The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-03
CITY PROSPECTS.

The Board of Equalization has made its
periodical attempt to raise the assessment
Of San Francisco in order to diminish the
amount raised by taxation by the rural
counties. The idea in the interior is that
this city should support the State Govern
ment. and the power OF the interior counties
to enforce this idea has compelled the city
to submit from time to time to an inequality
Of taxation which cannot be justified on
any principle of equity. Thus the assessed
value Of rural property is from so to 80 per
cent Of its market value, while the assessed
value Of city property is about 20 per cent
OF It's market value. In other words, city
property pays twice as heavy taxes as coun-
Try property, and yet the gentlemen from
the interior are not satisfied.
Real estate in San Francisco is paying
pretty nearly all tie taxes it can bear.
Though the city is out Of debt the burden
Of taxation is heavier here than in most East
eTn and European cities. If any increase is
made it will tend TO drive population from
the city. and TO increase the cost of living
until the city's growth is stopped. People
know exactly how the thing works. Forty
years ago Paris was not only the most de-
lightful city in the world to live in, but, for
those who knew how TO manage, it was one
Of the cheapest. Napoleon III and his
Project Of the Seine, Baron Haussman,
changed all that. The former cut broad
avenues through the settled portions of the
city TO serve strategic purposes, and the lat
ter undertook and carried out a system of
public Improvements which are magnificent,
but which cost minis of money. The re-
suit is that Paris is now one of the dearest
cities in the world TO live in. NJ one can
tl,a
a fortune, and the large class of poor but
bright men who. as writers, artists. sculp-
tors, scientists, engineers. inventors. phil
osopherS, made Paris the center of the in
telleetual world have been driven into the
suburbs. At no previous period in history
was the Poverty Of the working class in
Paris more biting than it is at the present
day.
San Francisco has splendid promise be-
fore it If its people will only not stand in
their oWn light. Assuming that the as
sessed value of its real estate, with improve
ments, is 20 per cent of its real value, the
land and buildings thereon embraced in the
city are worth S350, 100000. The total
amount Of mortgages recorded thereon, as
compiled by Thomas Magee for his Circular.
is S45,1GS,G41, leaving real property owned
without incumbrance TO the amount of
S3C6, 81, 800. Thus, assuming the population
OF the city 10 lie 100000, the holdings of real
estate amount to an average Of over $1,000
Lead Of the whole population. There are
very few cities which can make as fine a
showing as that
But if the city fulflls its promise it will
be largely in spite of the obstacles which
its people throw in the way of progress. 1t
appears to be the purpose of each success
sive Legislature to try to check the city's
growth. The rate of fire Insurance in San
Francisco is much greater than it is in East
ern cities, and is maintained by combina-
ton among the insurance companies
Whenever an attempt is made to break up
the combination the companies corral the
Legislature and defeat it. The foreign
trade OF the p ort is hampered by piIotage
charges and towage. charges which are ex-
orbitant. but which the Legislature refuses
to disturb. City travel is cheap, but the
profits OF the cable-car companies are so
large that they could afford to pay a sub
stantial share of the cost OF running the
city government, whereas their contribution
is trifiiBg. and the share of lot-owners is
increased i'll consequence. There appears to
be conspiracy at the City Hall to pave
new streets with the poultice pavement, at
the cost of people who don't want that
pavement-at least for the next ten or fif-
teen years. Thus an additional and un-
necessary tax is laid upon property. and, to
cap the climax, property-owners are COM
PEELED by the city government, assisted by
some Of the Judges, to pay another tax to
support dirty little evening paper, the
organ OF corrupt cliques-a sheet which
has no justification for its existence.
These are only few examples out of many
which might be enumerated 1t is pretty
dif!cuit for any city. however advantage
ously situated and blessed by nature, to 90
ahead in the teeth of such draw backs.