The San Francisco call., 1906-07-19
DESIRE To BECOME
SAN FRANCISCAN,
People of Northern Half
of San Mateo County
Favorlng Annexation

A movement for annexing a part Of
san Mateo County to the city and
county of San Francisco which was
under consideration long before the
nre, Is about to take substantial form
AT the meeting Of the next Legislature
the whole plan will be submitted and
urged to conclusion. General w. H
II. Hart has been retained by those in
terested and he is confident the pro-
posal Will receive not only the approval
or the legislative authorities but of a.
large majority of the votes of the peo-
pie dwelling in San Mateo County
Years ago the annexation of the whole
OF San Mateo County to the city and
county OF San Francisco was seriously
entertained, and but for the opposition
or certain element who saw in the
proposal new scheme of political ag-
grandizement 1t would have been ef-
fected.
Public opinion was then powerless
and the union. though strongly advo-
Gated by some. failed of approval and
was shelved for more opportune time
In the opinion of the very best ele-
ment of that part of San Mateo County
it is proposed to annex the present time
is best for the movement to take SUBJ
stantial form
The plan Is to join all that part of
San Mateo County lying north OF the
1870 degree OF latitude. which would
lncIuoe that part of the county lying
north OF a line running just south of
Can Carlos station and extending from
the bay to the ocean and including Half
moon Bay. This area is 14N miles
wide at its widest and IAN miles long
from north to south. Not including the
marsh lands which are submerged at
high tide the plan would add to San
Francisco County approximately 124
square miles.
The portion of San Mateo County
strongly in favor of annexation in
cludes the towns of Colma, South San
Franchisco. San Bruno. Burlingame,
Belmont, Millbrae. Baden and the city
of San Mateo. A very large majority
Of the people living in the northern
part or San Mateo are in business in
San Francisco. They are in favor of
more progress than II is possible to
get under government controlled by
the farming interests Moreover, in the
matter of taxes it has been found that
they are actually less in the city of
San Francisco than in San Mateo Many
far-seeing capitalists of San Francisco
look to an immense extension of the city
and regard the movement for it's en-
largement as demanded by the outlook
in the future.
1t is confidently said that every
vested interest in the northern part of
San Mateo County is strongly in favor
of the movement, and that every tax
payer desires 1t as means of raising
values. 1t is estimated the strip on the
north contains upward of 10000 in
habitants.
Were 124 square miles taken oft San
Mateo County there would still remain
335 square miles, almost enough to
form another county of the same name
If it was desired to perpetuate the old
traditions, but If some compensation
was demanded for the loss of the north
ern part Of the county as much might be
gained by small part of Santa Clara,
which would gladly. 1t is said, turn its
fortunes to San Mateo. Should a strip
eight miles wide decide to part from
Santa Clara and join its northern
neighbor the new San Mateo would
then be even larger than now. The
new county would embrace an area as
large, If not larger, than at present,
would have a population of 10000 and
extend from bay to ocean and be much
more compact and homogeneous than it
is now.
BY junction San Francisco would
acquire about twenty-seven miles of
bay shore which, in view of the future
merce in a few years. AS a part of
San Francisco this shore will be the
site of great manufactures. Another
reason, a purely sentimental one
though none the less powerful. is the
location OF the cemeteries outside the
city.
With the 124 square miles added to
the present forty-seven included In the
area of this oity San Francisco will
have a total area of I'll square miles
Compared with other cities of the coun-
try, Philadelphia has 129.5 square
miles: Chicago. 100; New York, 309;
New Orleans, 191; Boston 43 and Pitts
burg, before It's late enlargement, 2S SO
square miles.