The San Francisco call., 1896-04-01
MUCH TESTIMONY GIVEN
Every Interest Affected by the
Navigation of the Creek
Represented.
CONTENTION OF THE RAILROAD
Opposed TO the I5o-Foot Draw-Will
Build a Steel Structure at Alice
Street in 1898.

Every interest affected by the malnte-
nance and operation of the Webster-street
and Alice-street bridges over Oakland
Creek was represented at the meeting held
yesterday in the Office of Colonel G. R.
Suter OF the United States Engineer Corps,
who is in charge of tie San Francisco and
Oakland harbors. This conference was
the final one TO discuss before Colonel
Suter, representing the War Department,
the effect on navigation of the mainte-
nance and present method of operating the
two structures mentioned.
There We're present: Mayor Davie
OF Oakland, District Attorney Shook of
Alameda County; w. G. Curtis, engineer
Of maintenance and way of the Southern
Pacific Company; Lyman Bridges of
the Haywards and San Leandro Railway
Company; John McMulIen, president of
The San Francisco Bridge Company, and
E + Adams, wharf-owner of Oakland.
To clearly present the situation it is
necessary 10 state that the Weoster-street
bridge is owned by the county, and that
the Southern Pacific Company has the use
OF the structure in return for paving
monthly the sum of 500 for the services
OF q oridge-tender and keeping the bridge,
except the flooring, in repair, while the
AIlce-street bridge, farther east, is the
property OF the Southern Pacific Company
Inc principal proposition related to in
creaslng the draw-span in both bridges so
as TO give 80 feet of clear opening. The
draw-span IN the Alice-street bridge is now
79 feet, while that OF the Webster-street
bridge Is 50 feet. Another question was
the feasibility OF substituting one combi-
nation railway and highway bridge for
the two bridges now in use.
Ihe osltion OF the railroad company
was that 100 feet OF the opening was ample
ana that longer draw would make an
unWleldy mass, difficult TO handle and
control. Mr.. Curtis stated, however, that
Whatever might be the ruling OF the Sec
retary OF War in the mat er it would be
submitted to by the railroad company
He added that if the company was given
until Decem Der 81, 1897 it would replace
the Alice street bridge with a permanent
steel structure, operated by some mechan-
lcal power, TO carry both the broad and
narrow gauge trains, abandoning entirely
'Sne Wepster-street bridge, over which the
naf9SCw-TT re trains I51 run. -
Mr. Curtis also took up the matter of
com plants in reference to the manner in
which the bridges are operated. He said
that both bridges were unlocked by signals
governing the movement of trains III that
vicinity. Wren tram signals the ap-
proach to the bridge, which is done auto
matlcally through an electric circuit
along the track, bell rings in the signal
tower. The tower operator and the brid ge-
tenders then exchange signals. II it is the
judgment OF the bridge-tender that a yes
sci Is approaching so as to pass through
the bridge before the train can cross over
II, he signifies that fact to the tower oper-
ator, unlocks his bridge and opens it TO
the vessel, thereby preventing the tower
man from giving any signal permitting a
train TO approach the bridge.
II, on-the other hand, he concludes that
the train can cross without delaying the
vessel he so signifies to the tower man and
then locks the bridge. In this way, Mr.
Curtis stated, the safe passage of both
trains and vessels is assured. Vessels he
continued are always given precedence
when they arrive simultaneously with q
train. These at least are the orders to the
brldge-tenders, be said If the bridges
were not operated under this system it
was the bridge-tender' fault. So far as
The railroad 8 control of the matter went
Mr.. Curtis stated that it courted all we'll
grounded complaints and would edress
all just grievances that the vessel men had
against the bridge tenders. Most of the
complaints. he claimed, were against the
Webster street or county bridge-tender.
~ Mayor Davle presented a petition from a
large numner oil VeSSel-OWnerS asking Tor
better facilities at the bridges. The mari
time interests are strongly in favor of one
bridge, as tending 10 obstruct navigation
less than two.
District Attorney Shook took the posi-
ton that the county is without authority
10 do more than maintain the Webster
street bridge IS it now exists and that
State legislation would be necessary before
the Webster-street bridge could be done
away with and ali traffic confined to one
structure.
John McMullen stated that in his opin-
ion the county officials did have authority
10 make all necessary changes in this
respect without appealing to the Legisia-
ture.
Lyman Bridges suggests that the Gov
ernment engineers should take into ac-
count the feasibility of great bridge
across the bay, which might be constructed
by properly organized terminal com
pany, thus affording railroad entrance
into San Francisco for all railroads now
terminating at Oakland. The matter was
not considered germane to the subject
under discussion and received but pass
ing notice.
Colonel Suter will now weigh all the
testimony and documentary evidence sub
mtted TO him and then forward the
same with his own recommend ations in
the matter TO the Secretary of War, whose
decision will settle tie whole controversy.