The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
ALAMEDA COUNTY NEWS.
heir own improvements suited to their special

their own improvements suited to their special
requirements.
The laws OF this State limit the term OF
lease TO twenty years. Valuable permanent
i'm provements cannot be made upon land
leased Tor so short II term. There are many
kids OF enternrises that would be greatly Ia
vored by or absolutely require a location fur
nishiIg water on one side and rail on the
other. City or State ownership can only offer
leas ior short terms comparatively, and this
will not permit other than buildings OF tenn
porary character.
San FranciScj cannot furnish accommoda-
ions for enterprise desiring waterfront loca-
tions-has none of them now and can have
none. All OF II manufacturing enterprises are
located inland, SO that every pound OF material
must be subjected 10 drayage in and out,
wharf charges and tolls aud increased cost for
handling. When these disadvantages become
so great as to be burdensome the enterprises
60 10 Port Costa, Baden or somewhere along
The bay shore where they can have free
wharves and buildings located between rail
water
With the right of private ownership on
oakland water front and the harbor main-
tnined by United states Government, we can
offer inducements to manv large enterprises
now located in San Francisco and elsewhere
on this coast, that, in my Judgment, Will be
sufficient 10 attract them 10 cate here,
because we would have and could give them
what tney want. Suppose the city 10 be the
owner in fee OF the water front, how would 1t
be improved. 10 what extent and where would
the money come from? The maintenance OF
our one little city wharf is somewhat OF
burden. Go down and look at the improve
ments made by the Adams estate and see
whether The City would ever have done so good
work. This is one enterprise which will
have shipped inland during he first year over
2O00 carloads of freight taken from vessels a
its dock. Here has been inaUgurated the
project of direct communication with Sac
ramento River for produce and fruit, the
nucleus OF large enterprise which has come
TO stay. We want more OF that sort OF ming.
ANY real-estate dealer will Tell you that dur
ing the last ten to twenty years We have had
scores of applications for manufacturing sites
on the water front, which we could not ac-
commodate because the title in litigation,
and that Ill their judgment we can now secure
q number OF sucu enterprises If we but let
them know that we are in position 10 furnish
what they seek. can name three enterprises
which have knocked at our door i'll vain that
would have spent several millions OF dollars
in Improvements and given employment to
several thousands OF men. We nave many
residents who sleep here over night and
don't even take an oakland newspaper. Esti-
maole men, but their material interests are
elsewhere. We would like a few thousand
who will not only sleep here. but who will
live here all day, build their homes here and
spend their money here. szA
The Water Front Company has now made
public its announcement that II considers
the title title finally ad judicated as TO the poT-
tion decreed TO 1t, ana that the company is
ready 10 sell the same ana on very reasonable
terms TO any and ali. There already sew
eral large enterprises iuquiring. Ii Can
spread it abroad throughout the enllre coast
and elsewhere that there IS no longer wall
around Oakland we may surely lock ior better
days and improved conditions IN all KINDS OF
business, as we'll as a renewal OF demand Tor
real estate for homes. l do not see that the
consideration aud discussion of the funding
bill, or the Nicaragua canal, or any other
rail road questions OF natIonH' importance, or
any political issues should Influence US in the
management of our local aHalrS. We are
looking for another railroad one OF these
days, We have room for all and should vel
come them, granting reasonable requests.
denying those that are unreasonable, and
tffering inducements for their coming.
This afternoon Mr.. Sessions stated TO
CALL eporier that the railroad company
was so confident OF its title that it has al
raady divided portion OF the land and
set figures up it. As an exam nle of the
price asked Mr.. Sessions stated that q
piece 1870 feet frontage, near The nail
works at the foot OF Myrtle street, varying
in depth from 1000 to 600 feet, is for sale
for $3.50 front foot.
These figures a.e somewhat startling.
showing that the railroad COMPANY valus
the water front atapproximately 81, 600 600
per mile. and this news will undoubtedly
be very gratifying TO Assessor Daiton on
he 1st OF next March.
c. R Lewis, who was member of the
City Council of 1882, which has commonly
been credited with having been brioed 10
dismiss the litigation then pending, pub
Iished a statement Tonight in VIII ch he
Tears large holes inthe letter Of Vice Presi-
dent Douty. Mr.. Lewis says:
l will now confess to the bribe which we re-
ceived. l consulted with an attorney IN whom
! had confidence and he told me that any ac-
ton that the Council took in the water front
case would cut n" figure in regard 10 title, it
being entirely out of our hands. So I was