more desirable and necessary work to increase by ten-fold the distributing reservoirs that we have at the high levels in this city. The combined capacity of the four reservoirs in the city at the present time amount to one hundred million gallons, enough for about two and a half days' supply for San Francisco. In the two or three weeks that it would take to build pipe lines and install those rotary pumps at Lake Merced, San Francisco would be without water, and the people would have to move out of the city again to Oakland. Some have not come back yet since the event of 1906. The city has been developing plans, upon the acquisition of the Spring Valley Water Company-to which we are now committed-to build three very large storage reservoirs, one down near the Amazon tract, holding three hundred million gallons of water, another near the Industrial School, and the third one on the San Miguel ranch, all at high levels, which will place us in that position of safety. Unfortunately, our water problem in this city and the solutions recommended by the municipal officials, have been made a foot-ball by cheap politicians. We need to take action, and prompt action, to place our city in a position of safety.

We have taken the advice of Professor Willis in connection with our Hetch Hetchy project, and had the benefit of the knowledge of geologists in regard to faults and various features of that kind, and having advised with them, we can now inform this audience that our main dam at Hetch Hetchy that we are now building has gone down to bedrock, right across the canyon to a height of 300 feet. There is no earthquake crack at the bottom of that canyon, it is a monolithic mass of granite on both sides, so we are not worrying about earthquake cracks in that particular structure. Our aqueduct from Hetch Hetchy to San Francisco is going to cross two or three very wellknown fault lines. We are going to endeavor to utilize special precautions where we cross those fault lines, to make the structure as safe as possible.

I think the discussion this evening has been very illuminating. I do not think that a San Francisco audience should be afraid to discuss earthquakes or to talk earthquakes, because we ought to know all about them. But even Los Angeles has some little activities of this nature. Inside of the last year or two they got some first-class rotary faults developed, and they have formed a branch of the Seismological Society in Los Angeles, with about seventy members, and are going ahead to make a study of the subject. We should not be at all timid here because of the word "earthquake," but take off our coats and

render help to scientific men to prosecute those investigations which they tell us they are engaged on. (Applause.)

Remarks by Bailey Willis

DR. WILLIS: Mr. O'Shaughnessy's remarks bring to my mind a question which was asked me two or three years ago, when he speaks of the Hetch Hetchy dam. There is no question whatever but what the Hetch Hetchy dam is in a solid block of granite. The whole Sierra is a solid block of granite. I was asked, not long ago, whether a tunnel driven through from the east side of the Sierra to the west, somewhere in the vicinity of the 37th parallel of latitude, would be ruptured by an earthquake, and I was able to answer that the whole Sierra mass is being tilted, as a whole, but there are no earthquake faults traversing it. The contrary is the rule here in the Coast Range, and in the mountains which the Hetch Hetchy line must cross after it comes across the valley. But the big mass of the Sierra is simply rising by a rotating movement, as a whole, as you might tilt this table.

Remarks by S. D. Townley

DR. TOWNLEY: The subject is one in which I have been interested for many years. For ten years I have been associated with Dr. Branner in the Seismological Society of America. This society was organized shortly after the earthquake of 1906, largely by the efforts of Prof. McAdie, then director of the Weather Bureau here. Since 1911 the society has published the quarterly "Bulletin of the Seismological Society" the only publication in the English language devoted to the subject. The cost of printing has advanced so far that we shall have to obtain additional funds if we are to continue to publish our scientific studies of earthquakes and of building problems in countries where earthquakes are likely to occur. I was especially interested in Dr. Campbell's statements regarding variation of latitudes, for I was in charge of the observatory at Ukiah for about four years, and in that time made 10,791 determinations of the latitude of that place. In teaching astronomy to the students of Stanford University, I find that the subject of variations of latitude and movements of the earth's pole always excite excites interest. It may be supposed that this is not a very practical subject, but it sometimes becomes so. Only a year ago I was called into Nevada to determine a boundary dispute between Mineral and Nye counties. The boundary description provides for a line running north from a certain hot spring until it meets

the 39th parallel of latitude. From that point it runs at a certain angle toward the northeast to a certain pass in the mountains. Nobody cared where this point was until the Broken Hills mines were developed near the boundary line, and they were claimed by both counties. The dispute hinged on the question where the 39th parallel of latitude lay. The surveyors ran the line north from the hot springs without any trouble, but they did not know when they got to the 39th parallel. There was nothing on the ground or in the heavens to show they had reached it,—and after you have located it, it does not stay there. However, this variation is only a small one-about sixty feet-so we had to take the mean value of the position of the parallel of latitude, and so determined the county boundary. We satisfied the people of Mineral county that got the mines, but we did not satisfy the people of the other county.

Remarks by Bernard Benfield

MR. BENFIELD: It occurred to me that some of us might go away with an undue amount of alarm. It seems to me that the only spirit in which to attack a problem of this kind is to know all about it. When we know about it, we are not afraid of it, and it is the work of these gentlemen, in learning all about it, that should make us less afraid of earthquakes. There is a psychological factor in the town here that rather tries to hush down any discussion of this kind. I think it is unwise, because, in giving way to a sentiment of that kind, we really hide behind a dread, without coming out bravely, and knowing what the thing is. Once having known what it is, I think our alarms will be very much diminished.

THE PRESIDENT: Is there any one else who wishes to speak on the subject? If not, the meeting will stand adjourned.

Purposes-To investigate and discuss problems affecting the welfare of the Commonwealth and to aid in their solution,* to “maintain itself in an impartial position as an open forum for the discussion of disputed questions," and "to influence public opinion in all proper ways in accordance with conclusions reached after due investigation."‡

Presidents-William P. Lawlor, temporary president, 1903; Harris Weinstock, 1903-1907; Edward F. Adams, 1908-1912; Beverly L. Hodghead, 19131917; Albert E. Boynton, 1918-1919; C. E. Grunsky, 1920; Thomas Danforth Boardman, 1921-1922.

Membership-January 1, 1922, 3027.

The Club has maintained a course of impartial investigation in the spirit announced by its founders. Questions adopted for investigation are referred to sections or committees which are charged with the duty of securing all available facts covering all sides. When reports are presented to the Club those who may have other facts or conclusions have the opportunity to present them. The Club investigates many questions but attempts to secure action only on such conclusions as have a united sentiment of the Club membership behind them.

Monthly meetings are held at the Hotel St. Francis on the third Thursday of each month. Members assemble at 5:30 for social converse, and dinner is served at 6 p. m. The program is called at about 8 p. m., and adjournment is had at 10:15 p. m. On disputed questions time is assigned so far as possible equally to the opposing viewpoints.

Luncheon meetings are held at the Palace Hotel every Friday, with occasional special meetings. At these meetings addresses on current affairs are given by distinguished speakers.