The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
Efforts Under Way to Open
First Avenue as a Drive
way.
TO BE PAVED WITH BITUMEN.
The Merchants Association Is In
tereSted in the Proposed
Measure.

and the Preside Military Reservation, will
soon be converted into a beautiful blum
! lniZed boulevard, with shade trees on each
side, if the efforts of number of promi-
nent citizens and organizations are OF any
avail. First avenue is three-quarters of a
mile long and is a natural connection
uniting two of the most beautiful driving
parks on the coast.
In it's present condition it is not fit for
any vehicle, except a coal cart, to roll over.
1t is 100 feet wide, twenty feet wider than
the ordinary streets.
Some time ago the property-owners on
both sides, including the Cemetery Associ-
alton on the east, made an effort to have
the avenue paved with bitumen and such
other improvements made as will convert
the thoroughfare into a driveway for car
riages They stated that the Preside
Reservation on the north is laid out with
elegant drives, and is the resort for many
owners of fine horses and carriages who
enjoy the fine scenery of that locality.
at the south end of the avenue is Golden
Gate Park, the attractions of which are
worldwide, also frequented by the lovers
OF fine vehicles and fancy stock. Yet with
less than mile of ground between the two
there is no means by which driving party
can visit both places without going back
into the city. If the two were Joined by a
finely paved driveway the value of prop
erty in the Richmond district would be
greatly enhanced.
The Preside Heights Improvement Club
was the first to take up the project and the
Richmond District Improvement Club was
not slow to follow.
In this direction nothing has been ac-
complished until the interest of the Mer-
chants Association was excited in the mat
ter. Now there is more than good pros
pect that the avenue will be converted into
boulevard. The first steps have been
taken and the other steps will follow to-day.
The first obstacle in the way is a steep
grade from Washington to Jackson streets
amounting to sixteen-foot rise in 1OO
The Merchants Association put Surveyor
Ernest Mccullough to work to figure out
how this can be overcome, for under the
city ordinances no street of over an per
cent grade can be paved with bitumen.
Mr.. Mccullough has recently submitted
the results OF his work, which have been
accepted as satisfac tory.
He started at Lake street and proposed
that the grade to Clay street be changed to
a 90 per cent grade; from Clay to Wash
ington per cent grade, und from Wash
ington to jackson an 8 per cent grade.
This will allow an easy drive into the res
ervation, and the change can be made
without great outlay of money.
The next obstacle is a number of street
railroad franchises on First avenue that
will have to be wiped out None of these
cover the entire avenue and most have
lapsed because the terms OF the contracts
were not fulfilled. An examination of the
records show the following franchises
granted over various parts of the avenues
Ferries and Cliff House road, March H.
1884, and June g. 1891; Central Railroad
November 3, 1879; Geary-street Railroad
April 8, 1877, and October q, 1878; Ocean
beach Company, May %, 1892; Suffer-
street Company, July 20, 1885; the Sutro
July 8, 1894, and the Market-street Rail-
way Company has one dated August 4,
1894.
Mr.. Mccullough believes that all ex-
cepting the three last stated have lapsed.
The Market-street franchise covers three
blocks and the Sutro franchise five blocks
The people interested in the proposed
boulevard have discussed the matter
with the Park Commissioners, and the
latter have given their promise that if the
drivewayis made they will begin at Fulton
street and First avenue and continue the
boulevard into the main driveway of the
park. The United States officers at the
Presidio have made similar promises for
the north end of the drive.
AllOilltl luO'S WILL NC ilduc SOOu. II.
S. Baldwin, N. P. Cole and " Stow of the
Merchants Association and representa-
tives of the improvement clubs will call
upon Mayor Sutro and request his CO.
operation in the matter. The meeting will
be held next week, probably on Thursday
They will request that he relnquish his
claims upon the five blocks of the ave-
nue. held under his franchise, and secure a
franchise to operate his road along the
street to the west The many advantages
of the proposed improvement as here set
forth will be urged for Mr.. Sutro's favor
able consideration, and the members of
the Merchants Association feel confident
that their arguments will accomplish the
desired results.
The Market-street Railway people will
receive a similar request. Aside from those
named, there are hundreds of others inter-
ested in seeing First avenue opened as a
beautiful boulevard The work of grad
ing, sewering and paving with btumen
will be attended to principally by those
interested.