The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-07-20
DISTRICT AFFECTED.

Westerly to the Corbett Road.
DISTRICT AFFECTED.
The district affected by these extensions en-
braces over 80 blocks comprising nearly ave thou
sand 10000 lots. and is oy the City and County
Assessor assessed at over four million dollars.
IMPORTANCE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK.
AS will be perceived, five streets and district
for them all is Included In the resolution and
order.
Ana In this connection It is important TO note
thar had there been five districts and FIVE commits
stons the expense would have been greatly multi
Piled
of this kind has never been carried by one COM
mission. And, IL the enterprise great likewise
the labor.
DIFFICULTIES.
The difficulties to be surmouuted may be enumer-
ated as follows to wit:
L. Dificuty of survey.
2. DifleuIty or estimating values
8. Dfheulty OF assessment.
4. Dficuty in overcoming popular prejudices.
5. Prolonged litigation.
To each of these difficulties we will briefly alIude,
First-77ss difficulty Of surrey.
The territory west OF Douglass street through
which these streets were to be extended had been
about the year 1855 laid out under the survey OF
the "Market-street Homestead Association" and
all the streets were serpentfne the stakes or land
marks had been entirely oblItersted and the field
notes destroyed misIaid IN the hands of persons
dinacnlt TO discover. The City Surveyor would not
underline this work, and it was only after strenu-
Gus effort and considerable delay that surveyors
were obtained who would essay the task.
Second-Tss difficulty Of estimating values.
The moment a work OF this kind Is even contem-
plated property-owners IN the line of improve
ment place actftious values upon their property.
and experts hesitate To lower their estimates and
20 arrive at Just valuation has been extremely
difficult: the Commissions have strlven to do JUS
tice In the premises, but in no case have they al
lowed speculative damages.
Third-The difficulty Of JeUyino assessments.
In order to lay proper basis for the assessments
the Commissioners had. first, to ascertain at least
approxim ateY. the total amount OF expense. and
secondly, how the assessments should be dis
tributed. To arrive the total expense. surveys,
Clerks hire, expenses OF probable litigation, etc.
had to be contemplated. and as all these expenses
had to be paid contingenty, viz success or no pay
your honorable board can easily perceive how din
cult the task.
Fourth-Ihe difficulty in overcoming popular
prrjUdfce
This commission formed in the last days of a
retiring Board of Supervisors. and all know how
closely every act of expiring public official is
scanned by a jealous pubIie. 1t is not diffeult
task to kick dead lion. the impression had gone
abroad that all OF these commissions were thteving
enterprises and organized for public plumber. Pub
lie meetings had been held denouucng them,
second-street cut, Dupont-street extension and
made 20 do service In the role of the opposition,
and 1t must be admitted these commissions were In
III Odor.
sFifth- Prolonged litigation.
GIT must be remembered that at the time this COM
mission was first contemplated the law OF the
had not been settled The decision In the of
Davies vs. the city OF Los Angeles ct al SO Cal, p.
81, was then an unknown quantity.
Shortly after the appointment OF these Commits
sioners and as foreshadowing OF the future. they
had heavy instaiIment of litigation, which very
greatly shattered their nerves. and at many times
caused them to wish they not "iR it," This
Htigat on. after bitter and determined contest.
been determined favorabIy to the commission. but
as poor Richard said, They have had to pay for
their whistle"
TOPOGRAPHY.
The land westward Of Douglass street. through
which these streets are run, comprles gentle
slope. extremely fertile green As emerald until
the summer months have changed this hue to
russell brown IL Is well drained is free OF sand and
gust and Of access presenting to the eye, from
the eastward. most beautiful picture.
Here more than 100 years ago fed the locks OF
the early padres and here In lS45 settled Don Jose
de Jesus Noe. and by him the league OF there
about, which he then owned. was named San
Miguel Rancho" name which that district still
tains.
Charles d. Carter veteran and pioneer Of Cali
fornia. early 1865 said OF this district THAT
it was the most beautiful part of san Francisco
Suburban Homes"
CoRBETT ROAD.
This avenue was first opened in the early history
OF San Francisco a tolIroad. running from Do
lores street. just of the old adobe church on
the east. to the Pacific Ocean on the west. subse-
Quentiy the city purchased the road from
the toll company and the same there
upon dedicated as street. 1t winds
its serpentIne course with an easy and
unduIating grade around and over the base OF the
Twin Peaks, on by the Almshouse. Stanford Heights
aud Lake MERGED TO the sea. and The only outlet
in that direction from San Francisco. 1t Is about
FIVE miles In length, and for picturesqusness and
beauty surpasses any drive about our city.
GRADES.
With proper surveys, all these stieets here ex.
tended with minimum expense to the property
owners, can be graded and placed IN good condI-
tion.
ENHANCEMENT IN VALUES.
That uDon this work of extension being accom-
piished. to say that contiguous properties Will
greatly enhance In value goes without the saying
I'm other words, II is so patent to require but
touch OF Aladdin to produce the effect.
THE TIME oPPoRTUNEe
That times are somewhat depressed, we all admit
that there is no boom in San francisco all con-
cede but cannot IRON these facts infer nor Is il
probably hardly possible that land values will
60 any lower; hence, it would seem conclusive that
there could be more favorable time than the
present for these improvements.
AMOUNT oF ASSESSMENT AND HOW LEVIED.
The assessment OF this woTS aggregates $780,
SEQ o. and IS distributed as follows, to wit:
For land taken for extension OF streets, $780,
5ys 20. Expenses-COnmissfoners' salaries. clerks
Surveyors fees, maps and plsts experts, abstracts
OF records. printing and stationery. rents attor-
neys tees, title deeds and litigation. S5e e9l 10
Total, $3.50. $50 02.
In making this assessment. the Commissioners
have divided the territory embraced therein into
five districts. Lands having a frontage on the
streets proposed to be extended assessed heay-
lest and are included IN District 1. Lands lying
adjacent to these streets extended, but not
fronting thereon, are assessed next proportion,
and Included In District 2. Lands lying be-
tween these streets so extended. distant therefrom
200 feet or thereabouts. assessed next In pro-
portion 60 the last named aud included in Dis
triet 5. Lands lying west OF Corhetu road come
in class ana proportion OF assessment, and are
comprised Within District 4. And All the lands ly-
ing between Valencia and Douglass streets assessed
the least OF ALL included In District 8. wherein
the smallest assessment Of all commences at Naisn-
ea street and gradually increases to Douglass
street.