The San Francisco call., 1904-12-22

ing the choice of this block are the
Public Library Trustees and the Asso-
citation for the Improvement and
Adornment of San Francisco. at the in
stance of which Mr.. Burnham began
his plans for the adornment Of the city.
They say that the assertion that Mr.
Burnham has definitely decided upon
proposed civic center" is based upon
erroneous information, They say Mr..
Burnham has considered not one but
a half-dozen proposed civic centers;
that none Of his plans have gone far
ther than tentative state of prepara-
ton and that he has committed him
self to no definite plan, but is working
out a half-dozen ideas that must be
passed upon by those that will pay for
their execution before the final work of
the architect can even begin.
Block 7S. they further point out,
faces on the proposed extension of the
panhandle-a proposed Improvement
once submitted to the people and
ratified by them by a two-thirds
majority, but which subsequently
failed Of execution through a legal
hiatus that occurred between the
dethroning Of the old consolida
new charter. The extension of the
panhandle. they say, is bound TO come
In time and point TO the fact that in
his report Architect Burnham him
self said that no better highway to
Golden Gate Park could be devised
than to extend the panhandle, and
such proposed extension would be in
cluded in his general plans.
PROJECTS ARE DISCUSSED.
The probability of the extension of
the panhandle and the question of the
establishment of a proposed Civic
Center" were both fully discussed by
the library trustees and the Adorn-
ment Association before they agreed
TO recommend the selection of block
70. the advocates of that site say.
With a rough draft of the proposed
Civic Center" including block 81, be-
fore them they turned to block 73,
holding that as this parcel of land is
only one block from Market street
the erection of the library upon it
would furnish a magnificent monu-
ment TO grace the panhandle entrance
If the extension plan is carried
through. 1t would also eradicate. they
say, number of shops that are any
thing but ornamental and If permitted
10 stand would greatly detract from the
beauty of the splendid entrance TO
Golden Gate Park that is contemplated
1t is further asserted by the advo-
Gates of block 73 that block 67 was
never appraised that il was an ad-
appraised and the figures subsequently,
accepted by the owners of block 81.
The~ further say that block 73 can be
purchased well within the appropria-
ton and that the claim that block 67
can be purchased within the appro-
priation without the expense of con-
demnauon proceedings is one not to
De considered, because the city would
insist upon such condemnation pro-
ceedings for its own protection and to
dehnltely establish the value of the
site by means of expert testimony.
INTANGIBLE CONDITIONS.
As further argument in support of
their advocacy Of the purchase Of
block 13 they say that as both the pro-
posed Civic Center" and the extension
of the panhandle are at the present
time intangible conditions on which
10 base an argument, the balance
should be in favor of block 73, because
even if both of these projects fall
through. the placing of the library on
block l3 will insure it a conspicuous
position, while, on the other hand.
block 81 would relegate the library to a
position, unless the proposed "Cfyic
Center" materialized, as inconspicuous
as that occupied by the new postoffice
which they describe as a buried monu-
ment."
1t would be easier for Mr.. Burnham
to shift his proposed Civic Center" ("
they say in conclusion, than it would
be to move the new library to a con-
spicuous site in event the people re-
fuse TO see the need of a ''Civic Cen
ter" and reject all plans that make
block 81 the key Of scheme that now
seems so picturesque-when the people
are not being asked to pay for the en-
joyment of their contemplation
However the question rests with the
Supervisors. They will determine the
merits of these arguments Tomorrow