The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-21
HARTMAN SEXES
CHANNEL STREET
Legislature May Be Called
On to Investigate the
Latest Railroad Grab
LARGE TOLLS SAVED

Investigation by the Legislature will
be necessary to exploit all of the meth
DDS that the Southern Pacific has pur-
sued in what amounts, practically, to
the seizure of the entire southern side
of Channel street, between Fourth and
Seventh, and the greater part of the
northern side. Pending In the Superior
Court at the present time are actions
to complete the possession of the north
ern side, the defendants being whole
salers who have had the temerity to
refuse to sell at private sale the hold
tngs that they have enjoyed for de.
cades, and upon which the existence OF
the enterprises they conduct depends.
Under the pretense that the property
they were after was to be used for
railroad purposes only, the Southern
Pacific acquired through the process of
eminent domain and private purchase
many acres of land lying between
Channel, Sixteenth, Kentucky and Sew
enth streets. Though half of this land
is not being utilized and the other half
of 1t is leased to private wholesalers,
contrary to the declarations of pro-
posed use under which the same was
acquired through condemnation as pro-
vfded by the law. the Southern Pacific
Company has summoned to court Som
ers & Co., owners of property at Sixth
and Hubbell streets, which is the only
land that stands between the railroad
and possession of the entire territory
from the Potrero to the waterway of
Channel street.
WORK FOR BURKE AND PARKER
Besides the question of the Southern
Pacif1c's right to condemn this land
only to lease 1t to private parties, is
the question as to why it holds pos
nf fha ao1yc 81
street free from the payment of toll,
dockage being charged against the
shlpowners only. This must be an
swered, and only the Legislature can
compel an answer. It is not entirely
beyond probability that Jere Burke and
Walter Parker will be called upon to
work overtime at Sacramento to pre-
vent this question from being asked.
The companies that still hold possess
sion of land along the north side of
the channel say that no tolls have been
charged by the Harbor Commission,
though the channel is State property.
These owners frankly assert that If
the State took the trouble to erect a
buffer, even though but one foot wide,
between the channel and the private
wharves, it would be entitled under the
law to collect tolls and reap enormous
revenue during the course of years,
from what is undoubtedly one of the
most valuable sections of the city's
water front The Southern Pacific is
now busy filing In the southern ap-
proaches to the wharves along Channel
street and will soon be in full con-
troll with its cars loading direct from
the ships. The company will then pos
sess the most valuable harbor facilities
in the port
FIRMS WILL FIGHT
Whether it will enjoy the same privi-
lege on the north side depends upon
the nature of the defense of those that
have been sued by the Southern Pa
cific. They are Miller & Co., the Union
& Magner. All of these firms point
out that if they are dispossessed there
is no other place available where they
can unload directly into their ware
houses They ask the pertinent ques-
ton as to what right the Southern
Pacific has to seek to take their prop
erty from them when the lands it has
already secured are being leased to
private persons.
The struggle in court promises to
develop unusual rulings as to the ex-
tent that railroads may take advantage
of the law of eminent domain. It is
also probable that the remaining own
ers, carrying out their determination
to demand legislative investigation,
will convince the Southern Pacific that
after all the land is not so valuable
for the compaly's purposes as it had
been led to believe in the day when the
thought of the collection of tolls was
absent from the minds of the officials
in charge