The morning call., 1893-07-04
OVER IN OAKLAND.
The Right to the Use of
Broadway.
TO DEDICATE THE BELL.
Municipal Matters-The Condition of
the Sewers-MrS. Campbell and
Eugenia Home.

One of the most important documents
which has been before the City Council
for years is a petition which was intro
duced last night.
Old Oaklanders bear in mind the fact
that Broadway was once on time open
right through to the water front, but for
the past dozen years or so the Southern
Pacific Company has occupied this coign
of vantage as a landing place for its creek
freightboats to the exclusion Of everybody
else.
j. l.. Davie of the Davie Ferry Company
was the first to see the imposition, and
wanting all to have an equal chance with
the big monopoly, petitiOned the Council at
its last meeting to declare the street open
and to take steps toward building ferry
slips.
The last petition to the Council looking
to this end is as follows, and shows that
Mr.. Davies efforts are bearing fruit.
The undersigned, for themselves and in
largely representative capacity, urgently
request that you take Immediate measures TO
ienove all distractions at The foot OF Broad
way, assume control OF the adjacent wharf and
make the same a source Of pubic revenue and
to be accessible for The purposes OF ferrIagc and
transportation.
1t is known to you that for sc yeral years and
up 10 the time OF the socalled compromise In
1868 the wharf at the foot OF Broadway was
open Tor public accommodation. NO wharfage
was charged or collected. The wharf Itself was
constructed by Calpentier as one OF the condl.
lions OF his agreement with the City Council OF
that time, and was made free use OF by the
people OF The surrounding country as place OF
deposit for their produce. In readiness for ship
ment to San Francisco After the villainous
transaction by which The entire water front
IA "A
wharf was SEIZED fenced in aud held as
monopoly by the waterfront company. and Is
SO held now by its coordinate corporation, the
Southern Pacific. With equal propriety that
corporation might as we'll establish and main.
tam Ioll;gate at the intersection OF Twelfth
and Broadway, or at any other point on tnat
main artery OF The City's commercial life.
The Undersigned IN common with vast ma
ioriIy OF their 1ellow.cilizens, believe that it is
Iull time for tile city to assert and enforce her
unqueSIionaOle rights. The time Is especially
suspicious when they have local government
In which they have unbounded confidence, aud
the occasion Is especially urgent when their
principal street Is blocked up by corporation
which has consistently maintained the charac-
ter Of a public enemy. No reasonable person
believes that the waterfront company, other
wise the Southern Pacific, has ANY title 10 the
vast property which IL acquired by glaring
fraud and has unsucceSsfuliy attempted to
maintain by force. No intelligent lawyer, exr
ceplngl the chartered operatives of the corpor-
alton, Will Call in question The Justice OF tho
Supreme Courts decision In the Chicago case,
or its direct application 10 the case i'll Oakland.
And il that decision applies to The Oakland
water front al Large The corporation can have
no grounds for the continued maintenance of
an obstructive nuisance at the foot OF Broad
way.
The establishment OF cheap -ferrage and
rapid transit at that point will materially in-
crease property values on lower Broadway, and
In fact all over the city. 1t Will Increase the
business OF street railroads. and twO-thirds
reduction OF fares Will effect a vast saving to
the whole city in the course of year. 1t Is the
obvious policy of our city government TO pro-
hbit The unnecessary continuance Of oyerbear-
ing monopOlies and to give protection and en-
enlargement to private enterprise.
Hoping that the foregoing may meet the APP
probation OF your honorable body, and that you
will at once cause Broadway to be opened
out to the water front, cleared Of distractions
aud restored for the uses OF the city OF Oakland.
from which II has been so long withheld by
system OF unparalleled fraud and usurpatlon,we
have Tie honor TO be, etc.
Among tho signatures are the following:
James I. Glenn, Charles Elsey. w. II. Birm-
lngham. e. Jurgens. j. GREENWOOD. &. Ii.
Anthony. G. & A. Nordhausen, E. HOOK, Ii.
Abra hanson, J.B. Mcdonald. A. j. Snyder,
William Gilt. j. X. Orelup, S. Kahn, j. j.
White, George Uh, Charles McCleverty.
McElratb, Il. Scott, L. DrescO.
Mr.. Davie made application yesterday
and was granted permission by the City
Wharfinger to and his boat at the foot of
Broadway. but this did not suit the Sonth-
ern Pacific at all. Mr.. Martin. their attor-
nay. stating in an interview that the City
Wharfnger had no such authority and
that the wharf at that point was the pri-
vate property Of the railroad company.
At meeting of the City Council last
night Davies petition to have ferry Land
Ing at Broadway was referred 10 the
Water Front Committee for action on
Monday night next.
Supervisors in Session.
The Board Of Supervisors held meet
ing yesterday morning. All the members
were present except Supervisor Martin,
who is away on q leave Of absence. Mrs.
Z. E. Drake appeared before the board
and spoke at some length on the tramp
evil. She said she had been investigating
the matter and was astonished to find
how great the evil was. She represented
the Ladies' Aid Society.
She instanced cases where honest, hard
working men have been arrested for va
granCY.