The San Francisco call., 1897-10-15

born resistance from the great majority OF
those holding the lots.
The following opinions, as expressed,
will go toward accepting this view of the
situation:
Bernard Schweitzer, who owns 50 feet
on Market by 100 west of City Hall ave-
nue., said: TO my mind this is d. cidedly
one of the grandest movements ever spok-
en- of to make Market street what it
should be, grand commercial boulevard,
with magnificent park in front of the
City Hall. To the promoters of this
scheme too much credit cannot be given.
why, when l go into the smallest town in
this or any other State the first things
that attract my attention are the public
buildings and the grounds that surround
them. And in no case have | found City
Hall or school building hemmed in on all
sides by cluster of rookeres.
"The selling of the land in front of the
hall was simply criminal in the first in
stance, and the sooner the people make
amendments for this crime the better il
will be for the good name of the city. l
am pleased 10 know that some of our pub
llc-splrited citizens have taken this step,
and L nledge my word that | will do any
thing l can to aid the movement.
II do not want to make any money on
my holding. 1t cost me probably $40 900
for the land and the mprovements l pu
on il, but l don't care go much for this. l
will aid the undertaking in every way
without offering any objections.
Sanford Sachs, who with Hannah
Sachs owns twenty-five feet on Market
street runnine through to Park avenue
said: "Weil, l have not given the subject
any thoue ht and therefore | am not pre-
pared TO say exactly what we would do in
the pr misses. OF course, it is matter of
business to buy or sell property, and l am
not prepared to say that we would favor
the city any more than we would a pri-
vate individual who might want our prop
efty.
Il think the idea is a good one, and /,
Tor myself, will do my share in any m ove-
ment to i'm prove our city. But just now
L cannot say upon what terms we would
sell. OF course. if the property was con-
demned by law We would cheerfuIly &C
quiesce in the Decree
A. P. Hotaling, who owns the gore lot
on Market, Hayes and Larkin streets, is
now on his way to China, and conse-
quently his opinion could not be OBJ
tained. But his agent, ]. w. Merrill. in
speaking for him said he was inclined to
think that from the character of Mr.
Hotaling as public-spirlted citizen he
would not throw any obstacles in the way
in uisposing # his properly to the city
for the laudabie purpose mentioned lii
The CALL. Yet he would not go on rec
ord as hsZarding anv opinion as to what
Mr.. HotalIng woulO do if here.
J. h. Prior, who holds seventy-five feet
on Market street, which runs through to
Park avenue, whore 1t has n frontage of
fifty feet, is opposed TO the whole proceed
ings. He said:
"If this is done it will leave a gap on
Market street of three blocks OF very val
liable business property that will be no
good for anything. If this city wants my
property it must paw for il The same as
any body else. We have too many parks
as IL is. They are nothing but places for
idiers and buns 10 congregate. l am OPP
posed to the whole thing right through"
Chief of Police Lees, one of the prop
erty- owners. said: 'If the city wants the
property and will pay the value of it l
have no objection to selling it,"
John Morton, president of the Morton
Draying and Express Compa said
The land should have been reserved for
park in the first place. 1t was blind
policy to have sold it, bur since it has
bSen sold the next best thing 10 be done
is to have it condemned under the en-
inent domain clause of the constitution
and have it restored to the people.
al am not in favor of paying for it out
of direct taxation. 1t is as much as the
taxpayers can d o to meet the requirements
of the annual expense of running the city
government and even this is hardly sutfi-
cient under the existing circumstances,
hence the money for the City Hall Park
should be raised by the issuance of bonds
FOR that purpose"
Colonel ii. 2. Bush, assistant adjutant-
general on the ma sior-genera's staff and
head bookkeeper in the United States
Mint: "Of course | am in favor OF having
the entire front on Market street facing
the City Hail thrown into park. The
a a 4
should never have been placed in a posi-
ton whereby their votes could be instru-
mental in depriving the people OF this
city of a piece of land that was an actual
necessity in front of the Citv Hall.
II favor the issuance of BONDS for this
purpose, as the i'm provements about to be
made will benefit those that come after
the present generation even more than it
will US. But do away with the rookeries
now when the people favor the move.
ment."
City and County Attorney Creswel will
present to the Grand Jury to-day an
opinion on the legal points involved in
the question OF reSainlng possession of
the City hall lots for the purpose of
Transforming them into u magnificent
park.
Mr. Cresweli will not touch on the oues-
tion of the policy of the city repurchasing
the property, but will confine himself to
the law governing the condemnation of
land for pub ic utilities and the right of
the city to submit to the people the ques-
tion OF issuing bonds 10 cover the cost.
In the attorneys mind there is no Ques-
tion as to the right OF the city to condemn
the land, and he is equally sure that it is
perfectly legal to hold bond election to
cover the expense, Mr.. Creswell has
spent considerable time In looking up the
law and will submit iull set OF refer
ences TO the jury.