The morning call., 1891-09-22
SUPERVISORS.
A LOud Protest Against the P0-
trerO-Ayenue Extension.
Residents of Bernal Heights and South San
Francisco Turn Out En- Masse to Fight
the Assessment District

largely represented before the Board of
Supervisors last night in united effort to
defeat the assessment district proposed for
the extension of Potrero avenue from the
present terminus to the county line. The
tenor of the complaint was that the district
is altogether too large, and includes miles
of property that should not be touched
at all
ii. A. Nagendie, on behalf of the protest
ants on Bernai Heights, stated that their
object Is twofold-frst, a claim that a new
road is unnecessary, and that even if the
board thought otherwise, they should be eX-
Guided from the assessment district, be-
cause the extension of Potrero avenue
would not benefit them. He stated that
the San Bruno road offered through street
Tor all traffic in that part Of the city, that
the only Objectionable portion of the latter
road had been placed in perfect order, and
that the complaint of the road not being
sufficiently wide is uniOunded.
tie luther said that only small portion
Of The street is used. and he produced a
deed executed in 1858, which showed that
the land conveyed to the city for the San
Bruno road was 66 feet, and that nowhere
was the road of that width. Attention was
called to the fact that the board had just
expended $4,000 upon the street, and that
it IS in good condition and lighted with
thirty electric lights of 2000-candle each.
AS REGARDS THE WORK.
AS to the work, which he said was an ex-
tremely wild dream, it started with a cut Of
81 feet, another OF 43 feet, third of "a feet
and fourth OF 9 feet, all III first distance
OF $500 feet OF private property, which
must be purchased up to the Guadalupe
Dairy that from this paint another $500
feet OF private property through a swamp
must be purchased, which must be filled 10
feet to the foot of Silver terrace, and that
from Silver terrace another 800 feet must De
bought and across Silver avenue another
strip OF $50 feet of private property must be
had.
Here. he said. the promoters of the
eXtenslon-insteado of continungin straight
line to P0trero avenue where it exists, and
OF the required width, and which belongs
to the city-had made a detection to the pr-
Yate lands of one of the petitioners for the
work, and from here the proposed road ran
into the San Bruno road, where. he said, it
would be necessary to purchase thirty-f0ur
feet of private land from Burrows street to
the county line. The cost of the proposed
road would be enormous, and the property
to be assessed 10 pay the cost would be un-
able TO pay tile tax.
As to the assessment district, lie said that
the tax would tall on people of very limited
means on Bernal Heights who are unable to
pay. The base of supplies for that dis
triCt is the Mission proper, and the San
Bruno road, with all its advantages and car
facilities is rarely used by them. In cOnclu-
sion lie stated that a number of improve
mentS are projected in their location, the eX-
penseS of which is borne by them. They
are not kickeTS, he said, but expected that
II any improvements were made in that To-
caiity at least such Improvements should be
ordered that will benefit their properties.
OTHER PROTE5TANTS HEARD.
Theodore HIGtel thought the district out
rageously large, extending, as it does, to
property that has no relation to Potrero
avenue.
NJ. {. Hassett strengthened the position Of
the first speakers with additional arguments
George ID. Bliss, prominent wholesale
butcher, characterized the enterprise as IA
big steal and fraud rom beginning to
end" His property Is within the assess
ment district and would not be benefited
one cent.
Several residents from BernaI Heights,
small prnpertY-owners, proclaimed against
the injustice of the scheme. They had
bought their little holdings on the Install
ment plan, and were struggling hard to pay
off their indebtedness. Along comes this
burdensome assessment for an improve
ment that will not benefit them one cent. 1t
amounts in some cases to almost coniiScl-
ton, and is doubly burdeuSOme in view Of
the fact that they have just finished paying
an assessment quite as unjust for the grad
ing of Kentucky street Many hundreds
are in a like situation, and are threatened
with bankruptcy.
Supervisor Iaber explained that he ia
yored the enterprise and Is in earnest about
il, because be believed it for the best inter
estS Of that section Of the city. The time is
not far of when a fire drive and thorough
fare viii be wanted for that southern sec
ton of the city. 1t is very much needed
now, and the bare fact that the plan las
been projected has increased the value Of
property threefold. lie thought, so far US
assessments are concerned, that the pro-
ttStants are more scared than hurt; that
probably they would not have to pay more
than 81 lot. La mapping out the assess
ment district it had been the aim to include
simply that section of the city tributary to
Potrero avenue.
IN FAVOR OF TIE PROTEST.
Supervisor Ebert thought the protest
should he sustained. There are eighty pc
titi1ners for the extension and $50 against
Those who want the work had not even pat
down their residence, to say nothing of the
property they owned that would he al
fected.
Jackson and Burliug both thought the
petitioners should be heard, and Taber's
motion prevailed. Ebert, Cotfey and Heyer
voting against 1t.
The Tax Collector was instructed to turn
over the delinquent personal property roll
to the City and County Attorney for collec-
ton.
An order was passed to print fixing the
rate Of taxation for State purposes for the
present fiscal year as follows:
Cents.
General
School Fuad LIS
MendocIno Asylum. l6
University Fund....... Observation-Disclosures. 10
Total.
mn. u