The San Francisco call., 1896-08-08
Said to Be at Work in Oppo-
sition to the Claim of
Oakland.
CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED.
Petitions Have So Ratified the Wash
ington Officials That They Know
Not How to Act.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANc1soo CALL, |


means of bringing about harmony between
the two cities. 1t now looks as if there
was danger of losing the appropriation
because of the strife between Oakland and
Alameda.
Several business men discussed the mat
ter this morning, and it was decided to
arrange conference between committees
from both cities, Senator Perkins, Con-
gresham Hilborn and Colonel Suter of
the Engineer Corps. tits believed in Oak
land that the people of Alameda are not
in accord with TIE petition of Health
Officer Mclean of Alameda, and that the
trouble has arisen over Misrepresentation
of facts.
The difficulty has all arisen over the pc
tition OF DR.. Mclean. 1t was signed by
Mr.. Hilborn and Senator Perkins, while
they believed that it merely called for the
improvement of the harbor and not Tor
what is known as the tidal canal.
A few days ago Mr.. Hilborn told the
merchants of Oakland who are interested
in the harbor that he would never have
signed it had he read it, and expressed his
Willingness to tell Colonel Suter that the
petition misrepresented his views.
It is the opinion of all concerned that
there is some other force at work that
n
the single petition of DR.. Mclean of Ala
media.
Colonel Mendell and Colonel Suter have
both recommended that Oakland harbor
be completed first, and yet the officials at
Washington now threaten to delay the
work until the two cities can agree. Z. Q.
Sessions, Edison f. Adams, NJ. ]. Keller,
J. P. Taylor and several Others are of the
opinion tnat If conference can be ar
ranged between all the parties interested
mutual agreement can be arrived at so
that work can be carried on at once.
1t is very probable that work will be
commenced at both ends of the harbor,
now that the work is placed on the con-
tinual contract list. AS most of the
people who signed DR.. McLean's petition
have signed counter petition stating that
they signed originally under a mistaken
notion, the Oaklanders think that DR..
Mclean should withdraw his opposition.
This. however, he is not likely to do.
ALAMEDA, Call, Aug. 7.-Dr. John T.
Mclean, Health Officer of the city, who
returned but month ago from Washing
ton, d. c., is more than pleased at the re-
suit of his labors there, as evinced by the
information in to-day's CALL from the
Capital city that the Improvements to
Oakland harbor would not be contracted
for until the Oakland Alameda contro-
versy was settled.
when in 1874 Congress approved of the
Secretary of Wars proposal to construct a
harbor and canal from San Antonio
estuary to San Leandro Bay" said the
doctor this morning, appropriations
were made for carrying out the work.
Alameda Is not antagonistic to Oakland,
but she does not want the original plan
deviated from. That, in the words OF the
engineers reports presented to Congress,
was, Oakland and Alameda will have
fine land-locked harbor when the work we
have described is completed !"
To complete that work the engineers
held that the construction of canal be-
tween the estuary and San Leandro Bay
was a necessity. The harbor was not to
| be for Oakland solely, and the ebb and
| flow of the tides through the canal was to
scour and dredge the estuary.
| Provid1ng harbor accessible for the
usual sea-golng vessels and securing the
maximum tidal areas is all that the efforts
OF the Federal Government are concerned
| in. Quoting from the report the doctor
said: "This done, whatever shall remain
! in the way OF providing conveniences and
accommodations for commerce may, we
think, with propriety be left to the COM
mercial interests concerned.
II was talking on the boat the other day
with Mr.. Edison Adams and Mr.. KELLOGG
on the matter. | told them we were not
against Oakland having dredger, all we
wished was to have one at our end too.
You see the next Congress will provide
an appropriation of $3.50, 900 to 5000 900 for
this work, and Alameda will emphasize
most particularly the necessity of the orr
ginal plan being adhered to. By the en-
gineer's statement it is highly probable
| that little or no dredging would be re-
quired if the canal were completed.
What Colonel Suter thinks of the mat
ter cannot say until receive copy OF his
report, which | hope to have next week.
But whatever he may think the economic
and commercial interests of Alameda de-
mand that the canal shall be finished at
the earliest possible moment"
Busy Meeting.
ALAMEDA, CAL, Aug. THE advisory
committee of the Alameda Republican
Club finished lot of business last night
Chairman Taylor announced that the
three Republican clubs in the city had
agreed to participate in the naming of the
twelve election officers. The Veteran
Club was TO have the four judges, the four
inspectors and four clerks being divided
equally between the other Two clubs. For
the primary the city has been divided into
four districts: First-Precincts Twelve and
Thirteen; polling place, William Holtz'
Office, Webster street. Second-Precincts
Eight, Nine, Ten and Eleven: polling
place, Encinal Hall. Thlrd-Precincts
Three, -Four and Seven; polling place,
1928 Park street Fourth-Precincts One
Two, Five and Six; polling place, the car.
penter-shop of Scholten & Burgner, mar.
row-gauge station, Park street.
1t was decided to organize drill corps
and to nominate delegates for the pri-
maries next Thursday night. Mr. Mackie
and Mr.. Taylor clashed swords on the
proposition, but Mr.. Mackie's contention
prevailed.
Company G..
ALAMEDA, CAL, Aug. For over
three months the war has been smolder-
ing in Com mpany g, breaking out at times
into almost open rebellion. Colonel Fair
banks paid sundry visits to pour oil on
troubled waters, but his efforts were of no
avail. The majority OF the company said
their captain. William f. Chipmarl. was
= Il