The San Francisco call., 1896-11-29
BELvtDERE HAS
4 FIGHT ON HAND
e'
Proposition to Incorporate
Develops Serious OPP !.
position.
= Olympic Boatmen Protest, as
Their. Clubhouse Would.
80 Be Taxed.
rhe Campaign Extends TO This City
and Interests. Owners of Arks
and Boots.

A fierce opposition has developed in
Belvedere against the effort to incorporate
the picturesque seaside suburb and the
fight has changed its situation TO large
. extent. Ithas come to San Francisco and
here many interested parties are making
an active canvass to defeat the move
ment.
The reason for this change of base is
due to the fact that the Incorporation of
Belvedere would directly affect the owners
of yachts, barges. lighthouses and all kinds
of craft now lying in Belvedere cove,
A which comes within the boundary line OF
the town to be Incorporated Most of the
craft moored in the cove belong TO people
who live in San Francisco and leave their
boats at Belvedere rs matter of convent
ence. Up to the present time they have not
been compelled to pay taxes on their house
boats or yachts and it is the fear of being
taxed that makes them protest. They are
fully alive to- the fact that If Belvedere
were incorporated q new town tax would
be imposed upon their boats. in which
event more than one ark-dweller and
yachtsman has declared his intention of
moving to some other location i'll the bay
o where be Will be free from taxation.
Probably one of the most powerful
factors in the campaign is the Olympic
Club boating annex, which entered into
the fight few days ago and began active
%ork yesterday. The Olympic boatmen
are decidedly opposed TO the lncorpora-
tion,, and will fight 10 the end. Their
o boathouse. 7ghich was opened last season,
is situated on the Belvedere side OF the
drawbruge leading TO Tibaron, and is
9. Consequently within the boundaries of the
proposed incorporated township.
o % There is much taxable property at the
OfIrr,1 mic hn ha ri htr,a
have 10 give up neat little sum annually
10 helS pay Be!Yedere'S taxes. For in
&: stance, there are twelve boats, including
large barges, racing shells, outriggers and
the like all of which taken together rep
. resent some thousands Of dollars. In au-
ditjon to the boats there is a large and
well-appofnted clubhouse with fifteen
bedrooms furnished for members. But
the Olynpics do not like the idea OF paw
ing new taxes, and with such Il conviction
,uppeTmost in their minds they naturally
Want0thingS to remaln undisturbed.
One of them said yesterday that a COM
mIltee from the boating annex would use
Theiropersauslve powers Oh Frank Stone
the boat builder, who is voter OF Belye-
dege, and at the same time closely con-
nected sin ooa business way with the
0lympics. They want him to use his in
:fuence on mis- friends in BeIvedere, or
father on theayoterso IN whose hands lies
the question ofIncorporating.
Among the dwellers'of Belvedere an op-
position party has developed equally with
the canvass Tor votes in favor OF incor-
porating.o The election will be held on
@Decem ben 10, when five trustees will be
selected TO serve If the voters decide to
have township. Before that date con-
siderab Die active ampaigning will be done 4
'fof as the days pass the contest grows hot
ter, on the boat between Tiburon and this
City. in offices, in clubs and in the homes
h. hrlle Cnn g.
poraiion mum Der among them c. o. Perry
of theo Columb bia Bank, DR.. Dunbar, the
dentist, and E. NJ. Wilson, the attorney
for the BeFveuere Land Company.
About half the people who live all the
year.round in Belvedere are said to be op-
posed TO Incorporation. They are led by
J. d. MAXWELL Charles Crocker, Peter
Dean ]. w. Dorsey and DR.. Byron Haines
One OF them said yesterday that Belve-
dere has not more than 800 residents who
live there. all year, while a population OF
at least 500 is required by law as the first
reason for Incorporating.
3 "The Others are summer boarders.i' said
he: ''This is simply plan to unload on
US, as by it we would be compelled to take
take care of the roads to Tiburon bridge,
several miles of them through he island;
and also to pay for a town clerk town
constable and town attorney. Our taxes
would be trebled. Besides everything
moored in BeIvedere cove would be taxed.
ana ON that account there is a probability
that the arks and yachts may find another
mooring ground"
Tie explanation given by those in favor
of the movement is that Tiburon might
incorporate, and then under the law Bel
vedere would be prevented from taking
the same action because no town can in
corporate in California within three miles
of an incorporated township. This is
pooh-poohed BY the opposition, which
asserts that Tiburon is owned by the San
Francisco and North PacTfic Railway, ard
for that reason there need be no fear from
that quarter. The railway company, it is
contended. would not incorporate the
town because that would increase exp penses
and taxation.