Secretary of the Interior Fisher, successor of Secretary Ballinger, wished the subject investigated as an absolutely new proposition. John R. Freeman of Providence, R. I., perhaps the ablest engineer in the country upon water supplies, was engaged and spent much time in California upon the subject at a cost of about $300,000. Two years were occupied by these investigations, entirely independent of the work of the board of army engineers. The result of the research of Engineer John R. Freeman was a comprehensive report recommending that this source is preferable to all others, and that the Hetch-Hetchy Valley be developed first and Lake Eleanor Valley and Cherry Creek be made secondary and accessory to Hetch-Hetchy. In November, 1913, Secretary Fisher came to San Francisco and held a hearing lasting ten days, when the entire matter was presented. Within a week of the retirement of Secretary Fisher from the Cabinet with the going out of President Taft, the Secretary recommended that some action be taken on the part of Congress, as the acts of 1901 to 1905, together with the Garfield permit, were somewhat indefinite and the precise authority of the Secretary of the Interior therein questionable. Hence the Raker Bill. II. What is the Raker Bill? This bill is entitled “A bill granting to the city and county of San Francisco certain rights of way in, over and through certain public lands, the Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest, and the public lands in the State of California, and for other purposes.” It is in eleven sections. The bill grants to the city and county of San Francisco necessary rights of way through the public lands of the United States to Hetch-Hetchy Valley, Lake Eleanor and Cherry Valley for the purpose of constructing, operating and maintaining aqueducts “for conveying water for domestic purposes and uses to the city and county of San Francisco, and such other municipalities and water districts as, with the consent of the city and county of San Francisco, or in accordance with the laws of the State of California in force at the time application is made, may hereafter participate in the beneficial use of the rights and privileges of this act,” and “for the purpose of constructing, operating and maintaining power and electric plants, poles and lines for generation, sale and distribution of electric energy; also for the purpose of constructing, operating and maintaining telephone and telegraph lines.” The whole construction and maintenance is under such conditions and regulations as may be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture within their respective jurisdictions. Section 7 is as follows: