The morning call., 1895-01-18
WAR ON BATTLE MOUNTAIN
An Old Strife Breaks Out With
New Force.
PrOperty.OWners Want to hacadamize
Instead of Bituminize Upper Van
Ness Avenue.

Liberty street, like Banquo's ghost, will
not down. The establishment of the grade
on that small thoroughfare running from
Valencia to Castro street, between Twen-
tleth and Twenty-frst, has been source
OF trouble to no less than four different
Boards of Supervisors. After ten years OF
lighting no change of grade has yet been
found to satisfy the property-owners.
The proposition has been to cut through
high hill, so that what is of benefit to
one side will be detriment to the others
IN the ruination of their property. The
property owners, as a result, have been
fighting each other with no agreement as
TO the best grade. Every board before whlch
the change of grade has come up has dali
lied with it, now on one side and now
on the other, swaying like pendulum,
and ultimately bequeathing the matter as
legacy to their successors as problem
to be solved.
A dozen owners of property on Liberty
street were before the Street Committee
yesterday in regard to the matter OF fixing
the grade, the proposal being to let con-
tract to n. Currier to do the grading. In
consequence of the many fights between
the property-owners the hill on which 1t is
situated has been designated battle
Mountain
The new committee heard both sides
patiently, some of those speaking being
ladies. The committee was unable to
arrive at any conclusion, a predlcament OF
their predecessors, as both sides are well
fortified with arguments.
1t was resolved to refer the matter to the
Superintendent of Streets and the Super
vlsors to investigate. This has been the
usual course taken with this vexed ques-
tinn which hoe oo11caS WranuIInQ
than any proposition which has ever been
before the board.
The committee passed resolution in
structing the Superintendent OF Streets to
see that the Market-street system observed
the law in the erection of trolley poles on
Twenty second street, from Valencia to
Dolores, as complaints have been made
that the poles are being placed three feet
inside the curb, SO as to obstruct free use OF
the sidewalk.
Contractor Malloy asked that the prop
erty-owners on Van Ness avenue, from
Union street north to the bay, consisting
of seven blocks, be permitted to macadam-
ize instead of using bitumen, as the street
has just been graded there, and there are
no Improvements whatever on either side
of the street The committee concluded
that If the property-owners signed such
petition, it would recommend the change,
and give the necessary permission to go
ahead with the work.
The committee decided to recommend
the petition of property-owners requesting
that the width of the sidewalks of all
streets and avenues, except Point Lobos
avenue, lying west of Central avenue and
north of Fulton and D streets, be reduced
and made of the uniform width of fifteen
feet.
1t was agreed to ignore the protest of
Harriet Dewitt Kittle nv her aren't
Horace NJ. Woolley, against changes of
grade on Sixteenth street, between Castro
and Osborne. 1t was shown that adj
herence to the original grade would ruin
much of the property on the street, so it
was decided to let the change go through.