The morning call., 1893-11-02

inserted a switchback. The opportunity
for registering an objection to the laying Of
any track, IN the absence of any official
grade or street lines being run, was too
good to be lost. but of all the property
owners in the immediate neighborhood
only three appeared yesterday before the
committee of investigation. On the other
hand number of small holders and resi-
dents in the vicinity presented themselves
and at times rather vociferously made
their wishes known. The committee
consisting of j. P. Kennedy, c. Reece and
j. Rogers-had q sinecure in arriving at
the facts in the case. No official surveys
having been made there has been a GER
tain amount of "go-as-y please" kind of
working that has complicated the issues
into tangle almost as bad as the Liberty
street affair.
1t appears that the franchise granted the
San Francisco and San Mateo Railroad
Company called for a curve around on to
Casselli avenue but as the hilly nature of
the ground made such an abrupt curve
quite impracticable some other means had
TO be devised TO get a worka bic track on
the higher grade. Mr.. Joost, who owns
nine-tenths Of the ground along the track,
bought out three p Operty-9wners on the
lower side OF Falcon street and then ran a
switch back line in front of his own prop
erty. This short line had 20 be carried for
about 450 yards in order that the cars could
gain momentum before ascending the
heavy grade on Casselli avenue. This
sWitchbac6 has been a cause of offense and
a con stant eyesOre to these owners of HILL
side property, and they confess that they
will be content with nothing less than the
removal of the cause of their annoyance.
That practically would be the result if
their wishes were carried out
The difficulty with outlying lands is that
If the grade on the upper side of the street
be raised so as to meet the wishes of own
ers the unfortunate dwellers on the other
side OF the street will find themselves six or
seven feet below the grade. On the other
hand, if the grade be lowered the owners
at the foOthill will be pleased, while their
neighbOrs across the street object at their
households being left perched in the air.
c. D. Robinson. j. r. Roche and Don
aid Chase on behalf of his brother, state d
10 the committee yesterday their reasons
for objecting to she switchback being
made. Mr.. O'Brien's objections were of a
general kind. but as his frontage is on
Corbett road and there was nothing spe-
cific in his objections the committee, pre-
sumably, Will not consume much time in
deciding the merits of his cause. The
other two obiec ors claimed, 6rst, that be
switchback, from the junction of the five
roads. as shown IN the above cut, where
the official grade has been esta blished, has
been put in without any franchise; second,
that as an embankment has been formed
il is perilous to their necks at nighttime,
and on that account they strenuously OBJ
ject, and third, that on general principles
thew object to the obnoxious switch ack
until street lines have been drawn and an
official grade established.
In the event of an official survey being
ordered the property-owners would have
their lands surveyed free. Either by accj-
dent or design there is method III the OBJ
iections being made. AS matter of fact,
however, there is no money in the city
treasury to pay for surveying, and such q
course at present is out of the question.
The gentlemen forming the committee
questioned the three malcontents as to
whether they would not be willing to put
ND with some little inconvenience for the
sake of the thousands who would be bene-
flied By the road running. The spirit of
self-denial was not in the ascendant, for
each confessed he was unwilling to benefit
his neghbors at what he chose to think
was his expense.
The committee, while not willing to ex-
nress any decided opinion before handin g
IN its report, appeared to think that if
nossible the official grade ought to be fixed
nv the City Surveyor for the 45O yards
where the switchback now runs. AS
Messrs Robinson, Bruce and Roche pro-
nosed their willingness to abide by the
pficial grade when made the matter Will
fhus he definately settled. Mr. Joost, on
behalf of the electric road, mas 1ntiinateq
his Willingness TO raise or lower the track
whenever required by the establishing u
a grade, and then proOaolv peasE,e. ps,.,an anu
nnietness will again reign IN the solituues