The San Francisco call., 1897-11-30
Railroad Company Has Sent
Its Ultimatum to the
County.
Supervisor Talcott Makes Pub
lie All the Correspondence
and Facts.
Also Makes Reference to Zone Mem
ber" and Some Grassland
Politics."
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL
sos BROADWAY. Nov. %.

sos Broadway, Nov. %.
1t was positively decided to-day that all
propositions looking 10 a single bridge
across the estuary are in vain and in
future, as in the past, there will be two
Obstrucuons to navigation in reaching the
upper harbor of Oakland.
a letter from Manager Kruttschnitt
4 Is read at the Board of Supervisors this
kNs-noon which puts at rest all doubts
IN the matter. The letter stated that il
would be great inconvenience TO the
public, besides being dangerous, TO have
one large bridge which would take steam
trains on the lower deck and eIectric-cars,
wagon traffic and foot traffic on the upper
deck and that the railroad company there
tore declined to enter into any proposition
10 build such a structure.
For TWO weeks it has been known that
Supervisor Talcott had prepared state
ment reviewing the bridge matter from
the beg inning for the purpose of refuting
the oft-repeated statement of Supervisor
Roeth that there was JOB in the transac-
tlOn. Mr.. Taicott waited for the final let
ter from the railroad company, which was
received last night, and to-day made the
expected explanation.
He reviewed at length the proceedings
dating rom August, 1895, when the War
Department issued its order that the
bridges across the estuary, not being up
10 the Government standard, new ones or
new one should be built. Mr.. Talcott
produced all the CORE pondence between
the Supervisors and the railroad company
and they were all placed on the minutes,
Tor the purpose, he said, of being
available in future years in case it might
be suspected that all had not been
straight.
Although he did not mention Mr..
ROeth's name he referred frequently to
''Oue member who had been doing some
brass-band politics, and who had given
away for publication matters which were
beng quietly considered by the board be-
cause tney thought II was the best method
OF arriving at a practical conclusion. He
referred to the fact that after the very
first ID eetlng o. the new Board of Super
visors, Of which Mr.. ROeth is memb ber, u
: DRY was published headed Supervisor
ROeth Scents a Job," and he said that
TINS anxiety 10 antagoniZe The work in
hand had greatly hampered the board.
had created uni Just prejudi ices and inter
4 tered with the proper course OF events,
evidently beCause he one mem Der did not
understand the legal responsibilities OF
the Supervisor IN the premises.
Mr.. Talcott said that he had been in
tending for a long time to give all the
matter publicity including the CORES pond
ence, but not until to-day was he able to
do so. On August 11th of this year q let
ter was sens 10 he railroad asking what
thev intended to do regarding building a
bridge al Harrison stree and II they did
build there would they entirely abandon
their rights on Webster-street bridge?
Five days later reply was received Stain
that tue company intended 10 build at
Harrison street, that 1t Will commence
soon. and al it Will have its bridge COM
Dleted by 1898, which i the time set by the
War Department. 1he company also
stated that on the completion of the Har-
rlson-street bridge II would abandon all
its rights to both the Webster and Alice
street bridges, and that the county could
do as it pleased with them.
Once more the Supervisors wrote to the
railroad conn pany, stat ng that the com-
munity generally desired one bridge
across the estuary, in view OF the fact
that the shipping interests OF the port oi
Oakland are steadily and rapidly lncreas-
ing. The railroad company was asked il
II would snare with the county the ex-
pense OF such bridge; but as under the
Jaw the county cannot pay for the ap-
proaches 10 the bridge. which are a great
iren the railroad company declares that
il sees no reason to reopen the matter, and
will abide by its determination to have
one bridge of its own at Harrison stree I.
After having related these facts Mr.. Tai
colt referred to Mr.. Roeth's resolution,
which mas been introduced by HIM at the
rast three meetings ot the board for the
rurpose of putting the members on rec
orl' in regard to the matter. He con-
cluded by stating that the proceeding:
! we-e quite regular and that they suth-
cientIv refuted any charges that might
have been made regarding the sincerity o.
the board.
A resolution was then introd uced ord er-
inc the clerk to advertise for plans fol
buiIdins a bridge from Webster street in
accordance with the reqUire ments of the
War Department. The bridge has to be
992 fee long, and a premium OF $1,000 is tC
be paid for the successful plans. ShouC
the lowest re- sponsible bid be higher than
the engineer estimate then the engineer
is bound 10 make good the difference.
These proceedings we're all harmoniou!
ana unanimous and lid not provoke any
rorI,, from Mr. Roath such as was ex