The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-23
A DEVELOPING FACTOR.

Assuming that the bicycle is perma-
nent institution it is not difficult to foresee
the peculiar effect which it will have on
the growth and development of San Fran
cisco. 1t being an established fact that
cheap and swift urban transportation is an
exceedingly Important factor in determin-
ing the character and extent of a city's
spread, and the bicycle having proved it's
ability to compete with all kinds of street
railways and livery service, two Considera-
tions now present themselves. One is that
the districts having the smoothest pave
mentS will be those which develop most
rapidly and the other is settlement will
proceed most easily in level and approx
mately level areas.
The factor represented by smooth pave
ments exists in every city. 1t happens,
however, that San Francisco has peculiar
topography, its steep hills presenting an
obstacle which the bicycle cannot over
come. AT the same time it has very large
approximately level areas, which include
nearly the whole of the settled legion
south of O'Farrell street. That is to say
about two-thirds OF the City as it is at
present settled can fall under the develop
ing influence of the bicycle. 1t is very
greatly to the interest of every section
which has no prohibitory grades to offer
smooth pavements to bicyclists.
With the exception of a few streets run
ming north and south, such as Van Ness
avenue and parts of Devisadero and Stan
yam streets, the Western Addition has too
steep grades for the bicycle, and even these
streets do not give safe and pleasant access
to anything like the whole of that region.
Hence the bicycle cannot be an important
factor in the development of the northern
end of the peninsula. For that matter, as
the Weather residents are concentrating
in that section and SO, however much
they may indulge in cycling as a pastime
or hygienic measure, they will never en-
ploy it as a business convenience, it is easy
to see that the streetcar lines traversing
that section will receive no serious injury
from bicycle competition.
1t is very different with the more level
parts OF the City, and il is here that serious
economic problems are to be solved. Street
railways here will suffer, and development
will bear rigid relation to the condition
of the streets. A wheelman demands
bituminous pavement, and a wheelman
who works for salary will pitch his home,
WA6tueT DIS u UUdIutI; Ichler OF IL Tree
holder, on street which has the easiest
grade and the smoothest pavement. The
pavement which Folsom street is prepar-
ing to lay will send thousands of home
seeking wheelmen to that thoroughfare,
and this extraordinary demand alone will
raise rentals and increase the value of
property.
All this is based on the assumption that
the bicycle as a business convenience will
not only retain its present popularity, but
that this employment of it will be very
largely increased. This is not altogether
an assured fact. Say that man pays 10
cents day for car fare, and that he has
sixty-fve holidays Gncluding Sundays in
year. This would make his necessary
personal streetcar expense $50 year. He
will spend at least $40 year more for him
self and family, making $40. A bicycle
costing 500 will last, say four years, and
the expense for repairs will be- say $40
year. This is $35 a year. His family will
spend car fare in addition, so that appar-
emily there is not much economy in
bicycle. But it has one tremendous adj
vantage-the pleasure, freedom and health
that it gives in the riding and these alone
seem sufficient to give it a permanent
monopoly.
We shall expect therefore that the level
parts OF San Francisco will develop rapidly
under the influence of the bicycle, and that
it will even serve to bring into proper no
tice that whole sadly neglected region
lying south of Market street and east of
Seventh. The property-owners who fail to
take these considerations into account and
provide smooth streets may live to rue