The San Francisco call., 1897-07-25
BUSH STREET
A BOULEVA
The Removal Of the "Ghost
Car" Looks Favorable
for That Change.
The Principal Real-Estate Own
ers on the Street Line Give
Their Views.
The Necessity of Having One Street
Free From Bell-Ringing and
Heavy Trucks.

The removal of the ghost car from Bush
street by the Supreme Court has given
the property-owners hope that now the
street may he put in condition.
John w. Murphy, proprietor of the st.
George stables on Bush street. near
Kearny, speaking for himself and Mr..
Seymour, the owner of the property, said
yeste rday: II have but one opinion. and
that is that Bush street should be boule-
ward right through from one end to the
other. Now, let US look at it just as 1t IS.
Bush street leads right through the center
OF the City, taking Its starting point
from the leading hotels and principal
business sections of the downtown portion
of the City. 1t is the only street between
Pacific and Market that has no railroad
on it. 1t leads direct to Central avenue
and from there to the park or the military
reservation.
"This street should by all means be pre-
served as a driveway. over which ladies
could get out OF the commercial center to
the suburbs without the danger OF being
run down by streetcars and wagons"
Mrs. Mary w. Newman, proprietress OF
the Wentworth Ii otel, at 617 Bush street,
on the line OF Bush street. She has re-
sided in San Francisco since 1S49. She
said: "Well, am SO glad that our Su-
preme Court has at last rendered decl-
sion and one which will relieve the people
of the presence of that horrid nightmare
known as the Bush-street perambulatIng
ghost, that had scared the children and
set the dogs wild by its presence, when on
extraordinary occasions it did make its
appearance on the street.
fYes, am in favor of boulevard right
through from one end TO the other. But
before this is done l want the street put
In proper condition. l want the 40 old
cobble-stones taken up and modern
pavement put down. We paved Bush
street thirty years ago with cobbles when
cobbles cost i fortune to put them down.
AT that time the City acce pted The street
and promised, so far as official promises
would inn ply, that the street would be
kept in a good condition for all time to
come How faithfully that promise has
been kept may be seen from the fact that
during the past thirty years not 81 worth
OF proveme has ever been put on the
street from Grant avenue to Powell street,
and on the lower portion only by the
property-owners at their own expense.
There is no reason why this street
should be so neglected. 1t is the only
street leading out of the heart of the City
that has no cars on, and consequently
should be reserved for driving purposes.
Over it ladies and children could drive
without fear OF being run down by trucks
and butcher wagons. l have contributed
NV share to the fund to dispossess the
ghost service, and l am ready to continue
the good work TO put The street in condi-
tion as a boulevard, and L hope every
property-owner on the line of the street
will put his shoulder to the wheel now
and obtain that to which we are entitled" :"
The sentiments expressed by the above
speakers are IN harmony with the opinion
of the great majority of residents and
property-owners on the entire street from
one END to the other. All favor a boule-
ward. The condition OF the street at the
western end could hardly be any worse
than it is. Since Mayor Ellert tore up
the rails the street has not been touched
the rutholes are there to-day that were
made then, with no attempt to fill the I'm
IN, while the blocks between Kearny
and Powell streets retain old '49 round
headed cobbiestones, over which 1t is dam
gerouS to drive.
On the return of the principal down.
town hotel pToprietors meeting will be
held and some decisive action taken wit
reference to calling the attention OF the
Supervisors to the boulevard scheme.