The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-12

ceeding fifty years, TO a railroad corporation
incorporated in this State and not having at
the date of the passage of this act any terminal
facilities in the city and county of San Fran
cisco, the land belonging to the State and de-
scribed as follows: All that portion of China
Basin lying within the following described
lines: Commencing at the intersection of the
south line OF Channel street with the east line
of Kentucky street kentucky street being $50
feet in width); thence in an easterly direction
at right angles with said east line of Kentucky
street 10 the line of the seawall or thorough
fare approved March 10, 1875 thence in a
southerly direction along said inner line of the
thoroughfaCe to its intersection with the
northerly line of Fourth street Fourth street
being $50 feet widel; thence northwesterly
along said northerly line OF Fourth street to
the east line of Kentucky street; thence north
erly along said east line OF Kentucky street to
the point of beginning.
Which corporation shall have access thereto,
and the right OF way through one or more con-
venient street or streets, forming, however,
but one continuous right OF way, with ore
double track, provided that Il condition shall
be inserted in said lease that said corporation
shall proceed within six months from the date
of said lease, to improve said premises for said
terminal purposes and proceed thereafter to
construct upon said property such improve
mentS as may be required by the Board OF Har
Dor Commissioners.
Provided further, that the railroad corpora
ton which is given the lease herein provided
for shall, within six months after the passage
OF this act, commence the work OF construct
ing and prosecute it continuously to compile
ton, within three years from said date, a
standard gauge railroad, and shall fully equip
and operate the same, for freight and passenger
traffic, Tor distance of not less than two hun
dred miles from the property herein authorized
TO be leased; provided, further, that no debt or
liability shall accrue against the State for any
work done or material furnished, under con-
tract or otherwise, by the act of the lessees of
any of the parcels OF land in this act mentioned
and described.
Provided further, that failure to comply
with any OF the provisions of this act shall
work forfeiture (without further legislative
enactmenO of the lease given under the pro-
visions hereof, and the property herein author
lied TO be leased, with the improvements
thereon, shall revert 10 the State and all
rights given under the lease herein authorized
shall cease and determine
Provided further, that said lease shall not be
in effect unless it be approved and executed by
majority OF the Board OF State Harbor Com
missioners, and for said purposes, the Governor
and Attorney-General OF the State are hereby
constituted members thereof, with like powers
and rights as other members OF said board.
Reid waited till the clerk had read the
bill. He then explained that he was not
opposed to the Harbor Commissioners Ieas-
ing waterfront property for terminal pur-
poses. He thought, though, that the
Powers amendment was too broad, as he
claimed it gave the Commissioners right
to rent any part of the water front, even
the new ferry depot, for $1,000 year.
Reid then explained that, not being
familiar with the water front, he had ad-
vised with the engineer of the Harbor
Commissioners and that he had kindly
marked out a portion of China Basin
which he thought would be valuable to
the new road. The law said Channel
street should be kept open, so he had left
it out. He had prescribed that certain
work should be done, because nobody knew
that the new company, even though it had
the leading merchants of San Francisco at
It's head, would not improve ten square
feet OF the fifty acres of the front granted
them by the bill and sublet the rest for
saloons and lumber-yards. Another
change he explained was in substituting
the Acknowledgement for the Mayor in the
board TO lease the front.
As soon as Reid sat down McKelvey OF
Orange tried to introduce san amendment
10 Reds amendment. This provided that
the terminal facilities to be granted should
not be within two miles of any city or
town fronting on navigable waters He
argued that the new law was unconstitu-
tional since it authorized the lease of water
front lots, which the constitution forbade.
Powers of San Francisco showed the weak
ness OF the arguments of the opponents OF
the measure and referred to their suspi-
ciOus origin.
Il am opposed to making specific laws, VI
he said. Even if I did not 1 should in
this case feel that it would be best to find
what portion of the front the new COM
pany could use.
"Mr. Reid frankly and ingenuously tells
Us his bill was drawn up with the assist
ance Of the engineer OF the Harbor Com.
missioners and one of the members of that
- commission. 1t is, therefore, not at al
surprising that the property he has marked
out Is not desirable for the purposes fol
which the new company ask it. The gen
tleman has stated that the only land avail
able Tor terminal purposes lay in China
Basin. He is mistaken in this. The
reports OF the Harbor Commission show
that there is land IN the Central, India anG
Dry Dock basins also.
Powers then argued that, by admitting
continual details every day. the next weel
could be occupied introducing amend
ments. Yet the bill itself was sufficient i
the Harbor Commissioners would do thei1
duty, and there was no reason for taking i
for granted that they would fail in this.
If we amend this bill now," he said
''to crafty the learned gentleman from
Trinity and the chief engineer of the Har
Dor Commissioners, We might as we'll senc
1t to the graveyard. Several days will b,
taken up piling on amendments. 1t vii
then go to the Senate, and if'that bod
disagrees to any of these amendments
none Of which have been made up with tn,
assistance of friends of the bill, it viii ther
have to be referred to conference commit
tee, and long before their decision can b,
reached the Legislature will be adjourned
and the bill killed.
Brusie OF Sacramento stated that wher
Mr.. Spreckels had interviewed him he hac
expressed the opinion that any citizen VIII
should put obstacles in the way of tn
competing organization could not properl,
conceive the duties of q citizen. yet tn