The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-14
Ocean Boulevard and Golden
Gate Park Remain in
FetterS.
PROMISES NOT FULFILLED.
A Question of Fertilizers for the
Park Made an Excuse for Dis
regarding Pledges.

spur track running along the ocean boule-
ward into Golden Gate Park-the peoples
playground?
Several weeks ago The CALL gave some
expression of the peoples Impotence about
the matter, and both Mr.. Austin and Mr..
Resented, Park Commissioners, declared
they would order them taken up.
That was deemed sufficient and THE
CALL gave no moro space to the matter.
DAYS have run into weeks and weeks
into months, and those Southern Pacific
tracks, like the star-spangled banner in the
dawn's early light, are "still there.
More than that, the Park Commissioners
have reconsidered and rearranged their
judgment in the matter and fatty declare
that so far as they are concerned ''they
will stay there.
For mile, stretching along San Fran
cisco's most beautiful drive-the ocean
boulevard - without warrant OF City
ordinance or State law pair OF unslghtly
iron rails usurp the uses OF the beautiful
roadway.
A franchise?
The Market-street Railway Company
has scarcely point TO learn of all the IN
finite art of securing franchises and 1T is
barely possible that this great corporation
has leaned over and whispered something
to its friend and neighbor, that other great
corporation-the Southern Pacific Com
pany-finding the latter in its preserves.
All, there are ways and ways of getting
franchises, and it is easier sometimes to
simply hold on to what one already has
than even TO go before pliable majority
of the Board of Supervisors and pay $500
for an ordinance to order.
This much is certain-the tracks are
still there.
They are still there, despite the promises
of the railroad company to have them up
and out of the way year ago.
They are still there despite the promise
to the Park Commissioners and TO the last
Board of Supervisors that If few months
extension OF the time would be allowed
they would then certainly be pulled up;
still there Notwithstanding that time has
long ago elapsed.
They are still there despite the protest
of the people that rose and grew into
general clamor, voiced by THE CALL some
weeks ago; still there despite the declara-
ton of the Park Commissioners that they
would see to it that they were taken up;
still there despite the letter from Mr..
Huntington to that commission fully a
month ago declaring his intention to take
them up st once. They are still there.
Now, what is to be done about it?
In an interview the other day Mr.. Hunt
ington repeated what he has said some
twelve or thirteen times since the close of
the Midwinter Fair, and the uses to which
the tracks were laid had passed away.
The answers to the questions, therefore,
were not studied, but fell readily like a
recitation.
1--WE are ready to remove the tracks at
any time" he said, lust as soon as other
provisions are made for carrying fertilizers
TO the park. We have no desire TO keep
the tracks there further than as they ac-
commodate the Park Commissioners.
The argument for keeping the tracks
there, as is well known, is that the pYrk is
in need of fertilizers, and that they 9fford
a cheap means of dumping loan and the
street sweepings of the City on the sand
dunes.
The immediate and patent answer to
that argument is that the street sweep
ings can be carried to the park over the
streetcar lines.
THAT can be done to be sure" said Mr..
Huntington in answer to the question,
"but the Market-street Railway Company
has neither cars nor any other facility for
the work. The City will have to build its
own cars and furnish its own switching
room and sidetracks. We will haul the
cars, OF course, for a consideration
Under the new specifications for street
cleaning there seems to be some uncer-
tainty as to who shall handle the sweep
ings-the contractor or the City. At
present Street Superintendent Ashworth
is sending the sweepings to the park over
the spur track. He has sent out twenty
five carloads this month. The full force
of men are not at work, and the worst is
dirt is accommodating in the streets.
AS stated, this question of fertilizers for
the park is the one that worries the Park
Commissioners. Until it is solved some
other way they now fatty declare in favor
of the spur track.
Commissioner Austin Yesterday after
noon said: 1--WE need loan for the park,
ana unless some other means OF securing
it at figure we can pay is supplied l shall
favor the railroad maintaining these tracks.
We have no money and we are having the
loan brought here on our promise to pay
50 load. Huntington sent us letter say
ing he would remove the tracks, but [ re-
quested him not to do so"
Park Commissioner Resented said much
the same thing.
Superintendent McLaren said: ''Some
arrangement ought to be made for bring
ing all the sweepings of the City here over
the stTeetcar lines. 1t could easily be
done. This park should have all the City
sweepings not for one year, but for all
time. 1t should be made permanent ar
rangement. This park embraces 1000
acres of sand. 1t will need to be constantly
fed with earth. Cars should be constructed
for the purpose. ], am for the removal of
the tracks ii some other means of supply
ing US with loan is provided: but until
then | think the tracks should remain"
With regard to the carrying of the
street-sweepings to the park there is no
room for two opinions. 1t is very sim
pie matter and solves itself according
to the suggestions of Mr.. McLaren.
With regard to the Southern Pacific
tracks occupying and destroying for any
other uses the ocean boulevard there is
also room but for one opinion. They must
come up. They were put down for a GER
tain purpose, and long ago they fulfilled
that purpose.
Thomas Magee voiced the sentiment of
the people of San Francisco yesterday
when he said:
at is very strange that we cannot have
one drive in the City that shall be proof
against the encroachments of the railroad
company. They should be compelled to
take up those tracks at once"
NO DAMROsOH SEASON.