The morning call., 1893-07-25
ALONG NEW LINES
Petition for Opening an
Oakland Street.
To CLEAR THE WATER FRONT.
Evidence That the Anti-Monopolists
Are Still Alive and Ready to
Push the War.

Water street is the thoroughfare in Oak
land running along the edge of the estuary.
and 1t is apparent that 1t is along this line
the fight for open streets will be made by
the gentlemen having the matter in charge.
Water street is obstructed. and badly OBJ
struc;ed. from Harrison to CLAW, excepting
at the approach to the Frankln-street
wharf. 1t was also INSTRUCTED at the foot
Of Broadway until Mayor Pardee and the
Council took the matter in hand, and it Is
now. and has been for years. obStructed at
the foot of Washington and Clay streets.
The following petition. numerously
signed, as presented to the Council last
night. 1t strikes knockout blow at the
railroad holdings along the front. and II
the Council should inaugurate fight along
the lines laid down there would be no
trouble to reach Oakland estuary by any
of the prominent streets leading toward the
water:
The petition reads:
To the Honorable. the Council of the City of
Oakland = GENTLEMEN: The Undersigned.
citizens and taxpayers of the city OF o klaud,
respectfully petition your honorable body that
you cause Water street to be opened for public
use 10 the full width OF eighty feet, as defined
by Ordinance $780, from the east line Of Har-
risOn street to the west line Of Clay street, IN
elusive. The said ordinance, passed September
"a, and approved October l, 1862, runs as fol-
lows:
All streets in the city OF Oakland laid down
and represented on j. +. WhltcherS official
map Of said city Of Oakland, lying east Of
in its full extent are hereby ratified, adopted.
established and confirmed as public streets. to
the full extent of each as so laid down on said
map; the width, name and number being the
same as heret Of0re established by the town and
city OF Oakland, aud as shown and represented
on said official map; Broadway being 40 feet
norlherly from the San Antonio creek on the
south. being eighty feet wide; Fourteenth
str' ct, each OF the streets south 0f Fourleentn
street and parallel thereto being eighty feet
wide. The first street south Of First street and
parallel thereto shall be known as Water
street.
An ordinance, No. 1886. declaring the streets
passed August 27, 1858, says: st shall be
unlawful for any persons TO fence across said
streets, or to erect buildings thereon, or In any
or any one Of them. Auy violation Of this ordi-
nance shall be punished by a tine OF not less
than $40 or more than $500. 1t shall be the
duly OF the City Marshal to remove any and all
distractions placed in the streets contrary TO
the provisions Of his ordinance, aud for this
purpose he may proceed without warrant or
process to remove the same"
From the foregoing your honorable body will
observe that by ordinance OF September 81,
1862 the Whltchor Map was accepted as the
official map OF the city, and that all streets
thereon defined, including " alter street, were
declared public thoroughfares aud not to be
Obstructed In any manner.
That these conditions were recognized and
accepted by the railway and ferry companies of
that time was clearly shown by petition TO
the Council, filed March 20, 1879, signed by
Leland Stanford, Charles Croker, Marx Hop
klns and David d. Cotton. and asking for q
franchise for a steam railroad on Water street.
In their preamble The petitioners set forth that
the Central Pacific Railway Company had lately
purchased of Carpenter and Adams the Prop.
erty at the foot Of Broadway, was about con-
structng slips and wharveS for frst-clasS
ferry, and had completed the reconstruction OF
the steamers Capital and Yosemite In the form
OF frSt-class ferry-boats 10 be placed on that
route. ana go on 10 say:
That when this improvement is completed all
the teams and much Of the passenger travel
from San Francisco will 60 by that route and
be landed at Broadway landing, aud that 1t will
be necessary TO provide additional means for
the accommodation and distribution OF the
public and its business; therefore, your petit.
TONERS would respectfully ask your honorable
body TO grant 10 your petitioners the right and
franchise 10 construct and operate a steam
railroad from the ferry landing at the foot Of
Broadway along Wafer street to Webster,
along Webster to the foothills; SAID franchise
to be assigned TO CORPORATION to be incOrpOr-
ated and organized by the undersigned, and
the road to DO operated In conjunction with
said Central Pacific Railway Company and the
ferry belonging to said Central Pacific Railway
Company.
This petition was referred to the Street Com
NIT ee, who Oh the 80 OF april, 1875. reported
Then. about the LIST OF June next ensuing, the
Central Pacific Company, to show their cou.
tempt Of the City Council and the authority of
the people Of Oakland, and relying upon their
presumed ability to fntimidate or corrupt the
local courts, proceeded to appropriate and
fence In the greater part Of Water street. leav-
Ing a passage OF only nine or ten feet In width
and rendering tile street wholly useless as
public thOroughfare.
II committee OF your honorable body will
take the trouble to visit and inspect the prem
ises they will ascertain that even the poor re-
maiuder OF Water street unappropriated by
the railway company is now occupied by an
electric street railroad. SO that the street as
defined by the ordinance OF October !. 1862. IS
wholly impossible for vehicles and extremely
dangerous to persons on foot. At one point
there is only an open space OF eighteen inches
or two feet between the street railroad and the
tumble.dOwn distractions maintained by the
Southern Pacific where the foot passenger. who
may be oveItake In the dangerous trap. may
avoid being crushed by the projections OF the
from Broadway or approach rapidly from
FRANKLIN street. And owing to the unlawful OBJ
structtons referred to there 10 no open view on
Wafer street between Broadway and Franklin,
so that the approaching electric cars cannot be
sen ten yards away from the dangerous point
above cited.
In view Of the facts herein related, your petit
TONERS would respectfully represent that con-
tinued sufferance of the dangerous and oh.
structive nuiaances on Water street would be a
serious injury to property-0wners IN that neigh.
borbo0d. an Inconvenience to trade, constant
menace TO human life. and repr0ach TO the
city government. We. therefore, pray your
honorable body to forthwith cause the removal
Of the aforesaid distractions. and to have the
said Water street re0pen-d and adjusted for
the purposes of business and travel. IN its full
width. as defined by the ordinance Of Septem
Dor "a. 1862.
And your petitioners will ever pray. etc.
L. j. HARDY, j. l.. Bromley. A. w. Burrcll,
Peter Baker, John Nicholl, and others.