The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-19
Property Owners Fight
for Rights.
THE RAILROAD MUST REPLY
To Disagreeable Questions About
the Grab.
DEvIsADERo STREET FRANCHISE
Supervisors to Be Petitioned for Aid
in a Last Stand Against the
Southern Pacific.

The Devisadero-street property-owners
have become thoroughly aroused over the
grab of that th0rougnfare by the Market
street Railway Company. and are deter
mined TO have the company declare its in
tentions in regard to laying the track on
Devisader0 street.
1t Is feared by the property-0wners that
il is the intention of the railroad people to
turn off the rails at Eddy street and let all
Of Devisadero street lying north of that
point go without any car line.
The purpose of the property-owners to
know exactly where they st-nd and what
the railway people will do. was determined
at a meeting held last Saturday night.
when it was decided to have Attorney Otto
tum SUDDEN appear before the Board of
SUPERVISE s to-day on behalf of the Devisa-
dero-street property-owners, and petition
that BODY to direct the railway offiials to
state their exact position In regard to the
use of the street.
A committee of three was appointed to
wait on the railroad officials this morning
and acQuaint them with he fact that the
prOperty-Owners will fight any attempt on
their part 10 eyade complying with the
provisions Of the franchise, Which {" lis for
the construction of the line clear through
to the Preside. and also to give notice
that q petition will be presented to the
Supervisors. This is deemed sufficient no.
tifcation, and it probably will be followed
by the presence Of railway Tepresen Ia
tive at the session of the board in the
afternoon at 2 O'Clock.
The general sentiment expressed now is
that inasmuch as the franchise has been
granted the only thing to be done by the
property-owners Is 10 compel the railway
people to abide strictly by the franchise
and construct the line as Ii provides.
Though large number of the protestants
dislike the idea of spelling the driveway
to the park and would fain prevent the
spoliation, they Propose TO take the small
consolation to themselves of seeing that
the company does the work as il should
be done.
In case he property-owners are not sat-
ished with the answer given by the rail-
road officials, they will go the courts and
endeavor to compel them to either build
the road or else tear up the tracks.
One of the residents of Devisadero street
said yesterday that he would willingly
contribute $500 to a fund to compensate
the railway for the present cost of laying
the tracks If it would only take them up
and fix the driveway as it was.
The proposition to change the drive of
Golden Gate avenue from Devisadero
street 10 Baker street Is not met with any
favor. and nearly every one is strongly
opposed to the plan, which is deemed i'm
practicable.
William Giselman of 1920 Golden Gate
avenue, which Is between Devisadero
property-owners on that street were
opposed to the proposed route of the
driveway. They do not intend to stand an
assessment to reduce the grade of Golden
Gate avenue without a protest and declare
they will combine and fight the matter In
thn Mr.
said further that when Golden Gate Park
was purcb ased by the city the property
owners west of Devisadero street were
the ones on whom the assessment was
levied to pay for the grounds. In view of
this. fact the holders of property on
Golden Gate avenue think that If
the street Is regarded, as has been
proposed. they should not be CON-
PEELED 10 defray the expenses con-
nected with first acquiring the park
and then making new drive 10 it. 1t has
been estimated roughly that it will cost
from $4,000 to 100000 cut the grade of
Golden Gate avenue down the proposed
twelve feet, and this will make the assess
ments very heavy. The houses in this
block will be from eight to five feet higher
above the grade than now if the cut is
made. As another item of expense to the
owners Of property there will be necessary
changes In water and gas pipes, sewer sys-
tenn, and, in the most cases, remodeliDg
the stairways leading to houses. New
sidewalks will also have to be laid, so
when the total cost Of this change is fig
ured up Mr.. Huntington's muDifcent do.
nation Of $4,000 assumes the dimensions of
a drop in bucket
The best solution Of the new driveway
seems to be the widening of Devisadero
street by cutting about seven fee. from
the sidewalks. However, til will be de-
cided on when the position of the railway
people is thoroughly understood.
Yesterday the travel to the park was
not heavy by the usual route, a large
number of the people driving by way of
Fulton street. The pull up the Golden
Gate avenue hill from Devisadero 20
Broderiek street was too much for many
of the travellers. who preferred to save the
strength of their teams for speeding in the
park.
The bicyclists and Iivery-stable men are
greatly opposed to destroying the drive to
the park, but thus far have taken no
action toward protesting against the grade.
When the result of to-day's conference
with the railroad people is known meet
ing of the Devisadero-street property
owners will be called and a plan fol
further action will be agreed upon.