The San Francisco call., 1905-03-14
BUSINESS MEN
DISCUSS BRIDGE
Schwerin Speaks in Favor
Of Causeway Traversing
the Carquinez Straits
NATTER is REFERRED
President NewhaH Appoints
Investigating Committee
OF Five to Make Report

| X. p. Schwerin addressed meeting
OF representatives of the commercial
bodies of San Francisco yesterday
afternoon in favor of permitting the
! construction of a bridge across Car
quinez Straits, to be used by the South
eln Paelnc Company Tor the purpose
OF shortening the time and increasing
the facilities for moving passengers
ard frelghl IN and out OF san FRAN
cisco.
Mr.. .Schwerin said that he had been
strongly IN lavor ever since he came
TO San Francisco OF bridging the pas
sage that Is now crossed py the ferry
boat Solano for railroad purposes. He
also said that he appeared before the
representatives OF the commercial
bodles only as a citizen who was inter-
ested in the prosperity of San Fran
cisco. He was interested in trans
Feciflcs commerce, and everything that
tended to properly assemble frelgnts
al this port so that steamships might
be loaded in accordance with proper
plan was of value TO the commerce of
This port.
incidentally Mr.. Schwerin said that
the completion OF the Salt Lake and
Los Angeles Railroad will, if present
conditions are not changed, make it
possible to ship freight to the Orient
cheaper by way of Los Angeles than
via San Francisco.
Mr.. Schwerin is chairman of a COM
mittee of the Merchants Exchange.
which includes as the other members
Percy T. Morgan, G.. w. McNear, w.
Nj. Alexander and A. Chesebrough.
This committee recently made re-
port, which was in type and before the
meeting of yesterday in leaflets. The
| tenor of the report was all in favor
OF the proposed Carquinez bride, to
be placed at or just above Port Costa,
connecting the Port Costa side with
the Solano side.
1t was held by the committee that
it is doubtful if the bridge will in any
way affect the height of the waters of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin
rivers and that the bulk of business
foi the great commercial interests of
San Francisco, both passenger and
freight has been and is suffering from
the enforced. detention and frequent
blockades between Port Costa and
Benicia, owing to the interruption to
the ferry between these points. Some
parts of the report are as follows:
POINTS IN THE REPORT.
| With drawbridgs with two openings of at
least 200 feet each, placed about outlined
/ on the proposed plans, with long wings ex-
enGs OF the draw, and with guiding bulkheads
extending each way from the drawbridge pier,
Pacific Company constantly maintained in
commission at the expense of that company
for the benefit of all vessels desiring to pass
the draw and to be furnished to such vessels
free of charge, and with proper system OF
buoys. lights and fog signals aids to navl-
cation, indicating for some distance above and
below th= draw the location or the draw, the
commerce of the Straits of Carquinez will be
subject to very slight, II any. Inconvenience.
We believe that the construction of this
bridge is of such Importance that the ques-
ton must not be decided by snap Judgment,
but only after the fullest investigation and
mature consideration should any opinion be
formed. We would deplors any action being
/ taken that would tend to condemn the con-
strueton of this proposed improvement, or
san Francisco, except upon the lines above
Loted, for this is not a question of sentiment,
seriously AFFECT the interests of San Francisco
and large part of the country contiguous
lhsretc.
1T must be borne in mind that the con-
structon of such bridges has been permitted
over the waterways of all countries OF the
world. many of these waterways carrying a
much vaster volume of traffic than will be
carried through the Straits of Carquinez for
many years to come. and it is a matter of
fsct that steam and sail vessels traverse such
waters without difficulty and without delay
The president OF the Southern Pacific Com
pany has guaranteed your committee that
II tne bridge proposed crossing the Straits OF
| Carquinez. SHOULD a rise of natural
level up stream. that 1t will either be removed
or replaced with one of piers and spans and
this 1t would seem could be accepted a
sufficient guarantee to protect the landowners
along the river against the question of high
water damage.
In concIuslcn your committee strongly ad-
vises that every be taken to prevent
| public opinion condemning this bridge through
the efforts of the partisan, especially in view of
will soon be investigated by corps of engi-
neers whose personality cannot but invite the
| confidence of ALL and whose opinion must be
! considered as conclusive.
NfIFDC ACK nIrE,CTUONc