The San Francisco call., 1895-07-16
TO Open EIGHTH STREET.
Potrero Residents Want 1t Run
Clear Through to Six
teenth.
a MASS. MEETING TO. NIGHT.
1t Is Claimed by Property-O
That the Street Is Not Legally
on the Map.

The people of the Potrero and South San
Francisco are in the midst of an agitation
which has for its object the opening OF
Eighth street clear through to where Six
teenth street cleaves its way through the
surrounding hills, making an eastward
outlet from the Mission for the people on
the extreme south side.
They have wanted this work done for
some time past and they are more anxious
about it than ever now, fearing that their
plans will fall through before the Board OF
Supervisors. The matter came up before
the Street Committee of the Supervisors
last Thursday and a protest of property
owners against the extension was sus-
tanned. A postponement of definite final
action was obtained, though, and pending
this the Potreroites are exerting them
selves in behalf of the proposition.
Eighth street at present runs no farther
than Division street, or Channel as it is
called, although it is not the Channel
street proper. Beyond this is Sixteenth.
There is no thoroughfare, in fact the brick
warehouse of the Hunters Point company
would be the street if it was con-
tinued. For years this land, which
is not far from the tidelands, was
uncared for, and no one felt any curiosity
about the proposition as to whether it was
a public street or only a track of marsh
land. With the building up of the Potrero,
though. and the cutting through and filling
in of the adjacent streets, residents began
to inquire why Eighth street could not be
cut through. It is true that the street is
not included in the Van Ness act, but
then the full scope of the tideiand grant
was not known.
Later it was decided that thetide lands
Law east of Eighth street, thereby throwing
that thoroughfare within the City. It was
included in the new Potrero survey, and
that is why the residents applied to the
Supervisors to have the land held by pri-
yate owners condemned by the City and
made into a street which would connect
the City with the Southern Heights, the
Potrero, South San Francisco and tie other
country beyond.
1t was represented by them that such a
step is absolutely necessary. Fourth
street, they set forth, has drawbridge
connecting; Fifth street is closed by the
railroad land; Sixth street also has draw
bridge, and Seventh street has steam
railroad running along it. On account of
these disadvantages on adjacent streets
they hold the opinion that Eighth street is
the nearest and most natural thoroughfare
for them.
why" said representative of the
Southern Heights Improvement Company,
yesterday, 'there is no reason why Eighth
street should not be opened up as boule-
ward to the south side. The trouble is that
the land in this disputed section is owned
by wealthy persons and they do not like to
give up any of their land. 1t is the inten-
ton of our people, though, to agitate this
matter until we win our point. Tomorrow
night the club will have a mass-meeting
at Raymond's Hall, corner of Napa and
Arkansas streets, to memorialize the Super
visors, calling attention to the necessity
for an unobstructed outlet to the City, ana
asking that proceedings be commenced to
condemn Eighth street in that section, and
the opening of it as public thoroughfare."
When the matter came up before the