The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-11
RUINED A STREET.
The Railroad Company at
Work Quietly.
A Drawbridge Closed and Seventh
Street Is Taken for Steam
Road South.

Bitter complaints are made daily by
people who have occasion 10 drive over
Seventh street to the Potrero. They are
all against the Southern Pacific Company
for laying its tracks along a city street
without ballasting the ties or putting the
street In order.
Seventh street. south Of Townsend, used
to be level thoroughfare, we'll maca dam
lied and adapted to buggies as well as
heavy wagons. II was a short cut to the
Potrero, and after the city had put it into
repair many people drove out that way
from the city. But now all this is changed,
for the railroad company has been quietly
taking advantage of privileges granted by
the last Board of Supervisors.
"The street Is in such a wretched condi-
ton," said a man who had made daily
trips over it. shat you cannot drive a
buggy with out running the risk OF smash
Ing a spring or tanning your horse. And
that is not the worst of the matter. 1t is
dangerous to 90 along the street with a
horse. The locomotives are coming and
going at all hours, and will sometimes steal
upon you from behind unawares. So, if
you don't keep your eyes wide open you
are liable to be run down. l think it is
perfectly disgraceful that the railroad
company should be allowed to take street
and virtually close it up against vehicles.
1t took the Seventh-street bridge. also.
The Street Department can do nothing
with it, as it simply treats notices with
silent contempt"
What he said was straight presenta.
ton Of the facts. The railroad people
have been making some importan,
changes Of late in the vicinity of Town.
send street and the Potrero, and it can be
seen that the municipality is taken advau-
tage OF in every move. Among other
things the railroad draw bridge just east OF
the new Fourth-street bridge has been
closed against traffic of all kinds. 1t used
to be convenience for men and teams
working in the lumber-yards. But it had
to be opened too often to suit the railway
people, who would not brook delay when
it interfered with their business. The
rails leading to the drawbridge from
Townsend street are fenced across on both
sides of Berry street. On one side there is
sign stating that the land formerly used
as railroad is for rent.
When approach TO the Potrero was cut
off in this direction a switch was made
farther west from Townsend to Seventh
street. The line was continued along the
latter street until it meets Santa Clara
street, where il runs partly on trestles.
partly on made ground. to the Potrero
tracks. The new management causes trains
TO be run across the norsecar tracks and
the main avenue between the city proper
and South San Francisco. A contin ual
stream Of butcher wagons and vehicles of
all kinds may be seen at any time upon
this street. but the locomotive clashes
through without regard to safety or acct
dents. The SeveDth-st bridge is m0nop-
oized by the new tracks and ties, and
south of it the rails are laid above the es-
tablished grade with barely enough ballast
between tho ties to hold them steady.
aVih such state of affairs the recently
finished street is rendered almost impa sa-
bic. A franchise To lay tracks over Sew
pnth street. was granted about three years
ago, but the company has taken possession
completely by failing to put the street into
the same condition 1t was before the tracks
were laid.