The San Francisco call., 1896-04-22
KRUT TTSCHN|TT'S OFFER,
The Railway Manager Talks to
the West Oakland Improve.
ment Club.
He Declares That His Company Will
Fill It's Own Share of the
Marsh.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, !
908 Broad WaY Anril 81. [

| OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
908 Broadway, April 81.
The citizens of Oakland had the pleasure
| this evening of meeting and hearing the
! general manager of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company, julius Kruttschnitt.
1t is the first time in the history of the
| city that an official of that rank has ever
visited here and met the people to discuss
matters that are of vital interest to both
parties. The meeting of the West Oakland
improvement Club was largely attended
by residents of the territory west of
Market street. all of whom were anxious
to meet Kruttschnitt and hear what he
might have to say regarding the proposed
improvements of the low lands hetwe ee n
the railroad and Pine street.
Kruttschnitt came over to Oakland
about o'clock with c. B. CovelIier, with
whom he took dinner. They went to the
hall early, and the time was spent by Mr.
Kruttshnitt is making himself personally
acquainted with the citizens as they ar
rived. He seemed to be perfectly at home,
never waiting to be introduced. He occu-
pied a seat in the audience during the
opening of the meeting.
When the preliminary business had been
disposed of President Stark invited the
guest of the evening to a seat beside him
during the speaking. The invitation was
accepted. and as he took his seat he was
presented to the audience, which greeted
him with applause.
President Mott of the City Council was
requested by President Stark to address
the club. Mott said there had been nu-
merous conferences OF the Council, Board
of Health and Mayor regarding the condi-
tion of that section.
"As 10 the ownership of land" he con-
cluded, 81 have not been able to discover
who they are. Should the city win lis
case against the railroad for the water
front then the city would naturally claim
that section. Some parts of the land have
never had any taxes paid on them for
years.
Stark requested Kruttschnitt to give an
opinion on the subject.
Kruttschnitt said his attention had been
called to this subject early last week, and
from a map in the railroad offices the
Southern Pacific owned one-third, and if
this was so he would say that it would do
It's share toward abating the nuisance.
If it owned one-third it would pay one
third of the cost OF filling it; if half then
1t would pay half the cost, and if it owned
all OF it then they would pay the whole
cost, as it should be filled at once.
"I find from this map" said he, that
the ownership of this land is rather in
doubt, and l would suggest that the first
thing to be done would be for all interested
TO get together and find out who the
owners OF each tract are, and then it will
be only question of short time until it
could be filled. | fino from a reference to
this map that fully one-third of the land
has no owners marked to it. BY all means
the land should be filled in at once"
John z. Irish said the small plat under
discussion should be filled in at once, but
1t was only taste of what was north of
Sixteenth street and west of Adeline.
Even the electrician companies had to
change their men frequently to avoid
sickness, but residents who have homes in
the vicinity have to remain and endure it,
The city should get to work at once, :"
said he, land reclaim all of this West
Oakland marsh and transform it into a
beautiful park and make it most fine
entrance into the city. In Southern
California the cities have beautiful sta
rounded by parks that attracted the atten-
ton of all who passed along on the trains.
l would like to have Mr.. Kruttschnitu saw
whether or not the railroad would cen
strnct suitable building on condition the
citizens made the surrounding property
into park"
The chair called upon Mr.. Covellier for
his opinion on the marsh question.
II am of the opinion" said he, "that
Colonel Irish's question to Mr.. Krutt-
schnitt was out of place, as that gentle
man, no doubt, had not come prepared to
answer such a question. The right thing
is for the city, which created the nuisance,
to get to work and abate it. and then we
can go to the railroad and ask 1t what
it will do for us. l believe that the
railroad should be given credit for what
1t does. l find it is like other people,
and if it does right it should be acknowl-
edged, but if it does wrong. then it
should be denounced. l am willing to go
on record with such a statement
Mount Whitney is the highest peak in
California, Ia, 1893 feet.