The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-26
Dawn of a New Era in
the POtrero.
EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
How the Railroad Company Has
Been Maturing Its Plans.
TO GOBBLE up MISSION BAY.
Other Projects in View for the De-
Velopment of the Country
South of San Mateo.
EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
o GOBBLE up MISSION BAY.

southern sections of the city spoken of
commonly as the Potrero and South San
Francisco have attracted a great deal of
attention from residents in those districts
and from parties interested in manufae-
turing enterprises and real estate calcu-
lated to be benefited by the Improvements
now in progress.
For some weeks past an unusually large
force of men and teams have been at work
on Kentucky street and Railroad avenue,
its extension in South San Francisco. AT
times fully 500 men have been at work.
The electric railroad track is being laid as
fast as the street Improvement will permit
and the road will probably be in operation
early in January.
Army street. which for years has been
street only in name. has been filled in from
the San Bruno road across to Kentucky
street, and is now traversed twice a day
by many hundreds OF the employees of the
great manufacturing enterprises on the
PotrerO. such as the sugar refinery, the
rope walk, the gas works. the rolling
mills, the iron ship building yards of Irv-
lug VI. Scott, the barrel factory and the
many lesser enterprises adjunctive to those
named.
On Sunday crowds of sightseers look
upon the works now in progress which
were promised twenty-five years ago and
have been held in anxious anticipation
ever since.
Along Army street for some distance
track has been laid for an electric railroad
which is 20 connect with the Kentucky
street road, so that the employees of the
manufacturers whose plants are located
on the Potrero may have quick communi-
cation between their homes and places OF
employment. IL need hardly be said that
they appreciate the Importance of these
improvements. Many of them live in the
Mission, and up to the present time have
been compelled to make the trip from the
Potrero in Kentucky street. up Fourth or
Fifth to Market changing cars twice and
then out Market or Castro street to their
homes. a trip of an hour or more in dura-
Iion has been necessary, but now the dis
lance even under existing conditions has
been reduced TO half that time. With
electric cars in operation the mechanics
and labOrers will be ena bled to reach their
work in fifteen minutes.
But by far the most interesting feature
In the situation is the underlying Influence
which mas imreled these improvements.
The railroad company, as is well known,
has long had in contemplation The aban-
donmeut of the route over the Mission
hills and The construction Of a road down
the bay shore.
The street improvements now in rogress
and promised for the Potrero have been
encouraged when not actually suggested
by the railroad company for its own pri-
vate ends. The dig tract of land in Mis-
sion Bay, which they own and which is
gradually being filed in, will soon be in
a condition for leveling for the construc-
tion of freight yards, repair shops and
other terminal facilities. They have pur-
chased quietly right of way across the
Po'rero and the marsh beyond to South
San Francisco. The tier of blocks be-
tween Iowa street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. has been bought. This purchase gives
The company an indefeasibe right of way
into the city and TO the very center of the
tract Of many acres extent in Mission Bay.
which is now being made available for
railroad uses.
Further south, in San Mateo County,
sections Of work have been completed on
this right of way. 1t is said that depots
will be established along the route between
this city and the bay shore town of South
San Francisco in San Mateo County, one
in VisIacion Valley and one in the valley
this side. in the vicinity of the old Bay
View racecourse, the ruins Of which still
mark the scene of many a gala event in
the earlier history of the turf.
the surveyors for another railroad, the
OceanSide enterprise, have again been in
the feld, and it is said that work on the
road up the coast from Pescadero, which
crosses the county line south of ST. Mary's
College and follows down through that
valley, across the San Bruno road and into
a terminus in The vicinity of Nebraska
and Army streets. Will be commenced early
in next year. The main office OF the CON-
pany at present is in New York City.
When the project was first under con-
sideratiou some difficulty was experienced
in getting capital enlisted. and the fDan-
cial pinch delayed the work. Tons of rails
have been held in this city in bond for
over wear for this road. The recent tar
if notifications have relieved the enter
prise to a great extent by the reduction in
the duty on railroad iron, and some dis
coveries of petroleum in the vicinity of
Pescadero promise 10 furnish profitable
freight for the road.
An electric road 10 replace the horsecar
line along the San Bruno road is another
enterprise for the southern section which
is to be taken up Immediately and carried
forward in conjunction with the extensive
improvements now in progress.
The Pescadero road has purchased sew
eral blocks of land in the vicinity OF Ne
braska and Army streets. not far from the
City and County Hospital site.
Several hundred thousand dollars have
already bsen expended in these improve
ments and vast additional sum will be
laid out before these works are completed.
1t seems TO be the general feeling among
residents in the southern section OF The
city that its era of prosperity has dawned
and that quick time will be the order OF
progress there for some time to come.