The morning call., 1892-12-19
ALL PROTESTING
Except Six of Oakland's
COunCiImen.
BROADWAY is WIDE ENOUGH.
Indignation Over a Scheme by Which
Oakland Property Owners Are
to Be Filched.

When the City Council Of Oakland meets
tonight there will not be standing room in
the chamber for those who propose to be on
hand to watch the progress of the scheme to
widen Broadway. Opposition to the plan
to shave eff the frontage of block of build
ings has rapidly increased until every
property owner within the assessed district
has joined in the popular wall of indigna-
ton.
At the last meeting OF tie council an
ordinance providing for the widening was
passed to print. Had it not been for pro-
tests thai could not be ignored the ordi-
nance would have come up for final passage
tonight. Five Couneilmen, be IL said to
their credit, are not in favor of the widen
ing. Six are working hard TO push the
scheme through. but judging from the pres
ent outburst of indignation it will be
defeated.
A row of two-story brick buildings. prin-
cipally owned by Messrs. Pardee and
Platter. are to be mutilated in order that the
width OF Broadway may be gradually in
creased from 100 feet at Fifteenth street TO
ITO feet at Fourteenth.
The property to be cut away Is In the
form Of a gore and runs into sharp angle
at Broadway, Fourteenth street and San
Pablo avenue. Cable and electric cars
whirl and circle around the gore with con-
fusing frequency. Those who suddenly
pass around the sharp point are daZed by
The clamor of bells and usually have 10 run
for their lives.
II Is Just this danger that the promoters
Of the scheme say they seek to obviate.
The cars need more leeway in order that
the confusion and danger may be lessened.
'0f course" say the property-owners. IT
Will be great Ing for the car companies.
but no one but the corporations would be
benefited by the widening"
Others. however, il Is thought would be
benefited. Would there not be fat fees for
attorneys. engineers and the widening CON-
missiOuers?
In order to have the views of the oppos-
ing sides In the council a reporter of THE
CALL interviewed a representative of each
yesterday. Councilman j. A. c. Macdonald,
the II Their of the scheme. explained the pro-
posed MISUNDERSTANDING process in a most
elaborate manner. He drew a diagram 70
illustrate that slice Of only about twenty
feet wide would have to be cut off the
front OF Mr. Pardee's property. This slice
would gradually narrow la width until 1t
reached Telegraph avenue.
The property-owners object tol the widen
ing. said Mr.. Macdonald. because they do
not want 10 pay the assessments. Some
twenty years ago. the council passed an
ordinance providing for this same widening
and an appropriation of $4,000 was made
away. The Mayor. however. vetoed the
prof. oSiton because he deemed Ii inexpedi-
ent at that time. Messrs. Platter and Par
dee bought the property about ten years
ago from the Potter estate. So far as de-
stroylng the property IS concerned that is
all nonsense. The widening would greatly
improve it. Pardee and other protestants
claim that the work would cost from $780,
GOO to 5000 SO far as / can figure Ii
would not cost moro than $4,000. There
IL 70 10 f,rafl heal fb
owners would lose only the frontage Of the
back lots"
lis it possible TO move such brick build
ingsY the interviewer ventured TO ask.
"Eh-well-not exactly; not all of them.
Public safety and Improvement demand
that this widening be done. Wait until
somebody is killed by the cars at the corner
crossing and then there will be a great
howl. Yes, sir, the widening is necessary
TO prevent the loss of life aud insure safety
10 pedestrians"
Councilman J. W. Nelson, one OF the five
opposed to the scheme. was next inter-
rogated.
THE widening" said he, sis neither
necessary nor eXpedient. il Mr.. Maedon-
aids best argument is to insure public
safety, he cannot show that it is necessary
to cut of the front Of the entire block. To
cut away ten or twelve feet of the gore
would accomplish II. / am not an expert
upon the subject, but as near as | can figure
IL WOnlu cost at least S5Ul,DUO 10 DO the
widening in accordance with the ordinance.
More than that, it would disfgure some Of
the most valuable property in the city.
'Y gu can state that have been decidedly
opposed 10 the scheme from the start. At
the meeting of the council Tomorrow night
l shall attempt to stop the whole business
by moving that the protest be granted
That will at least cause all the members TO
show their attitude"
There is neat little job In the manner IN
which the assessment district was mapped
out. The boundary line makes all sorts Of
Zig-Zags and twists. and in some instances
extends score of blocks from the scene of
the proposed widening. How property
holders twenty blocks away are to be bene-
fted they are unable to figure.
But one thing is certain. No property of
the Southern Pacific Company is included
In the district TO be assessed.
Every one understands that this little ar
rangement in favor Of the big Kentucky
corporation was planned by The promoters
of the whole scheme.
Don't become constipated. lake Beechamis Pulls