The San Francisco call., 1896-07-01
What the Company Will Give
and Do in Return for Other
FavorS.
OPEN STREETS TO WATER FRONT
Rights of Way Will Be Given to
Some if Others Are Kept
Closed.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, |
[

compromise with the City OF Oakland IN
regard to tie opening OF streets to the
water front.
The extension of these streets is OF the
greatest Importance to property-owners IN
tho neighbornood, and the result is being
eagerly watched. Councilman Towle. who
was appointed chairman of the special
committee appointed TO confer with the
railroad officials. has received the follow
ing letter, which will be openly discussed
at the next meeting of the City Council:
To the Honorable Special Street Committee Of
the Oakland city COuncil-GENTLEMEN Acting
upon your request of the 9th inst, at our in
terview. IL relation TO street-opening in the
city CT Oakland, through property owned by
our various railway lines and the Pacific I'm
provement Company, we beg TO espeettully
submit TO YOU and through you to the City
Council OF your city the following offer by
way of compromise for existing differences be-
tween ourselves and the city upon this sub
ject, with the hope that it will be received
by you in the same friendly spirit in which it
is made.
We most unhesitatingly affirm that the in
terestS of the city of Oakland and our railway
companies loca ted within its limits are iden-
tical, and any line of action which will result
in the injury to the one will unfavorsbly affect
the other and hence ordinary business pru-
dence would suggest that the railway compa-
nies should not interpose any objection to the
upbuilding of the city, and the opening of her
streets to the waterways which surround her
nor should the officers of the city government
lay unnecessary burdens upon the city's rail-
way traffic by opening streets through the
railway yards or depot grounds, unless such
openings are absolutely necessary in the inter
est of public travel and commercial inter-
course.
In order to correct an impression which
seems to have gained some currency in your
city, that these companies and their allied in
terests have been attempting TO maintain
"Chinese wall" upon the city's boundaries we
hereby offer to deed 10 the city of Oakland for
the consideration OF 81 a right-of-way across
our grounds and tracks, com ncing at and
including B street on the northeast, together
with Twenty sixth street, Twenty-ifth street,
Twenty-fourth street, Twenty-third street,
e Twentieth street, Fourteenth street, Thir-
teenth street. Twelfth street, Eleventh street
and what We believe is called Lincoln street,
which comprises every street on the north
west shore of the city, except Seventeenth
Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets.
Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets run
right through our depot grounds at Sixteenth
street station, and the opening of the latter
street would require US to move our freight
depot. The opening of Seventeenth street
across our network of tracks and freight yard
would seriously discommode the handling of
our trains, both freight and passenger, at that
point, and in no apparent degree tnat we can
discover would IL conserve the public interest
So far as Nineteenth street is concerned we
do not seriously object to opening this street
also, If, in the opinion of the Council, this
street should be included, although many
trains reaching Sixteenth street extend across
Nineteenth street as projected 1t may there
fore be considered that upon the north side
we only object TO the opening of Seventeenth
and Eighteenth streets We also wish TO add
and hereby offer whenever either the city or
adjoining owners desire to open Seven teenth
street to our depot grounds, which are in fact
devoted TO public use and used by the public
in hauling freight and passengers to and from
our depot, that we will at our own expense
and without charge to the city. fiji in and put
Nineteenth street in good order from our
depot grounds to Wood street 1t will also be
borne in mind by your honorable body that in
the projection OF Fourteenth, Thirteenth,
Twelfth and Eleventh streets to the Peralta
line westerly, very serious impediment is
now about TO be filled by us without any cost
to the city, which will render these streets ac-
cesslble TO travel without the use of any money
by the city.
We also offer to deed the right of way across
our grounds for Market street on the south, at
the end of which is now located very COM
modlous wharf, but we object to the opening
oi Castro and Brush streets for the following
and no other reasons: Brush street is ONLY
about 100 feet from Market street at the inter-
secuon OF First street, and II opened from that
point to the Peralta line would necessitate the
removal OF our depot from there to some more
remote quarter of the city, which would Sc
rlously inconvenience both the railroad COM
pany and its patrons. The piece of ground
through which Castro and Brush street would
run If opened projected, lying between
FIRST street ard the Peralts grant line, is fitted
1or freight depot OF some considerable mag
nltude whenever the necessities of the city re-
qulre an extension of her freigh ting facilities
At that point, and TO open these two streets or
elther OF them through this tract, which Is al
Ieady TOO small OF itself. would entirely de-
stToy 1t tor the use contemplated.
We peg also respectfully to suggest that
Win Market street opened to the waterfront
on the west and the other streets to the east
waro, no serious inpediment can possibly be
sunered by the public ct all comparable with
the injury which the opening of these two
streets would intict upon the railroad COM
Pany5 ana 1t Is confidently believed by us that
II Is tne earnest desire of your honorable body
not 10 unnecessarily iDf1iet hardship upon
e1tneI persons or corporations within your
jurisdiction unless public necessity demands
suen aetion, and then only tina t such demand
is urgent and pressing
We Delleye this offer covers the subiect-mat.
yer OF our discussion upon Saturday, leaving to
future negotiations and adjustment some un-
opened streets which involve the territory now
IN htlgatlon between the city and the water
front company, which were not embraced
within the range of our present neeotietions
We trust, however, that those streets also NAV
be subject OF adjustment upon the same lines
which have thus far seemed to aotuate all nar
ties to the present controversy.
We wish TO add, in conclusion that the Of
feers of our company upon whom deyolved
the duty OF seeking settlement of the street
matters in issue were highly gratiaed bv the
spirit OF eandor and fairness which was exhib-
tied by your committee in seeking an aufca bile
adjustment of this matter, and only regret
that through pressing business engagements
H. 4. Huntington and Julius Kruttschnitt
were prevented from being present in person
and taking part in the proceedings. Very re-
spectfully, w. G. CURTIS
Representing the Northern Railway Com
pany, the Central Pacific Railroad Company
and the Pacific Improvement Company.