The San Francisco call., 1906-06-08
ARE IN FAVOR
Of LOW RENTS
Union Square Realty
Owners Desire to As
Sist Tenants.
Erection of Buildings
Higher Than Ten
Stories Opposed.

The Union Square Property Owners
Association is opposed to high build
ings and high rents. At its meeting
yesterday the members expressed them
selves in favor of keeping rents down
town at as low figure as possible for
the next few years to encourage the
rebuilding of that section. Opposition
to buildings taller than ten stories was
expressed.
The association is composed of per-
sons owning property in the vicinity
of Union square, and its efforts are
bent toward making this section one
of the most beautiful parts of San
Francisco. 1t desires to have future
structures in this neighborhood built
with some uniformity.
1t was the unanimous expression "
the members not to charge tenants
high rents for the next few years, so
they might be encouraged downtown
and help to upbuild and renew that
business district.
A motion was adopted asking the
Mayor and Board of Supervisors to
give the owners of the Geary street
railroad privilege to operate the ROAD
as heretofore until the city's business
is Strengthened.
The organization is opposed to the
widening of Geary street, declaring it
is not feasible, as there are steel struc-
lures which remain on the street that
can be repaired and widening would
mean that they must be torn down.
The members were unanimous in
their expressions that the various lots
in this neighborhood should be cleaned
of the debris as soon as possible, and
every member. excepting those who
are prevented by insurance companies,
decided to start Immediately to clean
away the debris.
The following letter regarding the
height of city buildings has been ad-
dressed TO the Mayor:
San Francisco, Cal. June ?, 1906.
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors,
San Francisco. Cal
Gentlemen: / desire to present be-
fore your honorable body certain facts
which should be considered before the
adoption of a building ordinance. They
relate TO high buildings, even class A
structures.
The elevator shafts of a tall steel
building when on fire operate as a fur
mace and the current of air caused
thereby is such that fireman cannot
keep his feet. In the Baltimore fire the
fremen were not able to stand within
two hundred feet of the tall steel build
ings and no water was thrown upon
were destroyed in twenty minutes from
the time they took fire. This is taken
testimony before the Engineers Soci-
ETY. OF Western Pennsylvania
The experience or Baltimore led to a
Limitation in the height of buildings to
rs feet, as appears from an article in
the Craftsman Magazine. The princi-
pal European cities-London, Berlin.
Paris and Vienna-restrict the height
of buildings to less than one hundred
feet Boston and Washington have
also adopted height limits.
Ernest Flagg, a New York architect.
believes that ten stories will be the
limit, and he figures that buildings
higher than that have not paid well
financially 1 understand that Mr..
Faville, San Francisco architect. is of
the same opinion as Mr.. Flagg
Excessively tall buildings are "pi-
rates OF air and sunshine; they are in
furious to the owners of nefghboring q
property. They also dishgure a cfty
because they lead to great irregularity
in the sky line.
From the standpoint of a fire hazard
think the city would be justified in
uniting all buildings to a height of
twelve stories. The vanity or greed of
owners OF choice corners is opposed 10
such limitations, but the welfare of all
other people and the protection of the
city seem to demand the limitation
suggested above. Yours respectf1Iliv,
WILLIAM F. BURBANK.
United States National Bank.