"Map of San Francisco Showing the Water Service of Spring Valley Water Works...", Britton & Rey

A detailed map presenting the street-grid pattern of the city, naming neighborhoods, and showing elevation via contour lines. Red overprinting indicates the locations of various facilities of the Spring Valley Water Works including its main facility, reservoirs, and tanks. A legend at top left further identifies steamer houses, water towers, hoses, fire patrol houses, and more by symbol. From its earliest stages the water supply of San Francisco was provided by private companies, especially the Spring Valley Water Works. City and county attempts to take control of the water supply resulted in a tense relationship and frequent litigation over company threats to cut off the water supply and government threats to use eminent domain to take control of the water supply. Numerous attempts beginning in 1877 were made by the City and County of San Francisco to purchase the Company’s properties until a deal finally was struck in 1930. Rumsey describes it as “an interesting map showing the water system before the 1906 earthquake.”

References: Rumsey #5321.

Condition: A

Issued folding on a clean bright sheet with very faint toning along the fold lines. This toning appears more pronounced in the scanned image than it does on the actual map.