The record-union., 1892-11-05
THE DEPOT ACT.
Reasons Why the People Should
Vote For 1t.
The "Examiner' Makes a Careful In
vestigation of the Merits
of the Bill.

situation to know the merits and de-
merits of the 'San Francisco Depot Act"
This Act provides for the issuance of
the bonds of the State to the amount OF
six hundred thousand dollars with which
to construct a depot at the foot of Market
street for the accommodation of the
travelling public and to facilitate the trans
portation of freight.
These bonds are to bear 4 per cent. in
terest, and are to be payable within
twenty years out of the earnings of the
waterfront property under the control Of
the State Board of Harbor Commits
sioners.
There is provision of the Constitution
which forbids any Indebtedness in excess
of $500, 600 to be incurred, except with the
consent of the people expressed at an
election. Therefore, the san Francisco
Depot Act" is made to depend upon the
vote of the people at the election to be
held on Tuesday next.
1t has been asserted in many quarters,
and claimed by many people, that this
Act is a scheme of the Southern Pacific
Company for the purpose of obtaining
valuable property, and of saddling the
burden of paying for it upon the State.
With the object ofdetermining whether
this claim was justified by the facts. and
to aid in the defeat of this measure if the
claim proved to be true, and on the other
hand to relieve the Act of that unjust
criticism if the fact were found to be un-
true, the Examiner has spared no pains
or labor in the investigation of this ques-
ton, and has reached the conclusion that
the Act is a measure deserving the un-
qualified Endorsement of every citizen of
the State, and certainly OF every voter in
San Francisco.
hn Of
water front, which yields an annual reve-
nue. of 100000, collected from the indi-
vidUals who have use for the property of
the State in the transportation of persons
and freight. Every corporation and per-
son engaged in the business of transpor-
tatlon across the water front line of the
City and County of San Francisco pays
tribute to the State for the use of this
property. The Southern Pacific Com
pany pays, as it should pay, large sums of
money monthly and annually for the priv
ileges which it enjoys. There may be some
doubt as the wisdom of some of tn details
concerning this Act, such as have been
pointed out in the interview with Mr.
Paulsell, but even he concurs in the JUS
tice of the unanswerable claim that the
State should furnish the best possible IA
cilities to every one doing business over
the water front, but at the same time
make them pay for what they get, and
nip in the bud all attempts of any to
obtain a controlling interest in those fa-
cilities."
And again, "Of course the Southern
Pacific people viii be entitled to facilities
for doing their business over the water
front, but all other roads Will be entitled
to their Share.'
That the business of the corporations
and individuals engaged in the trans
portatlon Of persons and freight from San
Francisco to adjacent points imperatiyely
IS question upon which all persons are
agreed.
The buildings at the foot of Market
street are nothing better than cattle sheds
and should certainly be replaced by COM
modiOuS and respectable structures Suita-
bic for our present and future purposes
and needs, unless there be some control
ing reason to the contrary.
AS has been pointed out in the inter-
view with William d. English. ex-Presi-
dent of the State Board of Harbor Com
missioners, it is impossible for the South
ern Pacific Company or any other cor
poration or any individual to obtain con-
troll of this depot, when built, or of any
OF the other property of the State except
as lessees under the will and at the
pleasure of the Board of Harbor Com
missioners, and upon such terms as they
may fix, however arbitrarily they may
fix them.
Therefore, the State has absolute and
unlimited control over the property 1t
can fix the price which the Southern Pa
citic Company or any other corporation
or any individual must pay for the use
and enjoyment of this depot when built
No Board of Harbor Commissioners
could fail to make charge which would
be a reasonable and fair return for the in
vestment and for the use of the property
so built with the money of the State
1t is provided by the Act that the
IO1inci1al and interest of thasa bonIg
shall be paid out of the earnings of the
water front, and there is no possibility
that the people generally will ever be
obliged to pay one cent on account of the
issuance of the bonds authorized by the
Act. The people who use the water front
viii pay through the State Board of Har-
Dor Commissioners the moneys which
Will finally redeem every dollar of priu-
cipal and interest incurred in the prose-
cution and completion of the work.
So that the Act simply provides for the
prosecution of public work of great inn
portance, imperatively demanded by our
necessities, which, when completed, will
be owned by the State, and be let to
many persons eagerly and anXiously de-
sirous of having 1t upon terms which the
State will fix, and which will be there
after fairly remunerative.
The bonds authorized to be issued will
be finally paid by the very persons and
others like them to whom the State will
lease this property when completed, 1t
will be therefore seen that there are many
good reasons why the Act should be
adopted. Men may differ about the de-
tails, but in all of its essential features the
Act is good one, contemplates a very
commendable improvement which will
involve no waste of money and which is
surrounded by every conservative safe
guard. There is therefore no reason why
the people Of this State should not as
business proposition authorize the con-
structiOn OF this building, which private
individual similarly situated would not
hesitate for a single moment to construct.
To the people of San Francisco there
are additional reasons why they should
heartily support the proposition to au-
thorize the issuance of these bonds. The
building would be an ornament to the
city and would replace barns that no citi-
zen can behold without experiencing a
blush OF shame for the local pride OF his
home. The money thereby put into cir
culation will afford employment to large
numbers of mechanics and other laborers,
and at the same time the expenditure be
absolutely devoid of burdens to the tax
payer, for the reason that the taxpayer
will never be called upon to pay any part
OF this principal or interest.
There is plain duty upon the people
OF the state and upon the citizens of San
Francisco to authorize the issuance of
these bonds by voting in favor OF the
''San Francisco Depot Act"
ADJUSTMENTS
The box Office of the Clunie Opera
house will be open to-day for reservation