The morning call., 1893-10-04
THAT BIG GRAB.
The Fencing in of the Oak
land Front.
Speculation as to the Southern Pa.
cific's Purpose in Driving Piles.
Colonel MendeIPs s Say.

OAKLAND.-The present grab Of the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company is one
of the most stupendous on record. With
all of the vast grabs of this great concern
there has been nothing to approach this.
On Sunday last, with two piledrivers at
work and two steam tugs to supply them
with piles, curved row of piles was set
from the outer end of the broad-gauge
mole to the outer end of the north training
wall which incioses the waters of the Oak
land estuary on one side. The line of
piles has a big outward curve and takes in
considerable more land than If driven
straight across. 1t is built on what has
been de termi 10 ed to be the city limits. The
piles are driven ten feet apart.
Nor is this all. Not content with this
vast steal, the Oakland Waterfront CON-
pany, which is virtually the Southern
Pacific Company, proceeded to grab even
more. The first piece fenced in embraces
about a mile square of land and water.
The latest grab will cover at least three
miles square. 1t extends from the narrow
gauge pier east aud south. and 1t is the in
tentioD, it is said, 10 build the row of piles
to the old Alameda wharf. distance OF
over three miles. Three pile-drivers are
at work and the piles are being very
rapidly driven and each gap closed up.
These piles are also driven sufficiently
close to keep out vessels Of any size, and 1T
is expected that by this evening the work
will be finished and our sister city of
Alameda will find itself without a water
front. 1t is not known how soon the work
of pile-driving Will commence on the
Berkeley water front, nor Is 1t known
whether an attempt will be made to fence
off San Francisco's front
Why the railroad company 10 doing this
is a question that no one can answer un-
less he is on the inside.
By some 1t is stated that the railroad
company scents opposition, and is scared
nearly TO death at the thought that per-
haps some other 'boRie" man than Davie
NAV conclude to start q ferry. and they
want to fence him out.
Another theory is that, having placed its
waterfront assets at $4,000. 900 in order to
float its bonds. it is anxious TO keep up
this deception In order to ward off any
clamor from bondholderS. To make
good showing. Indeed.
One citizen remarked that it was 10TH
ing but pure cussedness. Ordinary rail-
road greed, that's all.
Probably the correct theory Is that it
scents defeat for itself in the suit brought
against it and is anxious to save something
when the house falls. In the Chicago de-
cision. when the United States Supreme
Court found against the Illinois Central,
the railroad was allowed to retain certain
small pieces around Lake Michigan be-
cause it had butt wharves upon and used
them. 1t is thought the big corporation
may build some sort of flimsy structures on
these piles and hold on after the earth
quake strikes its other holdings
l.. j. LIE Conte, who represents Colonel
Mendell of the United States Engineering
Corps, says that if the railroad company
attempts to put in a buikhead 1t its pres
ent line of piles. thus preventing the in
flow and outflow Of the tides. there will be
trouble.
Mr.. LIE Conte was in Oakland yesterday
and said:
"Yes. Mr.. Curtis. one OF the railroad en-
gineers, called at our Office a week ago aud
told us about the pile-drlving which they
were to do"
what did he say was the object of it?"