cost any more and ' probably less than the Hetch Hetchy system. Your editor ial states that I have not supplied any "material evidence" in support of my belief. In this I think you do me an injustice, for I cited you certain state ments of Prof. C. D. Marx, made In a most impartial discussion of the ques tion before the. Commonwealth club. It is needless to repeat them, because you already have them before you. They may not be strictly material evi dence, but they certainly bear on the question. ,You may well say that this evidence is not conclusive, and I ad mit as* much, but it has weight, for I ! have never heard Professor Marx's ability or standing questioned. Not being an engineer myself. I must go to an engineer for my information oh the subject. This I have done, and while I have not considered the sub ject exhaustively I have acquired enough information to convince myself that \nere are other water systems available and probably capable of fur nishing, a supply at less expense than the Hetch Hetchy system would cost. To present the data upon which I base my conviction would be impossible in a " newspaper discussion, for it would Conditions in California Yorlfyt.SrdSf* PrOnOtloll C °°^ tto * wl " d th « foU<wia » *° «* uutera hnu'b Kew California temperatures for tha last Z% hrirs: c- T\»_ c ° ****** MteiTmm>. 60......Mai1m8Tn 63 Saa Diego Mialaaa 64 Maximum 73 Total ,nh. of real e.Ute M l«. to Ban Fr^cisco dnrias tia U»t month, $830,000. •Two more sold, drones axe beta* UuUt naa* Heddis*. Cal., at a cost of $240 00*1 Thr«o ar« already in operation to that Tietolty. .«,«•«»« « *™,go<j. to sSTr^TfoJI^ JT!l f "'*'^ * Miafwc^ concrete, ouiUii*, to *» erect^ to Baa Francisco for the transport service of the amy department. Six three story store- 6 ?f °° *-V» ««• "W and basement office b^d^YoS feet, a number of .officer,' tesidence. and a 'system of docks. The cost will be So.OOO. DECEMBER 5, 1907 r Smart Set turned from a visit In the ea3t a fe-.v days ago. Miss Hopkins is pne of th» most popular of the younger set and was a debutante last year. She has been much feted' by kinspeople an! friends while away and reports a de lightful experience. She will atteru.' the Greenway ball tomorrow night. Another return that the smart set I* rejoicing over is that of the Peter Mar tins, who are established with Mr. Martin's mother for the winter. The' returned this week after a long absence and their reappearance has been tho signal for much entertaining. The Os car Coopers were among those who re cently gave a dinner for i'r. and T.lrs. Martin, the others present beinsr Mr-<. Eleanor Martin. Mr. a.nd Mrs. J. Downey Harvey and Miss Harvey. Mr.' and Mrs. Clarence Oddie return t-> Tonopah this week after a visit of aom« weeks with Mrs. Oddie's people her\». They have made their home in the min ing town since their marriage two years ago, but plan to return to San Francisco in the spring 1 , where th»y will remain permanently. Mrs. Oddi« came down this time to meet her morn \u25a0 er, Mrs. Jordan, and her sister. AliSi? Edith Treanor, who recently returned from Europe. The Jordana have se cured for the winter a pretty houao next door to their old home in Pacific avenue. Paymaster and Mrs. Brooks and their daughters, Miss Marian and Miss Ruth, may return to Mare Island early in taa new year, much to the satisfaction of their many friends at the navy yard. The Missea Brooks are favorites wher ever they go, and their old home at Mare island was a center for goo! times. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Merle sailed yes> terday from New York for Franc-, where they will spend a two month?" honeymoon. In February they will b« joined by Mrs. Merle's parents, Mr. anj Mrs. Bartley Oliver, and Miss Oliver, and with them will visit Italy an-3 England before returning to California. Mrs. Emma Shafter Howard left San Francisco yesterday for an eastren trip and may spend some time in Europe before returning to California. Sh* will spend the Holidays with, kinspeopla in the east. , Mr. and Mr 3. John Hart Polhemus will spend the winter in San Francisco and have given up their Los Angeles residence. Mrs. Polhemus is in town and Mr. Polhemus, who is detained in the south by business, will follow in a few days. They have secured a pretty house in Broadway for the winter, ilra. Polheraus was Miss Jatne Wilshire-iv Mrs. M. A. Huntington an'^f h<? daughter, *Mlss Marian, are again in town, having spent three months in tha orient. In view of the fact that Mrs. Barron and her daughters will be in the Huntington home for the winter, the Huntingtons have taken possession of a charming little house close to the Presidio gate. Saturday, December 14. Mrs. Johr Scott Wilson will present her daughter. Miss Helen, to society at a tea, which is to be one of the prettiest of the debutantes' affairs. Several hundred guests have been invited to the Wilson home between the hours of 4 and 7 o'clock, and the debutante and h*r mother will be assisted In receiving by a dozen of Uie season's girls. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Spllvalo have closed their pretty home In San Mateo for the winter and have secured apartment? at the Kenilworth. The Splivalo^ hate lived in San Matei> .since their marrlasro eight months ago and will return to. tjie popular llttl* town in the spring. Mrs. James Ernest Laldlaw fs at the Majestic for a few days, having com* down from her Portland home for a short visit. consume many time 3 the space you would allot to It and engineering prob lems of such intricacy could never ba properly treated or decided in such a forum. In view of the doubt expressed fc^A many leading engineers on the subject and in view of the claim made. base<i on proffered data, that the following water systems will satisfy the re quirements of San Francisco: 1. Cherry river and Eleanor creel: combined. 2. Stanislaus River power company system. S. Sierra Nevada company — Mokel umne River system. 4. Consumnes and south fork of American-Bay Cities water company. 5. North fork of American-Dunn. 6. Eel River-Snow Mountain power company, etc. I maintain that the whole question should be submitted to a board of com petent engineers who are not wedded to any particular source of supply before the city takes any steps which will commit it to advocate any particular system. Of course I do not maintain that all of these systems will satisfy the requirements, but I maintain that some of them will. As 1 understand Mr. Grunsky'a claims, ha favors th« Hetch Hetch y system primarily upon the ground ot cheapness and not because there ar* no. other systems available, for he has admitted to me personally that thera are. Mr. Grunsky Is a very distin guished engineer and I have great ad miration for him, but tßere are other eminent engineers who differ with him as to the cost and claimed carrying: capacity of his proposed Hatch Hetchy system. Very truly yours. WILLIAM E. COLBfr GUTTERS OP GIBRALTAR, On the eastern side of the roclc ol Gibraltar there is a curious looking white patch which recently led an American tourist to ask whether tha rock was being armor plated. It Is .really a catchment for rain water ta Increase the reserve of water on th« rock. The catchment covers 10 acres It la mads of galvanized corrugated Iron fixed to piles driven deep Into th-? sandy slopes above tha village of Cata lan. The water collected at the foot of th» catchment vuns through the rocU into a tunnel 2,000 feet long and is de livered into reservoirs on the westerr side. The yield to the Inch of rainfall is 240,000 gallons. — Kansas City Jour« nal.