The morning call., 1893-11-22

The harbor Commissioners in granting
permission to corporation to lay such
tracks have violated the law.
F. s. Stratton. attorney for the Board of
Harbor Commissioners, caused little
book to be printed in 1891, and il is en-
titled Laws and Statutes Relating to the
Board of State Harbor Commissioners"
In this work is given section 1884 of the
Statutes of California, and the heading
over the same is. "Harbor Commissioners
to Have Charge of Water Front-Duties
Of" The first part of the section gives in
plain language the portion of the bay and
land which shall be within the Jurisdiction
OF the Commissioners. The land line is
drawn distinctly as in deed conveying
real estate. The description of boundary
commences with point where the east
erly line of the Preside Reservation inter-
sects the water-line front. then each street
along which the line runs is mentioned.
On page 10. near the bottom, the language
of the section is, Thence (from Pacific
streeD easterly along the center of Pacific
street to East street; thence southerly
along the center of East street to the CEN
ter of Folsom street."
Thus definitely is fixed the land over
which the State has jurisdiction. Further
along in this sama section, on page II OF
the little book. appears the following:
Said board shall not lease to, or permit any
corporation or association, or any person or
persons, TO lay down any track or tracks for
railways along any OF the property described
herein. or on any portion OF the water front OF
San Francisco, under any condition whatever.
Said board may, when the wants of commerce
require, lay down such number OF tracks along
and on anv portion of said water front as may
be necessary to meet such wants, and permit
the use thereof TO any corporation or assOca-
tiOn, or any person or persons, under such
rules, regulations, and at such compensation as
said board may determine; provided. that no
special privileges shall be AWARDED thereon to
any corporation, association, person or persons:
and provided further, that switches from said
railroad track or tracks may, with the permis-
sion OF said board and under the limitations
and conditions of this act. be constructed by
corporations, or any person or persons, leading
TO any warehouse or place of business.
This act became a law March 19, 1889.
1t can be found in STATUTES and Amend
ments of 1882" on page $50. The PAM
phlet compiled by F. S. Stratton is only
referred to because it is the text book of
the Harbor Commissioners, each one has
a copy and it was issued for their special
guidance.
To briefly recapitulate: The law pro-
vides, first, that the Commissioners shall
have jurisdiction over that portion Of
East street between Pacific aad Folsom
which lies east of the center line; second,
that no corporation or individual shall be
allowed to construct railway upon any
properly which is within the jurisdiction
of the Harbor Commissioners.
Yet to-day street railroad is being con-
structed along East street from Broadway
to the ferries, and the rails are already laid
as far as jackson street. In places both
tracks are east of the center line. ard all
along the street one track is east of the
center. To reach the ferries both tracks
will run for the distance of block on the
east side of the street. A careful examina-
tion shows that two-Ihirds of the r0adbed
is upon property over which the State has
control.
Who is building this railroad?
This question was put to the clerk of
the Board of Supervisors, who turned to
page % Of the book which contains all
street railroad franchises and pointed to