The morning call., 1891-12-16
STREET NUMBERS.
A Scheme for Correcting Mislead.
ing Discrepancies.
All Property-0wners to Be Served With q
Peremptory Notice to Mark Their
Houses in Uniform Manner

For years past the various Postmasters
who happened to BIZ in authority have been
complaining of the way in which this city
was numbered as regards the location OF
houses.
Time and time again the letter-carriers
have asked their superior officers to take
some steps by which uniformity of NUM-
bering could be secured. Strangers visit
Ing the city and desiring to find houses on
certain streets have been unable to discover
the people they desired to see on account of
the extraordinary discrepancies in num-
bering.
Some time ago Postmaster Backus be-
came impressed with the necessity of re-
form in the matter and had a list of the
various streets prepared on which irregu-
larlties in numbering occurred The list
occupied many sheets OF type written legal
cap, and gave thousands of errors which
should be rectiGed. There were many
streets which he did not touch upon, and
some of them the most glazing. On some of
these streets person looking for numbe
would soon lind himself in quandary, and
would not know whether to proceed or to
retrace his footsteps, should he be guided
by the numbers on the houses.
A SPECIMEN STREET.
One of the streets where the most aston
ishing and ludicrous errors occurss West
hission street. a thoroughtare which
branches Oft from Mission street at Twelfth
anu runs for three blocks southwest A re-
porter OF The CALL made tour of this
thoroughfare yesterday, and found most
remarkable discrepancy in the numbers
The street is laid down en- the maps, and is
an accepted street, as wide rs the ordinary
thorOughfare. The first number on the
north Si1a is 1909 Tho n
stable on piece of tin, reads 6799 Then
comes 1910, and the 1900 numbers continue
until 1852, when follows 90, 65b. 81, 81, 81,
and the last house on the block Is nun bcred
IL. On the south side of the street the first
number is 1927, which is continued until
1647 is reached, when in the same block and
on the same side OF the street occurs the
numbers So, 81.
MORE CONFUSION.
The searcher for a desired location on
tackling the next block will imagine him
self in the condition of the late man who
takes the bell-kn0b for the key-hole, for
here the numbers commence at the unit and
continue on uniformly until the end of the
street on both sides. Various other streets
are numbered with the same rregularity as
West Mission.
When Postmaster Backus collated the
various DISCREPANCIES in street numbering
he addressed communications to the Bard
OF Supervisors calling attention 10 the yari-
Gus Irregularities and the Inconvenience
which they occasioned. The board on read
ing tNe communication instructed the Su-
perntendent of Streets to take some steps
to secure a uniformity of numbering all
over the city. Superintendent Gllerau at
once set special deputy ut work and gave
him Instructions to see that all discrepan-
cieS were rectiEei. The Superintendent had
ri d the following notice which his dep
uty Was directed to serve on all proI erty-
owners whose numbers were not correct:
OFFICIAL NOTICE.
OFFICE OF
SUPER!NTENpENro OF PUBLIC STREETS,
HIGHWAYS AND SQUARES
SAN FRANCISCO, -, 1S9-
To Mr.. - OGl.ers UnlsHo,cn-SIR: You
are hereby officially informed that - is The
proper number for the pI emises on - street
This notice is served, and you are requested to
have said number placed your building
within three days after service, or you Will be
liable 10 arrest ana punishment for misdemeanOr
s as per Order No 1897 Of the Board Of Super
plSoIs JAMES GILLERAS,
Superintendent OF Public Streets, Highways and
Squates.
By, Deputy. Notice served -at-M.
ENFORCING THE ORDER.
In case of the rdel not being obeyed
steps will be taken by the SUPERINTENDENT
Of Streets to see that it Is enforced.
Deputy Mccormack has had charge of
serving these notices on various property
owners for the last six weeks. and Yesterday
ne stated IHaL ne nhu made a TOUR OF many
streets east of Taylor toward the water
front. He said in very few instances was
the order disObey ed. Property-owners
were given the privilege of affixing half
numbers and letters, but in all cases was
uniformity Insisted upon The design was
to commence with the unit from the water
front. All side streets will be numbered
with the unit commencing from the point
of intersection. 1t is thought that two
months vet will be required before all the
notices are served aud all Irregularities cor
rected.
LEVYING ASSESSMENTS.
At the Assessors Office twas asked yes
terday how the field deputies did when
there were no numbers on houses. Chief
Deputy Ilerzog stated that in the case of
assessments for real property the assess
ments were not made by means of the num-
bers OF houses, but entirely from the block
maps. Houses were located MS being so
many feet from the corner and of so MANY
feet frontage. In the case of personal prop
erty assessments, il no number was on
house, the field deputy described the prop
erty as being situated on such street. be-
tween the two intersecting streets, and civ