The morning call., 1892-08-27
IT HIDES 4 HUGE JOB.
The Market-Street Exten-
sion Project.
NEWBERY'S STRIKING TALE.
When Figured Out the Work Will Cost
Nearly Twenty Million Dollars-The
Railroads Interest

Adolph Sutro proposes to fight tooth and
nail against the proposed extension of Mar
ket street.
He will be aided in his struggle by the
property-ownerS affected by the huge Job,
who do not propose to be looted in any
such fashion.
They prefer the straight and aboveboard
method OF the highwayman in preference
to being plundered under the guise Of a
costly street extension.
The c0terie of politicians interested in
foisting the job upon the propertv-owners
prepared q nice little schedule of the cost
Of Il.
One hundred thousand dollars will do 1t
all.
1t was just this little off-hand figuring
that aroused Adolph Sutro's suspicious. Iu
order to investigate the true inwardness of
the affair he had +. T.. Newbery look into
the work to be done, the cost of it and if
the scheme were practicable.
Mr. Newbery Is civil engineer Of recog-
nZed ability, and he completed his arduous
task yesterday and handed in long type
written report OF his examination to Mr..
Sutro.
Mr.. Newbery's discoveries are startling
and snow that the proposed extension of
Market tIeet Is nothing more nor less than
through, make the new City Hall affair
blush for its littleness.
In the first place the report states that the
extension OF MaIket street over or through
the Twin Peaks is totally impracticable.
The first two miles of the proposed extern
sion 'aTe the worst stretch of country over
which any streets or roads destined TO
travel IN this city and county have been
projected"
This same strip is reported to the Super
visors as being grade accessible to tile
heaviest teams.
Most Of the grades mentioned in the COM
missioreTs' report as being OF the easiest
kind were found by Mr.. New berry to present
features not unlike California street, be-
tween Dupont and Powell. where heavy
teams cannot 60.
The commissioners pathetleally stated:
At present there Is noe, nor has there ever
been, any direct means OF lngress to the city
for the residents beyond Twin Peaks"
III that is so, then Mr.. New berry made a
startling discovery, for he found the Corbett
road and one on the west side of the Twin
Peaks. He found them both to be in better
condition than Kearny street and of very
easy gradients.
He also found that TO connect Market
street with the proposed extension was IAN
application not warranted by fact"
The route suggested would be no more OF
an extension of Market street than il would
be OF Haight, Valencia or Castro streets.
The only resemblance TO Marker street Is
in its width, which, with the heavy grading
that would have TO be done, makes ii ab-
surd.
From Eureka street TO the Almshouse
road there are 5000 feet, requiring a cutting
OF 800 feet in depth.
The land bordering on such a cut would
be rendered unfit for occupation, and it
would cost fully $1,000 a front foot to
grade It,
BY close figuring and taking nothing for
granted Mr.. Newbery reveals some start
ling details as to the partial cost Of the
work.
Taking the heaviest grading on the pro-
posed extension, a distance OF one and
three-Ienths miles at 10 per cent grade,
il will cost just 3,00O 600.
This estimate is arrived at after conseien-
tOus nguTing and does not allow ANYTHING
to be deducted in the way of perquisites,
ETC., so necessary 10 complete q Job when
politicians do the work.
Even with this slight expenditure mil
lions more would be required 10 complete
this proposed extension which would after
ali make Market street so that ii would ''yie
In its proportions and splender with the
streets OF any city IN Europe" as the COM
mlssloners, carried away with the subject
grandiioguently state In their report TO the
Supervisors.
After spending about $4,000. GOO on the
extension the street would hardly be fit fox
anything but the lightest traffic and on the
grades conveyances would have to carry
along kedge anchor to throw out when
going down grade.
While Mr.. Newbery in his report does not
so state II he leaves very streng intima-
ton that the proposed extension would be
Of sole benefit TO the Market-street Gable
Railway. alias the Southern Pacific Com
pany. The Twin Peaks have long hedged in
that eompany's lines. and Ii Is apparent that
the Pacific Ocean would be just the point
for terminal.
This inference is drawn from the fact
that in Me-. Newbery's report he states that.
after completion. the cable could only sur
mount the heavy grades.
In concluding Mr. Newbery states that
the scheme is entirely impracticable excent
when carried through at such an expendi-
ture that 1t would sppall even the most fool
hardy taxpayer