The San Francisco call., 1906-10-25
CITY DETERMINED.
To WIN FIGHT.
Citizens Prepare for Legal
Battle for the Release Of
Docks and Approaches
PLAN HARBOR BOARD

OAKLAND. oct. 24-A determined
fight, backed by prominent officials and
pubIie-spirited citizens of Oakland. has
been outlined for the securing of con-
troll Of OakIand's harbor and docking
facilities by a Board Of Harbor Com
raissioners, which shall have powers
commensurate with the demands of
commerce and shipping. The plans
have been tentatively outlined at a
conference in which Mayor Mott, City
Engineer Turner, City Attorney Nc
TClroy. Governor Pardee, William r.
Davis and II A Powell took part Mon
day night
Governor Pardee was invited to the
conference on account of his active in
terest in the water front question, as
e public official and also as a citizen Of
Oakland. Davis and Powell are Of
special counsel for the city in the
water front litigation.
TO CREATE A BOARD.
II is the purpose Of the city officials
to have framed bill to be introduced
at the next session of the Legislature
under which an enactment will pro-
vide for the creation of a Board Of
Harbor Commissioners that shall have
powers to meet the new conditions
which have arisen in this city The
project is far-reaching, in that it may
have important bearing upon final
settlement Of the water front litiga-
ton. which has been before the State
courts for many years
The. conference Monday night re-
vealed the fact that many records in
the water front case were destroyed in
the San Francisco fire and viii have
70 be rewritten before the second case
on appeal to the Supreme Court can
be perfected. The first suit of the city
Of Oakland against the Oakland Water
Front Company was decided by Su-
perior Judge Ogden for the city. The
Supreme Court reversed the decision
and granted to the Oakland Water
Front Company title to a strip of land
between the high tide and low tide line.
The only question left for future ad-
Indication was whether the city could
maintain claim TO the thirty or forty
streets open 10 the water front At
the second trial Judge ogden decided
against the city except as three streets.
He followed the lines laid down by the
Supreme Court in its original decision.
PREPARES FOR APPEAL.
The city's counsel believing there
was stiI1 a chance to hold all of the
streets claimed by the city, began prep
srations for a second appeal to the Su-
preme Court The voluminous record
in the case was divided into three por-
items, one OF which went 10 h A. Pow
ell. another to William Lair Hill and
the third to William r. Davis, the sur
viving- special attorneys for the city.
The fourth. Judge Pringle. died several
years ago. PoWelPs part and Hills
portion, which were in San Francisco,
were burned, the only part saved being
that in Davis Office in this city.
These conditions were discussed at
the conference and the suggestion was
made to request the City Council to
make an appropriation to restore the
burned records. With that accom-
plished the final steps toward settling
the long pending water front litigation
can be taken It is unoficially re-
marked in administration circles that a
move viii be made soon to bring all
Of the water front questions to a
focus so that Oakland can take ad-
vantage Of all rights the city may be
able to acquire on the water front.