The San Francisco call., 1896-01-16
BONDS FOR STREET WORK,
Superintendent Miller SAYS East
Oakland Will Soon Be
Isolated.
TELEGRAPH AVENUE A WRECK
Eighth-Street Bridge Is Liable to Col.
lapse and Has Long Been
Condemned.

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALb,l
90S Broadway, Jan. 10. {
Street Superintendent Miller has been
studying the condition of the streets, and
IN long communication submitted to the
City Council has recited some facts that are
OF great interest to property owners.
There are only two streets leading across
the Lake Merritt estuary to East Oakland.
and Of these the superintendent says:
A prolonged storm, which is very probable
curing the next two or three months, viii
render Twelfth-street dam practically impass-
able, and II the Eighth-street bridge should
happen to collapse at the same time our condi-
tlon would indeed be serious.
Telegraph avenue was considered good
Tor ten years when it was bituminized at
great expense four years ago, and of this
M. Miller speaks thus:
Telegraph avenue is total wreck and should
be reconstructed. Four and one-half years
ago this thoroughfare was paved with bitumen
at an expense of $5S, ,203 81, and an average
TAX OF 1874 upon each property-owner. To-
day 1t is beyond repair.
The reconstruction of Telegraph avenue
throughout with bitumen or concrete at the
rate OF 20 cents per square foot would cost
$59,553 60.
The Street Superintendent then gives
the result of an investigation into the
that the property fronting on this
thoroughfare is owned by 164 persons, and
out OF l40 stores and residences fronting
thereon but forty-five occupants keep
horses. The report proceeds:
Between the hours of 7 A. NJ and 7 P. NJ on
January II. by actual count, 1894 vehicles
passed over this street b. similar investiga-
on East Twelfth street, between Oak and Thir-
teenth avenue, ard upon East Fourteenth,
between Thirteenth and Twenty-ffth avenues,
Is owned by 2O3 persons, and out of 2ll stores
and residences fIonting thereon but ninety
four occupants keep horses. From A. NJ. to z
P. NJ; January IL 1882 vehicles passed over the
Twelfth-street dam.
II viii thus be seen that the property-owners
on Telegraph avenue are directly responsible
for only about 81 per. cent of the travel and
consequent wear OF the pavement, and on
East Twelfth and Fourteenth streets for about
So per cent. This seems TO show concluSively
that it would be grossly unfair TO require the
wholly provide and maintain pavements
which are public necessity but which are worn
out by the public, and of which they receive
but small percentage of benefit.
The cost of guttering, curbing with cement
and bltumlnizing on concrete of East Twelfth
street, from Oak TO Eleventh avenue, and on
East Fourteenth from Thirteenth avenue to
Twenty-third avenue, would be approximately
S105 ,962. This would cause an average tax OF
1922 upon each property-owner, while upon
would be 1862 %.
The total cost of reconstructng the above
named streets would be approximately $165,-
| 90 90. Under the law, property owners are
required 10 construct and MAINTAIN in good
order the streets in front OF their premises 1t
IS their option, however, when in the ma
iority, 10 decline to make improvements |
have endearored to show that the legal re-
qulrement as TO maintenance is unjust and
the result is no more than we should expect.
Mr.. Miller concludes by advocating n
bond issue for $150,000. "I have sent this
to the Council" said Mr.. Miller to-day,
ito start the ball rolling, for something
has got to be done. Twelfth street is IN a
horrible condition and is almost impass-
able in rainy weather. Telegraph avenue
is beyond repair and this morning l heard
of three more holes in the Eighth-street
bridge and we have not a stick of lumber
to repair ii. / think l can make the peo-
pie see that my plans should be adopted.
Something has to be done and done right
away"