The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-23
REMOVAL OF BAY ROCKS,
Congressman Loud Tells What
Has Already Been Done in
That Respect.
SAN FRANCISCO TOO MODEST
A Preliminary Survey Was Made
Last Year by Army Engineer
Mendell.

Congressman E. F. Loud, in reply to the
question, "Has anything been done by
Congress toward removing the rocks dan
| gerous to navigation in the barber of San
Francisco?" said last night: IL have
noticed some statements to the effect that
| Congress had done nothing in the matter.
| have taken occasion to look up the Off
cial report of Colonel G. H. MendeIl of the
corps of engineers bearing on the subject.
''In relation TO Professor Davidson S
charge that Congress had been vainly
flooded with petitions for years for re-
moval of rocks from the harbor, desire to
say that my attention was first called to
the matter by Mr.. Stetson of the North
Pacific Coast Railroad, who wished to in
terest me in behalf of the removal of Shag
and Arch rocks, lying westerly off Alca-
traz Island and in the direct line of ferry
boats plying to Sausalito.
81 suggested to Mr.. Stetson, in ord er to
give the matter more force, that some of
our commercial bodies take some official
action in the shape of resolutions to i'm
prove our harbor in order that might
have some backing from some official
body. Mr.eStetson called the attention of
the Chamber OF Commerce to the matter,
and such resolution was forwarded to me
during the Fifty third Congress.
II Immediately had inserted in the river
and harbor bill provision for the prelim-
mary examination, which is the step first
required by law to be taken. Blossom rock
was removed to the depth of twenty-four
feet several years ago.
Il will say that 1 have found Congress
quite willing and ready to make any
needed Improvements that might be asked
for in the harbor of San Francisco. The
lxy 10 bac IN, hn Inck 90
our commercial bodies in asking for its
improvements.
''In the report of Colonel Mendell the
following rocks, owing to their distance
from the main channel or to the danger
Gus condition of their adjacent beds, were
found not worth Of re moval:
Rocks lying within radius of 400 feet from
Fort Point, the Mile Rocks near Point Bonita
and the Arch Rock, which, by its conspicuous
ness, places it out of the class of dangerous OBJ
structions.
1.-The rocks found to be menace to COM
mere were:
The MONDAY Rocks lying near together
about twenty miles off the coast tn the open
sea, three miles from the Farallones group;
Blossom Rock, situated near the path of YES
sells coming from Port Costa; the two Mission
Rocks near the city water front, marked with
buoys; Shag Rock in the path of ferry boats
to and from Sausalito; Anita Rock, situated in
q blight of the Presidio shore line, about 800
yards from the shore, and the rocks known as
1.-THE Brothers," lying near Point San Pablo.
"The three steps necessary to effect har-
Dor improvements are: First, to make ap>
plication for q preliminary examination;
second, to have an army engineer estimate
the cost of the undertaking and Judge
whether the Improvements are necessary;
and, third, to apply to Congress for an
appropriation of money to defray the cost
of improvements. The first and second
steps have been TAKEN"