The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-07
FOOT OF BROADWAY OPEN.
The City Council Assists the
Mayor.
DOWN COME FENCES AND OFFICE
The RoSalie Makes a Landing Off
Gals Cheered-A Threat From
Huntington-PoIice on Guard.

8 The foot of Broadway in Oakland pre-
scented such a scene yesterday afternoon
as was never witnessed before and which
was not rivaled even by the famous water
front fight of last year.
For the past month Mayor Pardee and
the Non-P ARTISAN Council have been hard
at work on plans looking to the dislodg-
ment of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company from the territory ii had squat
ted on eighteen years ago. and Yesterday
witnessed the elimination of those plans
and the cutting loose Of the monopoly ten
tacles from almost their last grip on Oak
lands city front.
Time was, and there are Oaklanders who
remember #. when Broadway, was open
right through to the waters edge. and there
was landing place there and opposition
boats would vie with one another to see
who could first get landing and the
choice of berths. Oakland then owned the
foot of Broadway. After while the Gen.
trail Pacific crept in with its boats. opposi-
tion was run off or bought off, and grad
ually the great sponge absorbed the bust
ness and the landing place and put up
fences, offices. ferry-slips. gateways and
warehouses. and. by hocus-pocusing and
juggling with the Carpenter title, was soon
left In undisputed possession.
No one disputed the railroad company's
right, and it held on, and by and by owned
the foot of the street.
Then followed the waterfront fight, so
well remembered. and close upon this came
the celebrated decision by which Mr..
Hunting ton lost the water front. He held
on to this spot. however, and probably
would continue TO do so if the people had
not slipped in about this time and elected
a Mayor and Council that was determined
the city of Oakland should have Just
exactly what belonged TO her.
Able counsel was consulted, and yester-
day afternoon the Mayor, Councilmen Smell,
Bsrstow. Dalton. Manuel. Dow, Attorney
johnson. Superintendent CT Streets Harri-
SCI and gang of werkmen and Chief of
Police ochaffer ana a squad of blue coats
repaired to the foot Of Broadway, and the
Street Superintendent, on the strength Of
the following order, proceeded 70 demolish
things standing in the way:
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND, !
CITY HALL. OAKLAND. July s, 1898.
T. g. Harrison, Superintendent Of Streets
DEAR SIR: There are at the foot OF Broadway.
south OF First streer, certain distractions to
the free use and en- jOym ut of that Street as
public highway. Said distractions consist of a
fence or gales, and fence and small building
said to be used by The Southern Pacific Com.
pany as ticket office. ] hereby authorize and
direct you TO Immediately remove these OBJ
structfonS from the street. and TO clear the
street at that point of all Instructions to its
free use to deep water. Very respectfully,
GEORGE c. PARDEE. Mayor.
Accordingly, with axes and crowbars.
the men set to work and directly there was
ripping and tearing, to the surprise of
the Southern Pacific workmen, who had
no thought of what was coming. Phey
soon knew that something was happening.
The fences were carted off on convenient
trucks to the corporation yard. Next the
ticket office. standing in the streets, was
attacked by housemovers, and it, too, will
be carted off. together with the big scales
sunk III Lne street at THIS point
That the railroad company anticipated
some little fire from the great amount of
smoke that has been going up of late on
this subject is pretty conclusively proven.
but they did not expect the lightning to
strike quite so hard and so suddenly. Thew
had not been in the habit Of locking their
big gates across the street, but since Tues
day night this precautlon had been taken.
1t is thought the railroad lawyers advised
the company of the petition before the
Council. and they took this preca uton.
In half an hour after the demolition be.
gan a tug steamed up to the wharf having on
board Attorney Harvey Brown, who served
the Mayor with a copy of decree of the
United States Circuit Court signed bv
Judge Lorenzo Sawyer. and which reads
thus:
AT stated term OF the Circuit Court OF the
United States, District of California. held at
the courtroom thereof in the city and county of
San francisco, on the It'll day OF February,
A. d. 1882.
Present, Hon. Lorenzo Sawyer, Judge.
COILS 2. HUNTINGDON
The CITY OF OAKLAND
This document, with which it was
thought to dismay the Mayor, after pre-
amble goes on to say:
Now therefore 1t is ordered, adjudged and de.
creed that said plaintiff Is The owner of AN
undivided oDe-fourth part of the lands and
premises described and as alleged In said hill
OF complaint. and that the said defendant. The
city OF Oakland. has no estate or interest what
ever In or 10 said lands or premises as against
said plaintiff, and that said defendant be for
ever debarred from asserting any claim what
ever In or to said lands and premises adverse
10 the said plaintiff.
Provided that nothing herein contained shall
In any manner affect the remaining right OF the
city OF Oakland 10 collect wharfage tolls and
dock age at the expiration OF the original grant
to w. II. Carpenter
LORENZO SAWYER, Circuit Judge.
Accompanying this decree was the fol-