The morning call., 1892-09-11
Castro Street Land Owners
Up in Arms.
AN OUTRAGEOUS SCHEME.
Tie Absurd and Unjust Assessments That Have
Been Levied for the SixteeLth-street
Extension.

is represented as likely to be benefited by
proposed extension and opening OF Six
teepth street, west of Castro, TO the park or
maybap to the ocean.
+. Brady, now a resident of Vallejo. owns
four lots arbitrarily assessed for this extern
sion, and he has potent reasons for pro-
testing.
II the remarkable assessments on his lots
are permitted to 60 through and receive off,
cial sanction, his property is practically con-
feated.
There is no escape from this.
To save that property il possible Brady
has given authority to X. II. Daley, the
architect, to appear for and represent him
before the Street Committee Of the Super
yisors and protest against what he terms his
absurd and unjust proportion OF the assess
ment."
Mr.. Daley is an old resident of the city
and we'll acquainted with the property
affected by the proposed opening.
He cbaracteriZes the scheme as zone OF
tie most outrageous steals ever attempted
10 be perpetrated.
This protest. which he will prosecute,
will be considered by the supervisors COM
mittee next Thursday,
Mr.. Daley, using the commissions own
figures makes an extraordinary showing Oh
unjust discrimination.
This protest, which is only the first IN
long series, is directed against the ex-
traordinary assessments OF property on
Castro street between Sixteenth and Seven
teenth, and in the two olocks l40 ana 70
bounded by Sixteenth, Diamond, Seven
teepth and Castro, which is divided by State
street. also in the triangular block Ql6)
bounded By Sixteenth, Castro and the line
of the MaTket-sueet extension TO Castro.
Brady OWNS three lots, 25x1O0 with total
= ~
line of Castro street. one of the lots forming
the northwest corner Of that street and
state.
Tho fourth Is of like dimensions but on
the south side OF State street. 100 feet west
of Castro.
The Castro-street lots have been assessed
respectively 500 (being the corner loO.
$3.50 and 1892 79.
The State-street lot has been put down
Tor S166 of the total assessments.
Two houses are the Improvements In
block 123, in which are Brady's three lots.
The northern line Of the block is on Six
teenth street.
These are in fact the only improvements
in the two blocks on the west line OF Castro,
between Sixteenth and Seven tenth.
There is dwelling on the southwest cor
ner Of Sixteenth and Castro, and two flats
have recently being erected on one OF
Brady's lots, the third from the southwest
corner Of State and Castro, being the one
assessed for 1856.
The property on this west line of Castro
street is not so desirable or advantageous
as that on the ether side.
Castro street from Sixteenth to Seven
tenth. has not been graded nor macadam-
lied Ii is in ;he rough yet.
The block on the west side is all OF
twenty feet above the street and viii re-
auire considerable grading, involving also
much expense.
So with block eco, south of State street
It's six OF seven feet above the street. and
State street, moreover, has not been cut
through.
All the land is on the steep slope of a
hill.
Various contractors though they have
had the work in hand for more than two
years, have not yet cut State street through
the block to Diamond.
They have opened it about 200 feet west
ward of Castro street, aud next will en-
counter q rocky embankment some thirty
feet high
No improvements whatever mark block
200
Brady's neighbors in block I23 have been
treated as he has.
Beginning with the southwest corner of
Sixteenth aud Castro streets. their lots on
the latter have been assessed at $500, 1855,
$3.50 and Sf73 respectively. The adjoining
l0ts on State street in block 200 at S123 and
SIG
The choicest of the corner lots on the
west line of Castro street would at most
bring $1,000 If sold. That Is fancy price.
The buyer would take them subject yet to
forthcoming expense for grading and paw
ing Castro street and grading and leyeling
the lots before improving.
Yet some of these have been assessed for
one-hfth of their utmost yaluel On what
basis no one knows.
Now, as regards the assessments in the
triangular block numbered 116.
Is ,Ivyff # Hk-lrx
of Castro street. but what an astounding
difference in assessments!
Fronting on the east line Of Castro street,
and between Sixteenth and Seventeenth,
there are nine lois, each 25x100, and facing
the S400, 1892 and 1856 assessed lots perched
up on an embankment of twenty feet.
They have been assessed for only 500 81,
s14, S14, SIS 81, So 80, 50 81, So. Sc 90 ami
S712.
The LOT at the southeast corner of Six
teenth and Castro streets is put down for
$50 81.
Take the six lots in the same block, but
on tie south side of Sixteenth street and
between Castro aud Noe, aud what is their
assessment?
A little more than the lots fronting on
Castro street In the same block, but a mere
bagatelle compared to the assessments de-
manded Of the unfortunate owners on the
west side of Castro street
These SiXteenth-street lots are assessed
for S43 y, S17 &c, SIS 80. $50 q. SIC 81 and
$50 II.
These lots on the east side of Castro
street are nearly all built upon. Moreover,
they are level lots. The Sixteenth-street
lots are all built upon on both sides OF
Castro.
They are all desirable and level lots.
That they are desirable is evidenced by the
fact that they have all been improved.
The only semblance of system followed
by the commission seems to have been to
diminish the assessments according 10 the
distance Of the lots south from Sixteenth
street, excepting corner and next adjoining
lots.
No reason is given, however why the
assessments on one side Of Castro street
should be up In the hundreds and those on
The other only in the tens.
The pretended excuse for this remarkable
difference has been that as Sixteenth street
is not open west Of Castro, therefore prop
eriy-holders in blocks 123 aud 200, the north
ern line of the first Of which would be on
Sixteenth, will receive the greatest benefit
from the opening and more benefit than
those on the east side of Castro.
MIR. Daley does not see how the western
lot owners are more benefited
Sixteenth street Is now open no further
than Castro street, so that all In the three
blocks have equal means Of access from
that street or Market.
The extension beyond Castro will benefit
the one no more than the other except per.
haps generally speaking in increasing the
value OF adjacent property.
Butthe property-owner on oneside Of Cas-
tro street it is reasonable to suppose will in
this respect be benefited as much as the one
on the other side. yet the one on the west
side is asked to pay hundreds and the Other
on the east side trfie In comparison.
Some doubt whether the opening of Six
teeplh street will benefit any save thos,
westward Of Castro street, who thereby will
n IL m fhafr al.
market value of whose property may be en-
HANGED, but at the monstrous expense o
those who have now all the benefit which
they may hope in years to have with Six
teenth street open as far only as Castro, a.
extended.
This extension of Sixteenth street will
have to be made through an immense mas
of rock.