The San Francisco call., 1898-04-19
Water Front Company Finds a Most Aggres-
 sive Enemy.
Their Plan to Get Control of State Property to Be
 Contested.
MENACE TO THE HARBOR.
Her Waterfront Approaches May Be Controlled by s Private
 Corporation.

The petition of the Oakland Water Front Company to the Secretary of War asking for the relocation and moving of the pierhead lines in Oakland harbor brought about the first clash between that corporation and the city of Oakland which is violently opposed to the former s petition as was set forth in numberless documents of legal verbiage, that were read and filed yesterday at the meeting of the two opposing factions.
 The meeting was held in the office of Major Heuer, chief of United States en- gfneers, in the Flood building at 10 o'clock sharp. Colonel Charles R. Suter. of the corps of United States engineers, pre- sided, and the various documents submit ted were read by Major c. E. G. B. Davis, of the corps of United States engineers. The city of Oakland was represented by the Mayor, the Board of Trade and the Merchants Exchange, while the Attorney General was present, as were also those desiring the favorable consideration of the petition by the Secretary of War.
 The meeting was the result of the fol- lowing petition, which was filed in the of flee of the corps of United States engi- neers February f. 1898:
 To the Hon. Russell A. Alger, Secretary Of War. We, the undersigned ship owners, cap tains and masters, engaged in shipping upon the Pacific Coast. and in the bay of San Fran cisco, and in the harbOr of Oakland, respect fully represent that the interest of shipping and commerce. present and prospective, re- quire that the pierhead lines in Oakland har- Dor Tn the State of California, be relocated and moVed-the north line northward and the south line southward-untn said pierhead lines snail iall upon and become conlncldent with the limits of public ownership, and butt against and join lines of private ownership. and sO insure to commerce the fullest possible [ haTDOT ownership.
 By the order of Brigadier Wilson this petition was referred to Colonel Suter, and he was instructed to have a public hearing of it, at which any and all parties, including J. k. RunCier, l.. $. A, retired, but now practicing law in San Francisco, signed by forty-three persons interested in the Water Front Company and the shipping of Oakland harbor.
 In opposition to this petition there was filed one from the Board of Trade of Oakland, by its president, James R. Tay- Tor. It was as follows;
 Whereas. A petition has been filed and is now pending before the Corps of Engineers. seeking to have moved landward perhead lines In Oakland harbor, as established about five years ago by the Federal Government, the pierhead lines and all wharves and landings solely upon land claimed by the Oakland Water Front Company leaving free water front or landing place under the control Of the pub lie, as is now the case under the decision of the supreme Court of California as it now stands;
 Resolved. That this body views the proposed change with great alarm being against the public interest, against the growth of Oakland against the rights of the city and Of the whole public and this body does strongly protest against any change of the pierhead lines. the effect of which would be to limit the wharves docks. piers and landing dominion now under control of the city water front, and to take them out of the hands of the public and put them into the hands of individuals, a private corporation organized for profit.
 And this body protests against any change or harooT lines the effect of which would be to diminish the area of the water front now under the control Of the public.
 The petition of the Merchants Exchange against the Oakland Water Front Com panys petition was similar to that of the Board of Trade, with this addition:
 Resolved, That our representatives in Con- gress be, and they are hereby requested to use all honest means to prevent the continuation of this diaboical attempt 10 rob the people of this city and State of valuable property
 The brief of the Attorney Gener pre- pared and submitted in the case was a lengthy one, and was to the effect tha it was both inadYisable for the best inter- ests of the city of Oakland, as well as in consistent with the finding of the Su- preme Court of the State for the pier head lines to be m we'd.
 One of the strongest and most forcible petitions hled was the one of the city of- ficials of Oakland. It set forth that the changing of the pierhead lines would be of great injury to the United States and the State. To the United States in this. that if the pierhead lines. at which ships may now lie in 20 feet of water, is re- ceded to the shore line, which is bare of water at low tide, deep water for ships must be made at the new line, necessarily at the expense of the Government
 To retire pierhead lines is to efface the present harbor, which must be restored by dredging to the depth of 20 feet. The effect of the change would be not only to give a water frontage to the owners of the shore line but to force the Govern ment to make a harbor for their accom- modation.
 It would take from the State a large area devoted to the erection of wharves and other advantages to commerce now under the control and dominion of the State. It would injure the city, in that it would shut up all avenues of com merce of the city by giving them to a pri- Nate corporation, at whose mercy would lie the trade of the city and all the water front approaches. It would work injury to the harbor, in that the tidal flow would be sluggish and not sufficient to SCOUT this portion of the estuary, if the width Is increased. The petition further sets forth that the pierhead lines have been located once by the Government and that they have no right to change them without some good and sufficient reason.
 It is said that the. Water Front Com pany proposes to divide it's property up into lots and dispose of them, and it Is also inSinuated that thev nave intfmated to the Government their willingness to give the Government certain water front property if their petition is Iavorably considered.
 The papers in the case will be forward ed to the Secretary of War for his action in the matter. There will be another meeting of the two factions on Thursdav V morning, but it will be a private one