The San Francisco call., 1897-02-04
UNCLE SANS HARD KICK
General Forsyth Says the City
Has Not Lived to Its
Agreement.
Requests That Conditions on Which
Part of the Preside Was Ceded
Be Fulfi led.

Brigadier-General Forsyth of the United
States army, commanding tine depart
ment, has called to the attention of the
Mayor the conditions under. which the
Government of the United States relin-
quished certain lands at the Pr sidio to
the City and County. He shows that the
conditions have been violated, and he
takes the occasion to read to the CITY
authorities lecture about the con-
dition of certain streets and to ask
that something shall be done. The
communication, which was received yes
Ierday by Mayor Phelan, is in part as fol-
lows:
l have the honor to invite your attention to
the condition of the City streets on the east
ern borders of the Presidio reservation. By
the act OF Congress approved May 9, 1876, Ger
tain lands belonging to the Presldio military
reservation were rehnqulshed 10 the City and
County OF San FranciSco, provided that Lyon
street, as indicated in this act, shall be ex-
tended to the bay of San Francisco, 80 feet
wide and dedicated for public highway for
ever.
Provided further that Broadway, Vallejo,
Green, Union, Filbert, Greenwich, Lom bard,
Chestnut, Francisco, Bay, North Point, JeffeT-
son, Tonquin and Lewis streets, as laid down
on the official map OF the City and County of
San Francisco, be extended westerly to inter
sect the easterly line OF Lyon street and dedi-
Gated as public streets and highways forever
Accordingly, in the year 1876, the line on the
easterly line OF the reservation was removed
from its then location and placed in its proper
line further west, where it now is.
Lyon street has not yet been opened by the
City authorities provided by the act above
referred to- 1t is oh ,tructed at the north end
by several buildings, fences and a shooting
gallery. Neither have Green, Chestnut, Ten
Quin and Lewis streets been opened, as pro-
vided in the act. These street are all OBJ
structed.
Before the late Senator Fair commenced to
fill his property at the east OF the Presidio
Reservation the natural outlet OF the slough
on the north side of the reservation was cas- T.
wardly across Lyon and Baker streets. Baker
street and the property east OF It has been
filed in by the property-owners. The Govern
mant is now filling the marsh on the north
east of the reservation, but the elevation of
the surface after the filling is completed will
be lower than that east OF Baker street. There
will be lett depression between Baker street
and the east side of the reservation in which
water may collect, ana 1t may overflow on 10
the reservation.
The Baker-street sewer has been filed u D,
with sand for q distance above its outlet, and
instead of having the obstruction removed,
the City authorities have constructed a box.
drain at the crossing OF Baker and Francisco
streets, which furnishes outlet for the sew
age into the depression referred to.
In view of these facts | request that you do
me the kindness, it 1t be within your power,
TO cause such mes assures to be taken as will re-
suit in the opening OF the streets referred to
and in the grades on Lyon street being re-
established, south of FIlbert street. in such
manner will make both Lyon street and
the reservation accessible along the entire
eastern part of the reservation, and in Lyon
street being graded.
1t is especially important that the portion of
Lyon street, north of Lombard, shall be
opened, and that the box drain which now
forms the outlet for the Baker-street sewer
shall be removed and the sewage directed in
its proper channel, which is along Balser
street; as IT now constitutes a menace 10 the
health OF the neighbor hood, and, when the
which Is
being graded near this vicinity, shall be COM
pieted and used by the troops Tor drill pur-
poses. the danger to the health OF the troops
will be largely increased.