The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-18
RAE DWELLING
TO The GROUND
Residents Of Mission De-
molish Building Erected
to Close a Private Alley
ACT Is DONE AT NIGHT
Indignant Citizens Take Law
Into Their Own Hands and
Remove Offending Obstacle

The residents Of the peaceful neigh
borhood of Green Valley, and principal
ly that portion of it bounded by San
chez. Twenty-seventh, Duncan and
Church streets, were awakened from
their slumbers shortly after midnight
yesterday morning by a terrific ham,
mering, bombarding and smashing.
They rushed from their beds into the
streets, barefooted and bareheaded. At
first many of them thought the seat of
the Russo-Japanese war had been
transferred to their part of town. Upon
investigation, however, they found that
the noise was occasioned by a gang of
men who with axes were demolishing
shanty that had been erected for the
purpose of closing UP an alley running
through the block already named.
This alley has for years been used by
the residents as thoroughfare. The
oldest residents in the block have been
there twenty-five years. They bought
their property from Joe Comerford,
as they declare, with the understand
ing that the alley was public property.
They had horses and wagons which
they kept In the rear Of their premises
facing the alley until two years ago,
when L. Seeliger bought the alley. Now
their horses and buggies are gone. See
Tiger says he bought the alley from the
Comerford estate, or from the Ger
mania Bank, which held mortgage on
the estate. He Immediately closed up
the alley by putting fences at both
ends. These were promptly torn down
by the indignant property holders. See
Tiger then sold his eastern half of the
alley to S. T. Kenyon, who lives at 31S
Duncan street and has basket manu-
factory on his premises. Kenyon erect
ed two warehouses in the alley. but left
a space of six feet so that people could
pass by.
About two months ago Seeliger
leased to Gustave Alstead his west end
Of the allev, and Alstead erected a
cheap, rough shack, completely closing
up the alley. 1t was an eyesore to the
whole neighborhood. There was no door
to it in front, and it had. the appear
ance of a big dry goods box. Alstead.
so the neighbors say, had no toilet con-
veniences connected with his abode,
and to add to the general complication
brought his horse and pastured him in
the alley.
Alstead has been having trouble with
his wife and a suit for divorce is now
pending. During the marital mix-up
Alstead took possession of a horse and
buggy that he claims was community
property. His wife threatened to have
Alstead arrested. While Alstead was in
town trying to get matters adjusted the
neighbors, or other persons interested,
jumped upon the shanty and complete
ly demolished it.
Alstead, who says that he lives at IS
East Park street, visited the neighbor-
hood yesterday but he did not attempt
to go to the demolished building. Per-
haps he was wise, as the residents
whereabouts were greatly excited and in
no humor to give him a flattering re-
ception.
Seeliger, who keeps butcher shop at
Mission and Twenty ninth streets, pro-
fesses to know very little about the af-
fair. He says he owns half of the alley I
and that he proposes to hold it. Ken
yon, who owns the other half, says
that Alstead put up the house without
obtaining a permit from the Board Of
Public Works, and that the neighbors, |
learning of this, decided to take de- |
cisive steps in the matter.