The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-15
Post-street Extension.


Editor Morning Call: A glance at the
map of the city and county of San Fran
cisco will sufficeto show the district through
which il is intended to extend Post street,
in its unenviable situation and surround
ingS. hemmed in, as it is, on the north by
Laurel Hill, and on the south by Lone
Mountain, Masonic and Odd Fellows ceme-
teries. 1t was on account of this unfor-
tunate situation and the close proximity OF
these cemeteries that this district has laid
there unimproved and unattractive for
forty years, while the city has improved in
every other direction. Only a few people
of scant means bought lots there, chiefly
tempted to do so by their cheapness and
built hOmes there. corresponding to their
means. 1t IS at this day poor mans dis
trict and will remain such as long as the
cemeteries will be there to close it in. This
will be patent to any gentleman who knows
the neighborhood. If you have been out
there of late, with an eye open to this POST
street extension problem, the one fact must
have impressed itself on your mind that in
this district there is little or no cause
or element for a variation in the value
of the lots, save as they get little further
away from the cemetery fence or are situa-
ted nearer the Point Lobos avenue. Now,
if this is correct statement as to the land
and its value. il is plain and undcnlable
that 10 have valued the lots there would not
have required the skill and experience of
real estate experts. There was then no
good reason for commission, composed OF
ordinary intelligent gentlemen, to delegate
TO others duty Tor which they were
selected, and for the performance of which
they were to be paid the sum of $500 per
month, with ample time given them to do
the work in. In this connection | will as
sert most positively and without fear Of
contradiction that there are any number of
our prominent real estate dealers that would
examine the district, value and arrange a
system of benefits and assessment in the
space of one month. Have then these COM
missioners acted in good faith and in the in
terest OF those whom they were appointed
to serve and represent, and whom they now
ask to pay them for ten months services,
which could and should have been per-
formed in one-fifth of that timer
and as to how they did their work,
as shown by their report and
assessment, the general dssats faction
| among the people from one side of the dis
tr!ct to the other clearly discloSes. In the
face of all the circumstances surrounding
this lamentable failure can the Honorable
Board of Supervisors come to any other con-
ciuSioD but to reject the report of the Post
street Commission? What excuse would
there be for the commission to exist mo-
ment longer " hen the board has become con-
WINGED that the complaints If the poor peo-
pie, whom THIS commission Wou Id tax out
of all possession of their humble holdings,
are real and true. Every owner in tbs dis
triet with the exception of a few rich and
| large owners of blocks, who have been dealt
with very generously by the commission,
looks to tile Board OF Supervisors for relief
| ana to right the wrongs about to be in
| flicted on them. They ask the board almost
| unanimously to refuse to accept the report
| of the Post-street Commission and to dis
| charge the same.
These property-owners claim further that
| the demand for this extension did not come
from the people of that district; was not
| petitioned for to the predecessors of this
| present Board of Supervisors, but was n
| part and parcel of and in pursuance of their
| general scheme and policy of improving the
city, which has incumhered it with no less
| than eight other such questionable commits
| sions. They say, furthermore, that the
whole of this Post-street Commission bust
ness originated by parties in the interest of
certain street railroad, and that at least
| one OF the parties assisting in the scheme
| has been rewarded for his services by a
| place on the commission. CITIZEN.
San francisco, JUN H. 1891.