The morning call., 1893-03-19
BIG UNDERTAKING.
The Removal of Oakland
Distractions.
AN OFFICIAL WHO COULD NOT
Matheny Makes a Demand for Finan-
cial Aid-Examining Bullet Holes.
The Water Front.

The question of removing distractions to
the water front is one that will soon occupy
the attention of the city authorities.
A resolution was recently passed by the
Council, ordering the Street Superintendent
20 remove all Instructions within ten days.
He ignored it. 1t was too monumental an
undertaking to be accomplished within so
short time.
Soon afrerward he was ordered by the
Council to remove the curve in the Southern
Pacific track lately constructed at First and
Franklin streets. The City Attorney was
appealed to and he gave an opinion that
only the Board of Public Works could make
such an order. The Street Superin tendent
therefore refused to act until the order is so
made.
He has. however. oheyed the order of the
Council without question to open Eleventh
street 10 the San Antonio estuary by re-
moving the obstruction of fences. This
order was made at the same time that the
one was given to open streets to the water
'front.' and while 1t was not executed in ten
days, there was no hesitancy in beginning it.
One of the reasons given is that Eleventh
street has been dedicated, and that the
others have not been.
How to get the streets opened to tide
water will be puzzling in more respects than
one. One thing Is certain, no Mayor could
take gang of men and some shotguns"
and remove" things.
Whatever is done by the new Council
Will be done after thorough study of the
situation and in proper form. Claims of
private ownership will intervene, a COM
mission will have to be appointed and con-
demnatory proceedings taken.
There are the Starr FlOurmils. at the foot
of Clay street; the Pacific Nail Works.
near the middle of Market street; the gas
works, at the foot of Grove street; dozen
or more lumber-yaTds in the way of other
streets, and the railroad yards Obstructing
all the streets from Peralta to the point.
In the latter some of the streets, if ex-
tended. would play havoc with the build
ings which stand squarely in the road.
There would be the most serious trouble
as the city would by no means be willing
to destroy the shops and the railroad COM
pany would doubtless be allowed to have
its own way for time, at least unless
other amicabie arrangements could be made
or unless II should voluntarily vacate.
The actual number OF machiniSts, car
repairers and labOrerS employed does not
reach $50, but it is a large number for West
Oakland.
1t might not be necessary to open the
streets in the western section for long
tlme-not till the disappearance of Mr.
Huntington's local railroad system, when
the shops will lose their glory. just as the
bridge and building mills, which employed
500 men, lost 1t when the railroad ceased all
woodwork for bridges and substituted iron.
With a substitution of electric for steam
cars this part of the question would solve
itself.
The shops stand near point peculiarly
fitted for harbor. superior to any other
spot on the front as landing place. With
the full development of this harOor adyan-
tages OF inestimable value would occur.
But meantime the Southern Pacific Com
pany has built such wall about the entire
water front that 1t will be a long time be-
fore the last remnants disappear.
1t is a stnpendOus matter for the city TO
take In hand.
Louis B. Matheny. the supposed pal of
Joseph Touhill. the burglar has written 10
his parents asking financial aid His father
is physician, living in Indiana. MaIheny
is still confined in the City Prison. He
expects his father TO come here, and after
ms preliminary examination, if there is
chance, he viii try to get out on bail.
Officer Williams, an expert marksmau,
has examined the bullet-holes in the walls
of Kuhnle'S saloon. and says that there is
Do doubt but that 1t was the burglar who
escaped and not Touhlll who fired the shot
which gave Officer Cashin his death wound.
Williams bases his conclusion on the posi-
tons in which the two thieves were stand
ing at the time. The ball which lodged in
Cashtn's body was not recovered although
an autopsy was held in the effort to get It,
This would furnish an excellent clew, in the
opinion Of Officer Williams, by comparing
it to the size of balls used in Matheny's
revolver.
None of the persons who saw the Judson
frain-robbers have been able to Identity
Matheny as one of them.
The following Oakland men went to Sac
ramento yesterday as e committee to urge
the Governor to sign the waterfront bill:
Senator Guy c. Earl, Assemblyman Grant |.
Taggart, Colonel Fl. T. Meyers chairman
of the Republican State Central Commitiee),
Mayor NJ. c. Chapman. ex-Mayor w. X.
Davis, ex-M Mayor c. ID. Pierce, Mayor-elect
George C. Pardee. j. F. Towle, R. b. Smell,
A. BaTstOw, S. 2. Hall, NJ. j. Keller, E. G.
Sessions, X. NJ. Fitzgerald, Colonel j. L.
Lyon and Frank A. Leach.
They were presented to the Governor by
Senator Earl, and Mayor Chapman pre-
sented the petition containing long list of
names asking that the bill be approved.
After listening TO arguments in favor OF it
the Governor shook hands with the delega-
ton and promised TO give the bill careful
consideration.
The trustees of the Moses Hopkins Acaf-
envy expect TO spend $4,000 In buildings
and improvements. They again visited
Martinez. San Leandro aud Hayw ards dur
ing the past week TO look at sites that have
been offered.
County Clerk Crane, who has been i'll
with rheumatism, has been stricken with
pneumonia. His condition is serious.