The morning call., 1891-02-01

1t will thus be seen that so, 713 feet of this
patent pavement have been laid in all in the
city, under public and private contract at
total cost of S44j,7l1. In several of the
years named the number OF lineal feet laid
In tins pavement is given in the municipal
reports, but the cost is not given. Mr.. Ash
worth, late Superintendent of Streets, esti-
mates the average cost at SIS 90 per front or
llneal foot. All of this patent pavement
will have to be relaid within five years. The
most OF this pavement laid within the years
named was foolishly accepted by the city,
and, therefore, the cost of relaxing it
must come from the City Treasury. We
would greatly prefer this patent pavement
because OF its smOothneSs and noiselessness,
to stone blocks If it would only last, but so
Tar Its lasting qualities have not been by
any means satisfactory, while it costs as
much as stone blocks laid in sand. Our at
titude, therefore, to this pavement now and
always has been that 1t should not be ac-
cepted by the city. Let property-owners
lay 1t where they please, but let the law be
repealed making 1t an accepted pavement
We wish 1t every success, but it is as yet an
experiment, so far as tested lasting qualities
are concerned.
PROPORTION OF MORTGAGES TO LAND
VALUES.
According to the last report of the State
Board of Equalization the total assessed
value of land in all Of the counties of Cali
f0rnia anil the Improvements thereon is
$3.50 6l4, 099, while the total mortgages upon
all OF this property amount to S16S, 060, 900
The percentage OF mortgages to assessed
values is therefore only IS 9-1Oths per
cent. 1t must be understood, too, that as
seSsed values In the interior counties do not
average more than 50 per cent of the
market values. Here in San Francisco a
leading member of the Board of EqualiZa-
ton estimated that assessed values amounted
on the average to 70 per cent of the market
value.
THE LARGE PURCHASES ON BRANNAN
STREET.
The Circular, two months ago, alluded to
the fact that some company had purchases
the most OF the land on the southeast side
of Brannan street from Fifth to Ninth, by
a depth Of 275 feet. These purchases sud
denly ceased about the time named, and
about the same time work on the extension
of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
roads, towards San Francisco also suddenly
stopped. Whether the stoppage of railroad
work in the one case and of the purchase of
city land on Brannan street in the other
were both caused by the financial whrl
East, or by tho agreement among the large
Eastern and Western railroads about rail-
road rates, we cannot say. Neither do we
know that the Brannan-street purchases
were made for a railroad at ALL but we be-
heve they were. 1t was given out that these
purchases were being made for a cold-stor
age company on very large scale, but we
extensive for the use Of any storage or
manufacturing company, however large.
The matter remains for the present a mys-
terry.
REPRESENTATIVE SALES.
The property on the north side of Ellis
street, SO west of Powell 70x137 e in size. is
reported sold at $1,000
The property on the west side OF Mont
gomery street, between Sacramento and Cal
ifornia, has been sold for S56, 900; size of lot
26x137.6 and extra l. In rear.
The property on the northwest corner of
Montgomery avenue and Green street has
been sold for S23, 800; not yet of record The
lot fronts 50: on the avenue, 72:4 on Green,
about 80 feet OIL west line and 81 IS feet on
north line.
The Florence House property, northw west
corner OF Ellis and Powell, has been sold
Tor $4,000: size Of lot 44x93.
The property northwest corner of Fill
more and Filbert, "a feet on Fillmore by 100
on Filbert, has been sold for $500; not vet
Of record.
The property east side of Castro, 81 IS feet
south of Twenty-third, 25x105 in size, has
been sold for $3.50; not of record
The property on the north side of WASH
ington street, 101 g west of Webster, Box
1878 in size, has been sold for S12,75O;
price put In deed, SO.
The property on the east side of Noe