The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-06
Supervisors Decide to Improve
Folsom Street at an
Early Date.
URGED BY pRoPERTY-oWNERs.
The Street Committee Is Unanimous in
Favor of the BituminouS
Pavement.

An early date Will see the beginning OF
work on the Folsom street boulevard,
which has so long been prayed and petit
toned for by the residents and property
owners along that thoroughfare.
Several days ago a monster petition,
bearing the names of a majority of the
property-owners on Folsom street, from
Steuart to Nineteenth, was sent in to the
Board OF Supervisors, asking that the
street be not repaired, as had been pro-
posed by the Superintendent of Streets,
but that it be paved with bitumen be-
tween the streets named and made into
first-class driveway.
Attention was called to the fact that re-
pairs would cost from $50, 600 to $35, 600,
while complete new pavement could be
laid for about $50. 0G0. This latter estimate
was furnished by George w. Elder, the
expert on streets and street repairs.
The petition passed into the hands of
the Street Committee in the usual course
of events, and was considered at a meet
ing Of that body held yesterday.
A delegation OF property-owners was
present to champion the cause of the
boulevard and long session was the re-
suit.
George D. Chadbourne was the spokes-
man of the party and addressed the COM
to the legal powers of the board to lay the
pavement asked for and also to the stat
utes relating to the keeping OF streets IN
repair.
LAS Folsom street now stands" he said,
sits condition IS simply horrible and no
amount OF repairing will ever put 1T In
even serviceable condition. 1t is worse
than wagon road in a backwoods county
and is disgrace to civilized community.
[ know of no other city OF any size in the
United States where streets are allowed to
remain in such condition, and it is blot on
the fair name of San Francisco that
former Boards of Supervisors have allowed
the only really available street GU the south
side u fall into such state.
THE petition which you have before
you represents half of the area of San Fran
cisco, $50 900, 900 of taxable wealth and one
third of the population of this City. The
laying of bituminous pavement on the
street is a crying necessity, the City has
the money i'll its Golfers and the work
should certainly be done without unneces-
sary delay.
'By laying such pavement the present
crowded condition of Market street at GER
tain hours of the day would be avoided, for
much traffic would certainly be diverted to
Folsom street. The cost of a bituminous
pavement is not more than stone, and ex
perience has demonstrated that the former
makes by far the best roadway.
at has been estimated that $65, 900 will
lay the bituminous pavement and the City
should certainly be able to spare that
amount out of the $500, 900 in the Street
Department fund.
James PheIan followed in much the
same strain, calling attention to the cry
ing need of boulevard south of Market
street and the ailabiiity of Folsom street.
He thought the increase in the value of
taxable property in that section would
more than repay the City for the improve
ment.
Ex-Supervisor Russell also spoke on the
subjec. and added other suggestions for
the guidance of the committee.
Supervisor Spreckels assured the delega-
ton that the committee would look into
the matter carefully and do whatever was
necessary in the premises.
After the delegation had retired the
matter was again discussed In the meet
ing and an understanding arrived at.
It was unanimously decided to begin the
work at once or as soon as estimates could
be procured as to the money and materials
necessary.
The sense of the committee was that in.
stead of waiting for the entire $685. 600 to
become available-ln case it was found
that it was not already so-the work
should be begun as early as possible and
carried on as long as the funds in hand
would permit. 1t was found that two
blocks which have never been accepted by
the City must be paved at the expense of
the owners.
Secretary Russell was instructed to COM
municate with the Superintendent of
Streets and obtain all the figures ana data
possible to aid an early estimate on the
work.