The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-16
TO FIGHT THE
LAUREL HILL CUT
Richmondites Against the
Suffer Street Exten-
sion.
Will Make a Protest to the
Board of Supervisors
Next Week.
Stirring Speeches and Resolutions at
Meeting of Property.
Owners.

Those who think that there is no oppo-
sition to the proposition to cut through
the Laurel Hill Cemetery for the purpose
of extending Suffer street should have at
tended the Richmond District property
owners meeting last evening.
Crossthwaite's Hall, on Fifth avenue.
was filed to the doors and nearly every
one was most bitter against the alleged
Improvement. Action to thwart the
scheme was taken before adjournment.
The speech of the evening was made by
James Bowlan, who In no unmistakabie
language denounced the proposition as
job OF the rankest order on the part OF the
Richmond District Association and the
Cypress Lawn Cemetery Ass ociation. C.
Fl. Hobbs, member of the former and
attorney for the latter, Mr.. Bowlan said,
is one of the prime movers in the affair.
1t is his purpose to serve the interests
of the San Mateo County cemetery people
and cause distrust IN the minds OF the
people. BY this distrust he meant that
people will not be likely to invest Ia Laurel
Hill property while there is prospect OF
having that burying- ground cut to pieces
and the graves of their dead converted
into sites for corner groceries, saloons or
dwelling houses.
This distrust in that cemetery will cause
people to invest in the San Mateo County
properties instead. In other words. he
said it is q proposition to rob the dead in
the interests of the living. Mr.. Fletcher
then introduced the following resolution,
which he proposed should be presented'to
the Board of Supervisors. 1t was passed
without opposition
WHEREAS, The Richmond District Improve
ment Association, a so-called improvement
club claiming TO represent the property-own-
of the Rich District did take upon
themselves TO petition the Board OF Supervis-
ors OF this City and County OF San Francisco
to have Suffer street cut through the Laurel
Hill Cemetery, thereby causing an extra
heavy tax levy to be placed upon the shoulders
OF the property-owners, many of whom are
struggling hard to pay off the mortgages upon
their homes, thus working an injustice and
unnecessary hardship at the prese nj time; and
whereas, the property-owners OF the Rich
mond District we're never consulted in
the matter; and whereas, the said petition
originated by said club is a scheme concocted
to benefit cemetery in San Mateo County,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That 1t is the sense of the prop
erty-owners here assem- bled that we heartily
protest against any such extension OF Suffer
street.
1t was at once decided that the property
owners should send strong mmittee to
the Board of Supervisors to present the
protest at the next meeting. and that sew
eraI hundred property-owners of the Rich
mond District should be present to show
how much in earnest they really are. The
committee selected consists of George r.
Fletcher (chairman), l.. q. McNullen, G.
r. Hawthorne, P Filipini. James Barrett,
Edward Ginley, T. A. Douglas, Z. E.
Jones, Thomas Farrell and James Dever.
The following resolution communica-
ton. to be forwarded to President l.
Schwartz, was adopted with a cheer:
To the Association of improvement Clubs
Gentlemen:
WHEREAS. the Richmond District Improve
ment Association, a self-constituted champion,
protector. guardian and custodian of the tax
payers Interests OF the citizens of the Rich
mond District, had the immaculate, gaudy
unparalleled and daring nerve to petition the
Board OF Supervisors to have Suffer street cut
through the Laurel Hill Cemetery without
consulting the property-owners interested
therein; and whereas, the said job or intended
extension would be detrimental to the prop
erty-owners concerned-especially by those
who are struggling to pay of mortgages and
trying TO have home 10 call their 0wn-by
the fact that the authorities would have
to levy extra heavy tax assessment
of at least $1,00O000 to accomplish
the required extension asked for by the said
petition unauthorized by us; and whereas.
the president of the above and aforesaid i'm.
provement club did unnecessarily, uncom-
prnmislngly and most persfstently oppose the
extension of Post street some few years ago.
which would cost US one-twentieth OF the
amount required for the extension OF Suffer
street, we would like to know why this change
OF heart; therefore be it
Resolved That the property owners con-
cerned, and directly concerned in the exten-
sion of Suffer street through the Laurel Hill
Cemetery do most emphatically oppose any
uch extension; and further be it
Resolved That we earnestly ask the assist
ance and hearty cooperation of the San Fran
cisco Association of improvement Clubs to
protect US from injustice, and appeal to them
for our just rights and demands.
G. R. hawthorne gave some interesting
figures upon the project. He said it
would cost over 81 ,000, 900 10 do the work
contem plated and Richmond District prop
erty-owners would have to pay an assess
ment of $1,000 on every hfty-vara lot. The
cut would not benefit any of the property
owners and many would lose their homes
by not being able to stand such a tax.
Another meeting will be held next Fri
day evening at the same place.