The morning call., 1891-01-29
REAL ESTATE.
Prominent Agents on the Month
in Two Cities.
The New Supervisors and City improvements.
Several Big sales-A Review of the
Oakland Market.

Some Interesting articles viii appear in
The Real Estate Record, published by G. II.
Umbsen 81 Co., in the February issue, the
proofs of which have been received by THE
CALL. One of them on the new Board of
Supervisors is given as follows:
The action of the new board in sustaining
the veto of ex-Mayor Pond to the resolution
of the late board closing part of the Cor
bett road has been universally approved of.
II argues that the Supervisors intend to
legslate for the public and not for the
benefit of individual property-owners.
THE PEOPLE PLEASED.
The people assessed for the extension of
Sixteenth and other neighbOring streets,
with few exceptions, are much pleased at
tie action taken by the board dismissing the
several commissions and revokng the reso-
buttons extending the streets in question.
As the question of the power of the Super
viSors to thus undo the work of their prede-
cessors is now before the courts further
comment is unnecessary at present. 1t may
be stated, however, that there is growing
feeling that in the extension of principal
streets the city should pay fair proportion
of the cost, as suggested in last months
Real Estate Record. One thing is certain,
if the present system is followed of raising
the necessary funds for the extension of
streets by the assessments of districts in
the hilly sections, where street work is
very expensive it will have the effect of
materially checking their development.
Where street work often costs more Than 30
per cent of the assessed value of bordering
lots, it stands TO reason that assessments for
opening streets not Immediately affecting
the property is more than owners can stand.
If streets have to be extended for the benefit
of the city at large, the city should pay the
balance Of tile expense after the land boz
dering thereon has paid its fair share.
Should the courts sustain the action of the
new board. it is to be hoped that farer
way of raising the necessary funds will be
found before the work is again projected
The Legislature now sitting should be asked
to pass measure authorizing the city to pay
a portion of the expense of such work when
deemed necessary for the public benefit.
CONFIDENCE OF OWNERS.
Similar action has been taken regarding
the resolution passed by the late board to
extend Market street, and also that chang
ing the grade of that street between Valen-
Ella and Seventeenth streets. The latter
work should certainly be done before prop
eTtY further Increases In value. EX-Clty
ana County Attorney Flournoy advised the
late board that If the work was done the
city would be liable for all damages caused
by the change of grade. This is only fair,
but the question arises, How are such dam
ages to be paid considering that the city'S
annual income is not sufficient to run all the
departments, as is clearly shown by the pres
ent shortage in the School Department? 1t
is impossible; and therefore it IS suggested
that such matters should be submitted 10
the public at elections. Should the people
vote for the improvement, then the law
should be so framed as to allow a special
tax for the purpose, to be levied In this
way every voter would be given a voice in
proposals TO improve the city, and natur-
ally, Taxpayers would be more than ordi-
narlly careful in the election of the men
who would have the spending of these
moneys.
Taken altogether the action of the present
board in these matters deserves the con-
hdence OF owners, and should therefore
tend TO strengthen the real estate market
and induce Investments in city property.
POINT LoBos PARK.
Regarding the City Cemetery it says:
As has already been shown in the Record,
the City Cemetery occupies one of the most
beautiful sites in this peninsula, being
perched upon the hills overlooking the bay
aud enjoying grand marine view. The
2O0 acres bought by the city for a pauper
cemetery lies near the northwestern corner |
OF the county and commands the entry 10 |
the bay. The Federal Government has at |
last taken in hand the defenses of San Fran !
cisco, ana now proposes to buy portion of i
the cemetery Tor the purpose OF locating a
battery there. 1t promises 10 lay ont the
ground as a park, and thereby greatly i'm
prove the neighboThOod. For years past
the removal of the cemetery has been
advocated by the press and petitioned
for by thousands of citizens. The only
opposition has come from the various ben
evJlent societies who have improved the
pats granted them by the city. As the
societies were merely given the use OF the
ground, they have really no rights in the
matter. Therefore, If the city should con-
Guide TO move the cemetery and pay for the
refinement Of the dead, such societies have
nothing to complain Of. The proposal Of the
Federal Government 10 buy portion OF the
land should be looked after as an easy way
out of the difficulty. AS the battery is
wanted as a protection to the city there
should be no question about selling the land;
and even if there was, the Federal Govern
nent has the power TO condemn all land re-
quired Tor national defences. 1t would ap-
pear then that the board should take i'm
mediate steps to have the cemetery and its
contents removed to some convenient
spot in San Mateo County, near the
new Catholic and Jewish cemeter-
les, let the Federal Government have
as much of the land as it wants and turn
the remainder of the 200 acres into a
park. This will be a great public bene-
fit, and Richmond would then extend
rapidly to tile west until it reached the
PARK and around il to the Cliff House.
As to the cieties in question, they have
had the right of free land for burial pur-
poses for years, and they must be content
to remove their headstones and monu-
meuts to the Flats awarded them in the
new cemetery. Their few improvements
must not be permitted to check the
growth of the city or to hinder its proper
protection by the National Government.
The Potrero will be shaken up by 5000
pounds of dynamite next Saturday. The
big blast is expected to displace about 1000
cubic yards of earth on the surveyed route
Of SOlano street. between Connecticut and
Missouri. There is cut in this block Of
fully fifty feet, and nearly 1900 cubic
yards Of rock and earth is 10 be taken out.
REPRESENTATIVE SALES.
The sale of the Florence House at $780,
Goo, made recently by DcAier, Baldwin &
Hammond, was yesterday confirmed by
Judge CUffey.
McAfee. Baldwin & Hammond report that
they have brought the buyer and seller to-
gelher on the Page-street property offered
at auction in the Real Estate Exchange last
Monday and have closed the sale to John
Logan at $4,000. They had an offer of
S15O0 each for the five Doores-street lots
the day after the auction, but refused to let
them go for less than S1G50, although the
limit during the auction was $500 per lot.
The same firm has sold lot 60x60, on the
north line of Post street, between Taylor
and Jones, with old improvements, Tor
S25, 000 also lot 25X137 &c, on Carl street,
near Stauyan, for S2100; also lot 40x120,
with improvements, on the west side of Tay-
Tor street, south of Washington, for $1,000.
and lot 45x7O in the rear for $500; also lot
and cottage on Valley street, near Dolores,
for 5000; also half of a fifty-vara lot on
Preside Heights for $1,000; four fifty-varas
on Preside Heights. west OF Central avenue,
t"r $4,000; also lot 26:8x1I4 on Twenty
seventh street, near Sanchez, for $1,000; also
two lots on BOyce street, near Point LObOs,
for $780, ana house and lot on Washington
street near BGoderick, for $500.
They have also sold country lands as fol-
lows: One hundred and sixty acres of land
near LtyermUre for $500, Is acres of the
Palermo Colony for S4625 and 20 acres in the
same colony to Father Hyacinth FOR 1880;
also 6iO acres Of Tuare Lake land for
SG400.
meeting of the stockholders Of the Pa
lermo Land and Water Company was held
r.-nl 4